Patent ID: 11858077
Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F  Y | IPC B  F

Claim 9:
10. A method for assembling a planetary gear set, the method comprising:
inserting an assembly of a pinion gear, pinion needle rollers arranged in a tubular pattern within a bore of the pinion gear, at least a first washer adjacent to a first end of the pinion gear and at least a second washer adjacent to a second end of the pinion gear into a cavity of a housing that is configured to rotatably support the assembly, wherein the first washer and the second washer each include holes aligned with the bore of the pinion gear extending between the first end and the second end of the pinion gear while arranged in the assembly, wherein the bore of the pinion gear with the pinion needle rollers therein, a first hole of the first washer, and a second hole of the second washer all align with a mounting hole of the housing;
inserting an elongated pin of an alignment tool through the mounting hole, through the first hole of the first washer, through the bore of the pinion gear between the pinion needle rollers, and through the second hole of the second washer, wherein the elongated pin is configured to retract relative a handle of the alignment tool upon application of a force applied to a tip of the elongated pin;
removing the elongated pin from the mounting hole and arranging the pinion gear, the pinion needle rollers, the first washer, and the second washer to align the bore of the pinion gear with the pinion needle rollers therein, the first hole of the first washer, and the second hole of the second washer in response to the elongated pin retracting relative to the handle of the alignment tool; and
removing the elongated pin from the mounting hole in response to the elongated pin fully passing through the bore of the pinion gear between the pinion needle rollers, the first hole of the first washer, and the second hole of the second washer without retracting relative to the handle of the alignment tool.