The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 16, 1996
Yih-Jen D Chen, Chandler, AZ (US);
Gregory F Heath, Mesa, AZ (US);
Ronald E Gilbert, Payson, AZ (US);
Vijay J Sheth, Mesa, AZ (US);
Michael T Morris, Mesa, AZ (US);
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., Mesa, AZ (US);
Abstract
A concentric face gear assembly includes a first face gear having first face gear teeth and second face gear having second face gear teeth. At least one input pinion contacts both the first face gear teeth and the second face gear teeth, and at least one idler pinion contacts both the first face gear teeth and the second face gear teeth. The first face gear is adapted for directly driving a rotor, but the second face gear is not adapted for directly driving a rotor. The load carried by the first face gear includes the force needed to drive the rotor. Since it does not drive a rotor, the second face gear does not comprise a web or spline attachment and is therefore lightweight. Both the first face gear and the second face gear include thrust bearings, which are located radially outwardly of the first face gear teeth and radially inwardly of the second face gear teeth. The first face gear includes a web, which is relatively thin due to the thrust bearing of the first face gear being located radially outwardly of the first face gear teeth rather than radially inwardly of the first face gear teeth.