Multi-gear-ratio portal gear box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12187118-B2
Application number	US-202318478245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Aug 27, 2021
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A portal gear box assembly for an off-road vehicle that includes a housing that defines an input gear subassembly indent, an output gear subassembly indent, and one or more idler-gear subassembly indents. The assembly includes an input gear subassembly positioned in the input gear subassembly indent with an input gear connected to an input shaft, an output gear subassembly positioned in the output gear subassembly indent with an output gear connected to an output shaft, and an idler-gear subassembly positioned within the one or more idler-gear subassembly indents to connect the input and output gears with a removable adaptor that is selectively positionable in more than one configuration to alter the transmission ratio between the input and output gears.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gear box assembly for a vehicle comprising an input shaft, the gear box assembly comprising:
a housing that defines an input gear indent, an output gear indent, and an idler-gear indent, wherein the input shaft is positioned at the input gear indent;
an input gear operably connectable to the input shaft;
an output shaft;
an output gear operably connectable to the output shaft, wherein the output shaft is positioned at the output gear indent; and
a removable adaptor selectively positionable in more than one position within the idler-gear indent;
an idler gear connectable to the removable adaptor, wherein the idler-gear connects the input gear to the output gear, wherein changing a position of the removable adaptor within the idler-gear indent changes a position of the idler gear relative to the input shaft and output shaft, thereby permitting use of input and output gears with different diameters or swapping the position of gears to alter a transmission ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft.

2. The portal gear box assembly of claim 1 , wherein the removeable adaptor defines an axis that the idler gear rotates around.

3. The portable gear box assembly of claim 2 , wherein the axis is offset from a center of the removable adaptor towards a first side of the removable adaptor.

4. The portable gear box assembly of claim 3 , wherein the removable adaptor has an outer profile that defines a non-circular shape.

5. The portal gear box assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transmission ratio between the input gear and the output gear can be altered by positioning the the input gear on the output shaft and positioning the output gear on the input shaft.

6. The portal gear box assembly of claim 5 , wherein the transmission ratio can be altered by using an idler gear of a different diameter.

7. The portal gear box assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transmission ratio can be altered by positioning the input gear on the removable adaptor and positioning the idler-gear on the input shaft.

8. The portal gear box assembly of claim 1 , wherein the removable adaptor is positionable in the more than one position by rotating the removable adaptor relative to the idler-gear indent.

9. The portal gear box assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler gear has a smaller diameter than both the input gear and the output gear.

10. A method for changing a transmission ratio of a gear box, the method comprising:
providing a removable adaptor;
providing a housing that defines an input gear indent, an output gear indent, and an idler-gear indent, wherein the input gear indent is configured to receive an input shaft, wherein the output gear indent is configured to receive an output shaft and wherein the idler-gear indent is configured to receive the removable adaptor;
providing an input gear that is configured to be connected to the input shaft;
providing an output gear that is configured to be connected to the output shaft;
providing an idler gear that is configured to be connected to the removable adaptor positioned within the idler-gear indent defining a first position of the idler gear, wherein, in the first position, the idler gear is configured to transfer power between the input gear positioned on the input shaft and the output gear positioned on the output shaft;
removing at least one of the input gear and/or the output gear;
replacing the at least one removed gear with a different gear;
moving the removable adaptor to move the idler gear to a second position, wherein, in the second position, the idler gear is configured to transfer power between the gear on the input shaft and the gear on the output shaft, wherein a transmission ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft with the idler gear in the first position is different than with the idler gear in the second position.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the removeable adaptor defines an axis that the idler gear rotates around, wherein the axis is offset from a center of the removable adaptor towards a first side of the adaptor and wherein the removable adaptor has an outer profile that defines a non-circular shape.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the idler-gear to the second position comprises rotating the removable adaptor relative to the idler-gear indent.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising positioning the input gear on the output shaft and positioning the output gear on the input shaft.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing and replacing both the input gear and output gear with different gears defining different diameters.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the different gear replacing the input gear is the output gear.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the different gear replacing the output gear is the input gear.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising moving the idler-gear to the input shaft and moving input gear to the removable adaptor.

18. A kit for providing a gear box with an adjustable transmission ratio, the kit comprising:
a housing defining an input gear indent, an output gear indent, and an idler-gear indent, wherein the input gear indent is configured to receive an input shaft, and wherein the output gear indent is configured to receive an output shaft;
a first input gear connectable to the input shaft;
a first output gear connectable to the output shaft;
a removable adaptor selectively positionable in more than one configuration within the idler-gear indent; and
a first idler gear connectable to the removable adaptor;
wherein changing the position of the removable adaptor within the idler-gear indent changes a position of the idler gear relative to the input shaft and output shaft, thereby permitting use of input and output gears with different diameters or swapping the position of gears to alter a transmission ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft.

19. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the kit further comprises a second input gear and a second output gear.

20. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the kit further comprises a second idler gear.

Assignees

• Super Atv Llc

Inventors

• Stephan Jordan E
• Eaton Justin L
• Stewart Jason

Classifications

• F16H57/023

  Mounting or installation of gears or shafts in the gearboxes, e.g. methods or means for assembly · CPC title

• F16H2057/02052

  Axle units; Transfer casings for four wheel drive · CPC title

• F16H2057/02056

  for utility vehicles, e.g. tractors or agricultural machines · CPC title

• F16H2057/0235

  specially adapted to allow easy accessibility and repair · CPC title

• F16H1/20

  involving more than two intermeshing members · CPC title