RADIALLY, AXIALLY, AND TORSIONALLY COMPLIANT SPROCKET

• US 20160153541A1
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Foster-Miller Incorporated (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fuchs, Robert, Crowley, William, Mutschler, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/016,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20160153541A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2055/065 Moulded gears, e.g. inserts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2055/306 with means providing resilience or vibration damping in chain sprocket wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/06 Use of materials; Use of treatments of toothed members or worms to affect their intrinsic material properties coatings for lubrication F16H57/041; producing gear wheels from plastics or substances in a plastic state B29D15/00; heat treatment C21D9/32; electrolytic surface treatment C25D; heating by electromagnetic field H05B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/14 Construction providing resilience or vibration-damping F16H55/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/30 Chain-wheels

Abstract

A radially, axially, and torsionally compliant sprocket includes a rim including teeth thereon, a hub within the rim including a central bore, and a compliant open cell structure extending between the hub and the rim.

Claims

1. A radially, axially, and torsionally compliant sprocket comprising:

a rim including teeth thereon;

a hub within the rim including a central bore; and

a compliant open cell structure extending between the hub and the rim.

2. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the rim includes inwardly extending fingers and the compliant open cell structure engages the inwardly extending fingers of the rim.

3. The sprocket of claim 2 in which the compliant open cell structure includes an elastromeric material over molded in the rim about the inwardly extending fingers.

4. The sprocket of claim 3 in which the elastromeric material includes rubber.

5. The sprocket of claim 2 in which the inwardly extending fingers of the rim each include at least one feature for locking the compliant open cell structure to each inwardly extending finger.

6. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the compliant open cell structure includes crossing members.

7. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the rim includes fiberglass material.

8. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the hub includes keyways extending outwardly from the central bore.

9. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the hub and compliant open cell structure are unitary in construction.

10. The sprocket of claim 1 in which the hub includes a molded body connected to the open cell structure and a hub reinforcement structure overmolded by the molded body.

11. The sprocket of claim 10 in which the reinforcement structure includes a socket extending outwardly.

12. The sprocket of claim 11 in which the socket includes a keyway therethrough.

13. The sprocket of claim 11 in which the reinforcement structure includes a cap attached to the socket encapsulated within the molded body.

14. The sprocket of claim 13 in which the cap includes orifices therethrough for overmolding.

15. The sprocket of claim 10 in which the molded body has a shore hardness of between 80-90 A.

16. The sprocket of claim 15 in which the molded body is made of rubber.

17. The sprocket of claim 10 in which the reinforcement structure is made of plastic.

18. The sprocket of claim 17 in which the reinforcement structure is made of carbon filled nylon.

19. A radially, axially, and torsionally compliant sprocket comprising:

a molded rim including teeth thereon;

a compliant molded open cell structure extending inwardly from the rim; and

a hub connected to the open cell structure and including a molded body and a hub reinforcement structure overmolded by the molded body.

20. The sprocket of claim 19 in which the reinforcement structure includes a socket extending outwardly.

21. The sprocket of claim 20 in which the socket includes a keyway therethrough.

22. The sprocket of claim 20 in which the reinforcement structure includes a cap attached to the socket encapsulated within the molded body.

23. The sprocket of claim 22 in which the cap includes orifices therethrough for overmolding.

24. The sprocket of claim 19 in which the molded body has a shore hardness of between 80-90 A.

25. The sprocket of claim 19 in which the molded body is made of rubber.

26. The sprocket of claim 19 in which the reinforcement structure is made of plastic.

27. The sprocket of claim 26 in which the reinforcement structure is made of carbon filled nylon.

28. A method comprising:

a mold defining a rim with teeth extending therefrom, a hub having central bore, and a compliant open cell structure between the hub and the rim;

placing a reinforcement structure in the mold, the reinforcement structure including a cap with a socket extending therefrom; and

molding a compliant material in the mold to form a sprocket such that a cap of the reinforcement structure is encapsulated within the hub of the sprocket.

29. The method of claim 28 in which the socket includes a keyway therethrough.

30. The method of claim 28 in which the cap includes orifices therethrough for over molding.

31. The method of claim 28 in which the compliant material has a shore hardness of between 80-90 A.

32. The method of claim 28 in which the compliant material is rubber.