Patent ID: 6855089

Claim:
An epicyclic carrier assembly adapted for use in an epicyclic gear train, said gear train including a sun gear rotatable about a central axis, a concentric outer ring gear, and a plurality of gears circumferentially spaced relative to, and mechanically intermediate of, said sun gear and said ring gear and in meshing engagement therewith, said plurality of gears being adapted for receiving torque input from said sun gear, said planetary carrier assembly comprising: a split gear carrier, comprising a first half and a second half for rotatably supporting respective first and second ends of a plurality of axles of said plurality of gears, said plurality of axles being parallel to said central axis, said plurality of gears being circumferentially located about said central axis and axially disposed between said first and second halves of said split gear carrier, each of said first and second halves having a corresponding first attachment member; and a carrier support torque frame disposed concentrically with said central axis and axially located between said first half and said second half of said split gear carrier, said carrier support torque frame having an annular mounting flange adapted for fixed engagement with an outer housing and comprising a second attachment member, said second attachment member being mounted to said first attachment members to structurally connect said first and second halves of said split gear carrier to said carrier support torque frame, said first and second attachment members being mounted to one another in a plane between said first and second ends of said plurality of axles of said plurality of gears.