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. 12, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 11, 1999
Bennett W Avery, Princeville, IL (US);
Laurence J Cobb, Peoria, IL (US);
Valerie R Wiest, Peoria, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A planetary gear set is disclosed that includes self-aligning carrier shafts for the planetary gears that greatly reduces the wear to the carrier shaft caused by torque-induced loads on the planetary gear set. The carrier shaft includes a first cantilevered member extending from a carrier deck, which is connected, to a second cantilevered member that extends toward the carrier deck. A bearing member of the planetary gear is mounted to the second cantilevered member and the planetary gear is mounted to the bearing member. Under a torque-induced load on the planetary gear, the first cantilevered member is deflected in a first direction and the second cantilevered member is deflected in a second direction opposite the first direction, thus a carrier shaft designed in accordance with the present invention enables offsetting deflections under torque-induced loads leading to a reduction in the wear of the bearing member and the carrier shaft. The disclosed carrier shaft further permits a planetary gear system that utilizes a single carrier deck rather than dual carrier decks.