Patent Abstract:
A planetary assembly, including a base and a top portion supporting a plurality of planetary gears, said gears extending outwardly over a portion of the base; one or more pairs of alternating steel discs and friction discs extending upwardly on the base below the plurality of gears; wherein each of the steel discs and friction discs have a plurality of indentations corresponding to the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the steel discs and friction discs above the plurality of gears.

Full Description:
PRIORITY STATEMENT &amp; CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/095,606, entitled “Planetary Assembly with a Captive Clutch” and filed on Dec. 22, 2014, in the names of Brad Schlamp and Blair Sware; which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to gears for automobiles, and more particularly to planetary assemblies used in automatic vehicle gear systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Planetary gears are commonly used in automatic vehicle transmissions. A challenge with planetary assemblies with captive clutches is that is that the clutch assembly cannot be serviced without disassembling the planetary assembly. Therefore when a component fails, typically the entire planetary assembly must be replaced, at significant expense. 
     What is needed is a planetary assembly in which the friction clutch can be easily removed and replaced without difficulty and while maintaining the rest of the planetary assembly. 
       FIGS. 1 through 4  display a planetary assembly as commonly found in the prior art.  FIG. 1  displays planetary housing  30 , including bottom plate  15  having diode  10 , which serves as the bottom of the assembly. A plurality of teeth  20  are elevated from diode  10  and extend circumferentially from elevated portion  22 . Top portion  40  of planetary housing  30  includes apertures  50  for receiving pins  60  (as shown in  FIG. 13 ), to rotate planetary gears  70 . Elevation members  80  elevate apertures  50  above bottom plate  15 . 
       FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C  shows pressure plate  90 , steel disc  100  and friction disc  110 , respectively. Circumferentially extending splines  120 ,  125  on steel disc  100  and pressure plate  90 , respectively extend outwardly and are alignable with splines  130  on bottom plate  15 . Friction disc  110  includes a plurality of circumferentially internally extending teeth  140  to mate with teeth  20  on bottom plate  15  and thereby prevent rotation of friction disc  110  when placed around diode  10 . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show assembled housing  30 . Pressure plate  90  rests on top of alternating layers (in pairs) of steel disc  100  and friction disc  110 . 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 2A and 2B , and  FIGS. 3A and 3B , when a single steel disc  100 , friction disc  110  or pressure plate  90  needs to be replaced, the entire assembly  30  must be entirely disassembled, removed or destroyed, as gears  70  prevent the removal of single steel disc  100 , friction disc  110  or pressure plate  90 , and typically the entire assembly  30  is simply replaced at significant expense. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A planetary assembly, including a base and a top portion supporting a plurality of planetary gears, said gears extending outwardly over a portion of the base; one or more pairs of alternating steel discs and friction discs extending upwardly on the base below the plurality of gears; wherein each of the steel discs and friction discs have a plurality of indentations corresponding to the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the steel discs and friction discs above the plurality of gears. 
     The planetary assembly may include a pressure plate positioned above the steel discs and friction discs and below the plurality of gears, the pressure plate having a plurality of indentations corresponding to the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the pressure plate above the plurality of gears. 
     A planetary assembly is provided, including: a base and a top portion supporting a plurality of planetary gears, said gears extending outwardly over a portion of the base; one or more pairs of alternating steel discs and friction discs positioned on the base below the plurality of gears; wherein each of the steel discs and friction discs have a plurality of indentations corresponding to the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the steel discs and friction discs above the plurality of gears. 
     The planetary assembly may include a pressure plate positioned above the steel discs and friction discs and below the plurality of gears, the pressure plate having a plurality of indentations corresponding to the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the pressure plate above the plurality of gears. 
     The planetary assembly may include a bottom plate, the bottom plate having a diode and an elevated portion, the elevated portion having a plurality of outwardly extending teeth configured to mesh with a plurality of teeth extending inwardly from at least one of the plurality of friction discs. 
     The planetary assembly may further include a plurality of apertures in the top portion, each of apertures corresponding to a gear of the plurality of gears, each aperture configured to receive a pin to position the gear. The plurality of gears may include three or more gears. Each of the steel discs may include a plurality of outwardly extending splines positioned to align with the outwardly extending splines of the diode. The pressure plate may include a plurality of outwardly extending splines positioned to align with the plurality of outwardly extending splines of both the diode and the plurality of steel discs. 
     A planetary assembly is provide, including: a base and a top portion supporting a plurality of planetary gears, said gears extending outwardly over a portion of the base; one or more pairs of alternating steel discs and friction discs positioned on the base below the plurality of gears; and wherein each of the plurality of friction discs has a plurality of indentations, each indentation corresponding to a gear of the plurality of gears, the indentations aligned and sized to allow movement of the friction disc above the plurality of gears. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a partially completed prior art planetary assembly according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a prior art planetary assembly and  FIG. 2B  is a detail view of a portion A thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a prior art planetary assembly. 
         FIG. 3B  is a detail view of a portion B thereof. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a pressure plate for a prior art planetary assembly. 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective views of a steel disc for a prior art planetary assembly. 
         FIG. 4C  is a perspective view of a friction disc for a prior art planetary assembly. 
         FIGS. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a planetary assembly according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 6A  is a top view of an embodiment of a planetary assembly according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6B  is a detail view of portion C thereof. 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are respective top views of an embodiment of a pressure plate according to the invention and a detail view of a portion D thereof. 
         FIG. 8A and 8B  are respective top views of an embodiment of a friction disc according to the invention and a detail view of a portion E thereof. 
         FIG. 9A and 9B  respective top views of an embodiment of a steel disc according to the invention and a detail view of portion F thereof. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a bottom plate for use with a planetary assembly according to the invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a top plate for a planetary assembly. 
         FIGS. 12  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pinion gear for a planetary assembly. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pin for a pinion gear. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured. 
     The term “invention” and the like mean “the one or more inventions disclosed in this application”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “an aspect”, “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “another embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     A reference to “another embodiment” or “another aspect” in describing an embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The term “herein” means “in the present application, including anything which may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The term “e.g.” and like terms mean “for example”, and thus does not limit the term or phrase it explains. 
     The term “respective” and like terms mean “taken individually”. Thus if two or more things have “respective” characteristics, then each such thing has its own characteristic, and these characteristics can be different from each other but need not be. For example, the phrase “each of two machines has a respective function” means that the first such machine has a function and the second such machine has a function as well. The function of the first machine may or may not be the same as the function of the second machine. 
     Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of an explicit statement that the terms or phrases are synonymous), instances of one such term/phrase does not mean instances of another such term/phrase must have a different meaning. For example, where a statement renders the meaning of “including” to be synonymous with “including but not limited to”, the mere usage of the phrase “including but not limited to” does not mean that the term “including” means something other than “including but not limited to”. 
     Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of the present application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of the present application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scope of the disclosed invention(s). An Abstract has been included in this application merely because an Abstract of not more than 150 words is required under 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b) or similar law in other jurisdictions. The title of the present application and headings of sections provided in the present application are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way. 
     Numerous embodiments are described in the present application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various modifications and alterations, such as structural and logical modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are described, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in the present application constitutes the invention claimed herein, or is essential to the invention claimed herein, or is coextensive with the invention claimed herein, except where it is either expressly stated to be so in this specification or expressly recited in a claim. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 through 12 , the planetary assembly  400  according to the invention includes indentations on various components to allow removal of these components without impacting planetary gears  70 . 
       FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B  show the completed planetary assembly  400  according to the invention. Planetary assembly  400  includes bottom plate  15  having diode  10 , which serves as the bottom of assembly  400 . A plurality of outwardly extending splines  20  are elevated from diode  10  and extend circumferentially from elevated portion  22 . Top portion  40  of planetary housing  400  includes apertures  50  for receiving pins (as shown in  FIG. 13 ), to rotate planetary gears  70 . While four gears  70  are shown, there may be three or more gears  70  included. Elevation members  80  elevate apertures  50  above bottom plate  15 . Gears  70  extend past the circumference of elevated portion  22  and top portion  40  to allow gears  70  to engage. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  show an embodiment of pressure plate  210  according to the invention. Pressure plate  210  is generally ring shaped, having inner edge  215  and outer edge  217 , and includes on outer edge  217  outward splines  220  alignable with outward splines  225 ,  130  on steel disc  240  and bottom plate  15 , respectively. Indentations  300  extending outwardly from inner edge  215  are sized to partially surround with minimal clearance, for example, at a distance of a few millimetres, but not contact, gears  70  when pressure plate  210  is in position. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an embodiment of friction disc  260  according to the invention. Friction disc  260  is generally ring shaped, having inner edge  262  and outer edge  264 , and includes on inner edge  262  internal teeth  270  configured to mesh with teeth  20  on bottom plate  15 . Friction disc  260  also includes indentations  310  extending outwardly from inner edge  262  alignable with indentations  300  and  325 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 9B  show an embodiment of steel disc  240  according to the invention. Steel disc  240  is generally ring shaped, having inner edge  242  and outer edge  244 , and includes on outer edge  244  outward splines  225  alignable with outward splines  220 ,  130  on pressure plate  210  and bottom plate  15 , respectively. Steel disc  240  also includes indentations  320  extending outwardly from inner edge  242  alignable with indentations  300  and  310 . 
     When steel disc  240 , friction disc  260  and pressure plate  210  are positioned, indentations  320 ,  310  and  300  are aligned, as are outward splines  220 ,  225  and  130 . The alignment of indentations  300 ,  310  and  320  allow pressure plate  210 , friction discs  260  and steel discs  240  to be removable without difficulty whereby they can be individually replaced if needed. 
       FIG. 10  shows bottom plate  15 . Including lower splines  130  alignable with splines  225 ,  220  and  130 , and teeth  20  to mesh with internal teeth  140 . Teeth  20  are elevated from diode  10 . Bottom plate  15  includes diode  10 , which serves as the bottom of the assembly. 
       FIG. 11  shows top portion  40  shows top portion  40  of planetary housing  30  including apertures  50  for receiving pins  60  to rotate planetary gears  70 . Elevation members  80  elevate apertures  50  above bottom plate  15 .  FIG. 12  shows a planetary gear  70  alignable with aperture  50  with pin  60  (as shown in  FIG. 13 ) sized to pass through the center  75  aperture of gear  70 . 
     Indentations  300 ,  310  and  320  may be identically shaped and formed as a semicircle extending outwardly from the inside circumference edge of pressure plate  210 , frictions discs  260  and steel discs  240 , respectively. Indentations  300 ,  310 , and  320  may have a radius minimally larger than that of gear  70  to allow removal of gear  70  to access a damaged or worn pressure plate  210 , friction disc  260  or steel disc  240 . Each of pressure plate  210 , friction disc  260 , and steel disc  240  should have an indentation  300 ,  310  or  320  respectively, to correspond to each gear  70 . Alternatively, instead of being semicircles, indentations  300 ,  310  or  320  may have different shapes, such as rectangular or even an irregular shape, so long as they allow clearance by gears  70 . 
     Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to these embodiments without changing or departing from their scope, intent or functionality. The terms and expressions used in the preceding specification have been used herein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the invention is defined and limited only by the claims that follow. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the present systems, methods and components can be modified, if necessary, to employ systems, methods, components and concepts to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. For example, the various methods described above may omit some acts, include other acts, and/or execute acts in a different order than set out in the illustrated embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5