Eaton Corporation

John J Bair

Gerald D Damon

Eugene R Braun

Edward J Bantz

Kevin M McGovern

Steven W Woodard

David W Malaney

David S Totten

Jerry D Woods

Ralph A Lindgren, Jr

Lee A Freel

Anthony N West

A diagnostic driveline vibration analyzing tool for measuring and characterizing the torsional vibrations in a vehicle driveline. An electronic control unit and sensor cooperate to measure speed fluctuations occurring between the passing of adjacent teeth of a rotating gear. These time measurements are the basis for displacement, velocity and acceleration calculations which, combined with driveshaft rotational order information, can be used to pinpoint the source of excessive driveline torsional vibrations.

Driveline vibration analyzer

A directly mounted shift lever assembly (30) for a manually shifted vehicular transmission (16) for minimizing shift lever-induced jumpout. A counterweight (52) is mounted to the shift lever (31) in a forwardly extending manner to move the center of gravity (CG) of the resultant shift lever assembly forward of the shift lever Y--Y pivot axis (34).

Shift lever assembly for minimizing jumpout

A drum brake spring clip dampener for reducing the level of brake squeal noise where the spring clip dampener includes a leaf spring disposed into a gap formed between a wheel rim and the outer surface of an annular brake drum where the leaf spring is held in position by a holding clip extending from the leaf spring center section over a squealer band to engage the inner face of the squealer band with a hook section where the spring clip dampener introduces a separation force and increased vibration dampening.

Drum brake spring clip with squealer band retainer

A device for reducing the level of brake squeal noise having a damper ring disposed between a brake drum and a vehicle wheel rim where one or more friction springs extend from a retention band to form the damper ring with its axial position relative to the wheel set by a stop flange attached to the retention band and where the friction springs contact the squealer band of the brake drum with a separation force thereby creating friction damping on the squealer band to lower vibration and resultant noise levels produced by the brake drum.

Brake squeal dampener ring

A drum brake spring clip dampener for reducing the level of brake squeal noise where the spring clip dampener includes a leaf spring disposed into a gap formed between a wheel rim and an annular brake drum squealer band and where the leaf spring is held in position by two inner tabs and an outer tab where the spring clip dampener thereby introduces a separation force and vibration dampening.

Brake squeal spring clip dampener

A two-piece bearing isolator assembly for mounting roller or ball bearing races to a mounting structure for journalling a shaft. An outer Z-shaped metallic ring has outwardly and inwardly extending flanges on opposite axial margins. The outward flange retains the ring axially in a mounting structure; whereas, the inner flange retains plastic energy absorbing pads receiving the outer race, in line-to-line contact, of a bearing to be mounted. In one embodiment separate pads are disposed in circumferentially spaced apertures in the metallic ring. In another embodiment, separate pads are spaced circumferentially about an integrally formed plastic ring received in the metallic ring. The inner flange also serves as a stop for limiting radial movement of the bearing with respect to the mounting structure.

Bearing isolator

A bearing isolator assembly (70) suitable for use with tapered bearings (20) is provided. The bearing isolator assembly comprises a retaining member (72), a radial wave spring (74) and a separate axial wave spring (76).

Tapered bearing isolator

An integrally formed annular plastic bearing isolator for ball and tapered roller bearings journalling power transmission shafts. The isolator has a plurality of circumferentially spaced energy absorbing pads extending radially from the inner periphery thereof. The inner surface of the energy absorbing pads are at least an interference fit with the outer bearing race and have a predetermined radial spring rate for absorbing bearing movement. A plurality of circumferentially spaced stop pads alternate with the energy absorbing pads and are spaced radially from the outer race to permit limited radial compression of the energy absorbing pads. For tapered roller bearings a plurality of radially inwardly extending circumferentially spaced tabs each having axially extending pads thereon are provided for absorbing axial movement of the outer race.

A bearing isolator assembly (70) suitable for use with straight roller and with ball bearings (20) is provided. The bearing isolator assembly comprises a retaining member (72), a radial wave spring (74), and a nonresilient bump stop member (130), all preferably of a one-piece steel construction.

Growing community of inventors

Plainwell, MI, United States of America

John J Bair