Process for lapping ring and pinion gears

Patent 7299533 Issued on November 27, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date:

May 24, 2026. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Application

No. 11440376 filed on 05/24/2006

US Classes:

29/563, With means to feed work intermittently from one tool station to another29/429, Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work29/430, Advancing work to successive stations (i.e., assembly line)901/8, Robot414/736, Movable grab support has plurality of grabs attached thereto414/738, Grab supported and moved by a pivotably mounted member294/87.1, Multiple grapples for multiple objects451/56, With tool treating or forming451/267, Work guide451/57, Combined abrading451/36, Utilizing fluent abradant451/41, Glass or stone abrading451/5Computer controlled

Examiners

Primary: Ross, Dana

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C.

International Class

B23Q 7/04

Abstract

A method for processing a gear set through a lapping operation that includes: providing a lapping machine tool having a first spindle and a second spindle, the second spindle being rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to a rotational axis of the first spindle, the lapping machine tool having a loading zone for loading the first and second spindles; providing a robot with an end effector; loading a first gear set to a first end of the end effector, the first gear set having a ring gear and a pinion gear; moving the first end of the end effector into the loading zone; and loading the first gear set to the lapping machine tool without removing the end effector from the loading zone such that the ring gear is loaded onto the first spindle and the pinion gear is loaded onto the second spindle. An end effector is also provided.