US 12,454,898 B2
Electric camshaft phaser assembly including a flexible gear with a retainer
Colin Foster, Belle River (CA); and Steven Burke, Fort Gratiot Township, MI (US)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/629,350.
Prior Publication US 2025/0314183 A1, Oct. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. F01L 1/344 (2006.01)
CPC F01L 1/344 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camshaft phaser assembly configured for phasing a camshaft and a crankshaft with respect to each other, the camshaft phaser assembly comprising:
a sprocket for receiving torque from the crankshaft;
an output gear configured for driving the camshaft;
a flexible gear deformable into an elliptical orientation for engaging the output gear to transmit torque from the sprocket to the output gear; and
a wave generator for deforming the flexible gear into the elliptical orientation;
the flexible gear radially disposed about the wave generator and including an inner circumferential surface in contact with an outer race of the wave generator, the flexible gear including teeth for engaging the output gear in the elliptical orientation and a retainer at an axial end of the flexible gear, the output gear including a centering feature configured for contacting the retainer to center the flexible gear in the elliptical orientation inside of the output gear.