Patent ID: 6117036
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: B60K,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A gear reduction unit comprising:an input member;an output member;a planet carrier having a pinion shaft;a first gearset having gear components with helical gear teeth comprising a first sun gear fixed for rotation with said input member, a first ring gear, and a first planet gear rotatably supported on said pinion shaft and meshed with said first sun gear and said first ring gear;a second gearset having gear components with helical gear teeth comprising a second sun gear fixed for rotation with said first sun gear, a second ring gear, and a second planet gear rotatably supported on said pinion shaft and meshed with said second sun gear and said second ring gear, said gear components of said second gearset having the same number of helical teeth with the same helix angle and tooth pitch as said gear components of said first gearset, and wherein said gear components of said second gearset are arranged to have the opposite helix inclination and are circumferentially indexed by one-half tooth pitch relative to corresponding gear components of said first gearset; anda clutch operable for selectively coupling said output member for rotation with one of said second sun gear and said planet carrier.