Balance gear with a shot damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10443684-B2
Application number	US-201815866874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Jan 10, 2018
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

An engine system has a balance gear coupled to a balance shaft. The balance gear is formed by a disc having first and second opposite sides extending radially outwardly to a circumferential edge defining a series of teeth, with a first sector of the disc having a first aperture therethrough, and a second opposite sector of the disc having a second aperture therethrough. A damper is positioned within the second aperture and extends across the disc. The damper has a container enclosing a plurality of particles therein. Opposed ends of the container are outboard of the first and second sides of the disc. A method of forming the balance gear is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine system comprising:
a crankshaft gear coupled to a crankshaft of an engine for rotation therewith;
a balance gear coupled to a balance shaft for rotation therewith, the balance gear formed by a disc having first and second opposite sides extending radially outwardly to a circumferential edge defining a series of teeth extending between the first and second opposite sides, the series of teeth of the disc of the balance gear in meshed engagement with the crankshaft gear, a first sector of the disc having a first aperture therethrough, and a second opposite sector of the disc having a second aperture therethrough, each of the first and second apertures intersecting the first and second opposite sides; and
a damper having a container enclosing a plurality of particles therein, the container received into the second aperture and extending across the disc.

2. The engine system of claim 1 wherein the container of the damper comprises a base having a cylindrical side wall connected to an end wall, and a cover connected to the side wall opposite to the end wall of the base.

3. The engine system of claim 2 wherein the end wall of the damper is positioned outboard of the first side of the disc, and the cover of the damper is positioned outboard of the second side of the disc.

4. The engine system of claim 2 wherein the damper further comprises a central stirring member positioned within the base, connected to the end wall, and spaced apart from the side wall.

5. The engine system of claim 4 wherein the side wall and the stirring member are concentrically arranged.

6. The engine system of claim 4 wherein the stirring member contacts the cover.

7. The engine system of claim 1 wherein the damper is the sole damper in the balance gear.

8. The engine system of claim 7 wherein the second aperture and damper are equiangularly spaced from opposite radial ends of the second sector of the disc.

9. The engine system of claim 1 wherein the container defines a container volume in an unfilled state; and
wherein the plurality of particles fills at least fifty percent of the container volume.

10. The engine system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of particles fills ninety to ninety-five percent of the container volume.

11. The engine system of claim 1 wherein the balance gear is eccentrically weighted by the first aperture in the first sector and the damper in the second sector.

12. The engine system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of particles comprises steel shot.

13. A gear for a vehicle shaft comprising:
a disc having first and second opposite sides extending radially outwardly to an edge defining a series of teeth, the disc having a first sector defining an aperture therethrough, the aperture intersecting the first and second opposite sides of the disc; and
a closed container received into the aperture and containing particles, wherein opposed ends of the container are outboard of the first and second sides of the disc.

14. The gear of claim 13 wherein the closed container has a central stirring member extending between the opposed ends.

15. The gear of claim 13 wherein the disc has a second sector defining a second aperture therethrough; and
wherein the first sector and the second sector are opposed to one another and the second aperture is empty such that the gear is counterweighted.

16. The gear of claim 13 wherein the disc has a second sector defining a second aperture therethrough, the second aperture intersecting the first and second opposite sides; the gear further comprising:
another closed container received into the second aperture and containing particles, wherein opposed ends of the another container are outboard of the first and second sides of the disc;
wherein the first and second apertures are radially opposite to one another such that the container and the another container are radially opposed to one another on the gear.

17. A method of forming a balance gear for a vehicle balance shaft comprising:
forming a disc having first and second opposite sides extending radially outwardly to a circumferential edge;
forming a series of teeth on the circumferential edge;
forming an aperture through the disc adjacent to the circumferential edge, the aperture intersecting the first and second opposite sides;
positioning a damper housing into the aperture such that the damper housing is received into the aperture, the damper housing having an interior region defined by a circumferential side wall extending from an end wall to an edge region, the side wall contacting a wall of the aperture;
providing a plurality of shot particles into the interior region of the damper housing to a specified fill fraction; and
attaching a cover plate to the edge region of the side wall of the damper housing to enclose the interior region, retain the plurality of shot particles therein, and form a damper in the balance gear.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising forming another aperture through the disc, the another aperture radially opposed to the aperture.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the damper housing is positioned in the aperture such that the end wall is outboard and spaced apart from the first side of the disc and the edge region is outboard and spaced apart from the second side of the disc.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising forming the damper housing with a stirring member connected to the end wall and spaced apart from the side wall such that the stirring member extends across the interior region of the damper housing.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Chern Jim

Classifications

• F16H55/17

  Toothed wheels (worm wheels F16H55/22; chain wheels F16H55/30) · CPC title

• F16F15/283

  for engine crankshafts · CPC title

• F16F15/264 Primary

  Rotating balancer shafts (F16F15/262 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16H55/00

  Elements with teeth or friction surfaces for conveying motion; Worms, pulleys or sheaves for gearing mechanisms (of screw-and-nut gearing F16H25/00) · CPC title

• F16F15/366

  using fluid or powder means, i.e. non-discrete material · CPC title