US 11,867,273 B2
Tooling and method for fabricating helical sector gear and related helical sector gear
Daniel R. Bankovic, Kersey, PA (US); Douglas Hanes, Dubois, PA (US); and Martin J. Fannin, Ridgway, PA (US)
Assigned to American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC., Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/940,320.
Application 17/940,320 is a division of application No. 16/718,241, filed on Dec. 18, 2019, granted, now 11,480,239.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/789,563, filed on Jan. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0412444 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. F16H 55/17 (2006.01); F16H 55/08 (2006.01); B22F 3/03 (2006.01); B22F 5/08 (2006.01); B23F 9/10 (2006.01); B23F 21/12 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 55/17 (2013.01) [B22F 3/03 (2013.01); B22F 5/085 (2013.01); B23F 9/10 (2013.01); B23F 21/12 (2013.01); F16H 55/08 (2013.01); B22F 2003/031 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A helical sector gear comprising:
a sector gear body that is disposed about a central axis; and
a gear segment coupled to the sector gear body and extending radially therefrom, the gear segment having a plurality of helical teeth, the gear segment having a first spacing segment, a second spacing segment and a toothed sector that is disposed circumferentially between the first and second spacing segments and on which all of the helical teeth are formed, each of the helical teeth extending over a predetermined width of the gear segment and having a root that is spaced radially from the central axis by a predetermined root dimension, the first spacing segment consisting of a first helical land having a first circumferential surface and a first radial surface, the first circumferential surface extending radially from the central axis by a first dimension, the first radial surface extending radially between the sector gear body and the first circumferential surface, the first radial surface having a first helical contour that conforms to a helix angle of the helical teeth, the second spacing segment consisting of a second helical land having a second circumferential surface and a second radial surface, the second circumferential surface extending radially from the central axis by a second dimension, the second radial surface extending radially between the sector gear body and the second circumferential surface, the second radial surface having a second helical contour that conforms to the helix angle of the helical teeth.