Eaton Corporation

Wayne B Wenker

Scott E Yakimow

Marvin L Bernstrom

John B Heckel

Michael W Barto

Jarett D Millar

John C Bierlein

Bernie W Neuhaus

James M LeClair, Jr

Jerry L Yoho

Rand J Erpelding

A gerotor motor including a brake package, and a method for setting the load holding torque of the brake package. The endcap assembly ( ) defines a set of internal threads ( ) disposed adjacent a brake package piston member ( ). An enclosure member ( ) defines a spring seat ( ) for a set of Belleville washers ( ), and defines a set of external threads ( ) engaging the internal threads ( ). Upon assembly of the motor and brake package, a resistance load is applied to a motor output shaft ( ) corresponding to a desired load holding torque. The motor is pressurized sufficiently to rotate the output shaft in opposition to the resistance load. The enclosure member ( ) is rotated so that it moves axially in a direction to increase the bias preload on the Belleville washers ( ) until the output shaft ( ) no longer rotates.

Rotary fluid pressure device and improved integral brake assembly

A brake assembly of the type in which there are provided brake discs (,) which are pressed into frictional engagement by a lock piston (,). The lock piston is of the type applied by a set of Belleville washers (,) and released by fluid pressure in a chamber (,). The invention provides a disengagement mechanism (,) associated with the lock piston (,) and including a manually operable handle (,) disposed external to a housing (,) enclosing the brake assembly. The handle is moveable between a normal position (FIG.,) and a disengagement position (FIG.,) in which the lock piston is moved toward at least a partially retracted position, in opposition to the force of the Belleville washers. When pressurized fluid is again communicated to the chamber (,), the lock piston is biased to its fully retracted position, and the handle (,) of the disengagement mechanism (,) returns to its normal position (FIG.,), ready for the next time the operator wants to manually disengage the brakes.

External manual brake release

An integral brake assembly for a gerotor motor of the type including valving (41) disposed forwardly of the gerotor gear set (15). Orbital and rotational movement of the gerotor star member (31) is transmitted to an output shaft (43) by a main drive shaft (51), which includes a rearwardly extending brake portion (107). The motor includes an endcap assembly (21) defining a brake chamber (73) into which the brake portion (107) extends. A cylindrical brake member (91) is disposed in the brake chamber (73), and includes a circular surface (109) for frictional engagement with a lock piston (75). The brake member (91) also includes a forward generally annular surface (115) for frictional engagement with either the gerotor gear set (15) or an adjacent wear plate (89). The invention at least reduces the need for expensive friction discs in order to achieve a desired level of brake torque, and also utilizes inherent friction in various brake parts for some of the required brake torque.

Low cost compact design integral brake

A rotary fluid pressure device (11) comprising a gerotor motor of the type including a spool valve member (51) cooperating with a housing (13) to define a nominal valve overlap (X). The motor has a drive shaft (53) for transmitting the rotational movement of a gerotor star (27) to the spool valve member (51) and output shaft (49), such that, under high torque loads, the drive shaft (53) is subjected to drive twist, which would normally effect valve timing. In accordance with the invention, the spool valve member (51) and the housing are provided with a valve overlap (Y) which is substantially greater than the nominal overlap (X). The star (27) defines, on its profile (85), first (87) and second (89) recesses which permit communication between the minimum (30) and maximum (32) volume transition chambers and the respective expanding (29) and contracting (31) volume chambers (FIG. 8). The result is an improvement in both mechanical and volumetric efficiency, as well as smoother operation at low speed and high pressure.

Transistion valving for gerotor motors

A gerotor motor (11) of the type having a spool valve (51) which is formed integrally with the output shaft (49), wherein the spool valve includes forward (67) and rearward (69) journal surfaces. Disposed radially between the output shaft (49) and a bearing-receiving portion (71) of the motor housing (13) is a ball bearing set (73), which is preloaded during assembly such that the rated side load on the output shaft (49) will not cause any substantial radial movement of the shaft within the bearing set (73). In order to reduce the length, and cost of the motor (11), the conventional wear plate adjacent the gerotor gear set (15) has been eliminated, such that both the valve housing (13) and the spool valve (51) are disposed immediately adjacent the gerotor gear set, and the rotating spool valve (51) is in engagement with the orbiting and rotating star member (27).

Spool valve wheel motor

A roller gerotor device is disclosed including an outer rotor (39) and an inner rotor (31), and a plurality of rollers (37) serving as teeth. The device includes a housing means (11,45,47) defining a first wear surface (67) disposed axially adjacent first axial end surfaces (55,63) of the rotors. The first wear surface cooperates with one of the rotors to define an annular fluid passage (83) and a plurality of fluid grooves communicating with the passage (83) and extending radially outward. At least a terminal portion of each of the grooves (87) is adjacent an axial end surface (59) of each roller member (37) as the rotors rotate. Each of the terminal portions (95) becomes progressively shallower in the direction of rotation of the rotors, thus building up fluid pressure in the fluid groove (87) to prevent gouging or galling of the roller end surface against the adjacent wear surface (67).

Roller gerotor device and pressure balancing arrangement therefor

An improved gerotor gear set and an improved method of selecting design parameters therefore are provided. The gerotor gear set (11) includes an inner rotor (17) defining a tip radius (TR), and an outer rotor (13). The axes of the rotors are offset by an electricity (E). The profile of the inner rotor is generated by a theoretical internal tooth (15) having a generating radius (GR). The relative orbital and rotational motion of the rotors defines, alternately, a single point clearance (SPC) and a double point clearance (DPC). Iterative adjustments are made in the tip radius (TR) and the generating radius (GR) until both the SPC and DPC are approximately equal to a desired tip clearance (TC).

Constant radial clearance gerotor design

A lock mechanism for use in association with a gerotor displacement mechanism of the type including an internally-toothed ring (23) and an externally-toothed star (27). The lock mechanism includes a lock member (81) and an actuation mechanism (83) including a backup member (85) which engages the lock member and an actuator (89). The actuator is in threaded engagement with a boss portion (71) of the ring whereby rotation results in movement radially inwardly, forcing the lock member into its adjacent volume chamber (29) to engage one of the external teeth of the star and prevent further orbital and rotational movement of the star.

Hydraulic gerotor motor and parking brake for use therein

A hydraulic motor including an integral parking brake section (15). The motor is of the type including a gerotor displacement mechanism (17) including an orbiting and rotating star (27) and a main drive shaft (41) which engages in orbital movement. The parking brake includes a lock shaft (77) having a cutaway portion (125) which permits normal orbital movement of the main drive shaft (41) in the unlocked condition. When it is desired to lock the motor and prevent rotation of the output shaft (31), the lock shaft (77) is rotated by a control shaft (101) to a locked condition in which a lock surface (123) is disposed within the orbit circle (C) of the drive shaft (41) to prevent orbital movement thereof.

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Eden Prairie, MN, United States of America

Wayne B Wenker