US 12,140,223 B2
Toy differential
Anders Merrild Kristensen, Billund (DK); Daniel Sri Sudarsono, Billund (DK); Henrik Atzen, Billund (DK); and Jeppe Juul Jensen, Billund (DK)
Assigned to LEGO A/S, Billund (DK)
Appl. No. 17/768,366
Filed by LEGO A/S, Billund (DK)
PCT Filed Oct. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/079012
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/074282, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA201970652 (DK), filed on Oct. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0117877 A1, Apr. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F16H 57/08 (2006.01); F16H 1/46 (2006.01); F16H 48/08 (2006.01); F16H 48/10 (2012.01)
CPC F16H 57/082 (2013.01) [F16H 1/46 (2013.01); F16H 2048/085 (2013.01); F16H 2048/106 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toy differential comprising:
a gear carrier having:
a main drive gear defining an axis of rotation of the gear carrier;
a bell shaped housing defining an inside surface extending between a closed end and an open end; and
a lid part attached to the open end of the bell shaped housing to form a gear chamber;
a first drive axle extending through the closed end of the bell shaped housing, and a second drive axle extending through the lid part of the gear carrier along a first axis of rotation, the first and second drive axle each being connected to at least one of two sun gears arranged inside the gear chamber; and
a planetary gear arranged inside the gear chamber, the planetary gear being arranged to mesh with both of the two sun gears and to rotate with respect to the gear carrier about a planetary axis of rotation, the planetary gear arranged perpendicular to, and intersecting, the first axis of rotation,
wherein:
the bell shaped housing part has a slide groove arranged for the planetary gear on the inside surface and extending parallel to the first axis of rotation, the bell shaped housing configured for sliding the planetary gear in the slide groove from the open end to the closed end, and
the bell shaped housing at the closed end has an opening to a pocket in the gear chamber extending in a direction perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, the pocket and the opening being adapted for insertion of one of the two sun gears through the opening and into the pocket in the gear chamber.