US 12,404,913 B1
Dual pinion and ring architecture for gear systems
Shahriar Sharifimehr, Auburn Hills, MI (US); Timothy J. Reinhart, Lake Orion, MI (US); and Hai Xu, Northville, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 3, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/009,355.
Int. Cl. F16H 1/32 (2006.01); F16H 57/021 (2012.01); F16H 57/02 (2012.01)
CPC F16H 1/32 (2013.01) [F16H 57/021 (2013.01); F16H 2001/324 (2013.01); F16H 2001/327 (2013.01); F16H 2001/328 (2013.01); F16H 2057/02052 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gear system comprising:
a housing;
a shaft extending in the housing, the shaft including an eccentric section, wherein the shaft is rotatable about an axis and wherein the eccentric section has a center that circles around the axis when the shaft rotates;
a pinion gear unit mounted on the eccentric section, the pinion gear unit having a first set of gear teeth and a second set of gear teeth;
a first ring gear engaging with the first set of gear teeth, the first ring gear fixed to the housing;
a second ring gear engaging with the second set of gear teeth;
a counterweight extending from the shaft to balance the eccentric section, wherein the counterweight has a head with a shape that is T-shaped and that is disposed axially in-line with the first ring gear with a radially outer portion of the head being axially adjacent the first ring gear, wherein the shape is configured to be tuned for balancing the eccentric section; and
a rotatable member fixed to the second ring gear,
wherein the gear system is configured so that rotation of the shaft at a first speed effects rotation of the rotatable member at a second speed through the shaft, the pinion gear unit, the first ring gear and the second ring gear.