Toy differential

Abstract

A gear differential comprises a bell-shaped housing (1) having an open end and a slide groove (8) extending from the open end. A planetary gear (9) is suitable for being inserted into the slide groove (8) in the bell-shaped housing (1) through the open end.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gear differential, and in particular to a toy differential, which comprises: a gear rack having a main drive gear, which defines a first rotation axis of the gear rack, the gear rack comprising a bell-shaped housing having an inner surface extending between a closed end and an open end, and a cover portion attached to the open end of the bell-shaped housing, so that the bell-shaped housing and the cover portion together form a gear chamber; and a pair of drive shafts, wherein one drive shaft passes through the closed end of the bell-shaped housing, and the other drive shaft passes through the cover portion of the gear rack in opposite directions along the first rotation axis, and each drive shaft is connected to each of two sun gears arranged in the gear chamber, at least one planetary gear is arranged in the gear chamber, each planetary gear is arranged to mesh with the two sun gears, and rotate relative to the gear rack around a planetary rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis. Background Art

[0002] Gear differentials for toys such as toy vehicles, toy construction kits, and the like are well known and in many different embodiments are used to provide the same mechanical advantages as such differentials in actual everyday use, such as in cornering maneuvers in various vehicles.

[0003] US Patent Application No. 2010 / 0075797 discloses a gear differential as described above. Summary of the invention

[0004] Against this background, an object of the present invention is to provide a differential of the above mentioned type which is easy to assemble and disassemble, using only a few parts, and at the same time to provide a differential capable of transmitting significant torque suitable for a wide variety of different toys, such as toy cars.

[0005] This object is achieved by providing a gear differential as described in the introduction and also providing a bell-shaped housing part, which is provided with a slide groove for each planet gear on the inner surface, which slide grooves extend parallel to the first rotation axis and are suitable for sliding the planet gear from the open end to the closed end of the bell-shaped housing.

[0006] Thus, a particularly simple, compact but robust differential construction is provided which is also easy to assemble by simply mounting the planetary gears directly in corresponding grooves in the bell housing without the use of further components.

[0007] The invention also provides a computer-readable model comprising computer-readable instructions configured to, when processed by an apparatus for performing an additive manufacturing process, cause the apparatus to manufacture a toy building element as defined above.

[0008] Each planet gear preferably has a circular outer circumference, and in this connection each slide groove can advantageously engage with the outer circumference of the planet gear arranged in the slide groove, so that a stable connection is obtained between the slide groove and the planet gear.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the cover is releasably attached to the bell housing, thereby also enabling disassembly of the toy differential.

[0010] In this context, it is particularly advantageous if the cover is attached to the bell housing by means of a snap connection, so that the assembly can be disassembled without the use of any tools.

[0011] In order to provide a differential that can transmit significant torque, it is advantageous if the bell housing has at least three slide grooves and all slide grooves are arranged with equal distances between adjacent slide grooves.

[0012] In another advantageous embodiment, the sun gear and the planet gears are bevel gears.

[0013] Assembly is easier in the case where the bell housing has an opening at the closed end and the opening leads to a recess in the gear chamber extending in a direction perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, the recess and the opening being adapted to insert one of the sun gears through the opening into the recess in the gear chamber. Thus, the user does not have to place one of the sun gears on the bottom of the bell housing through the open end of the bell housing, but can simply slide the sun gear into the bell housing through the opening and into the recess in the bell housing.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cover comprises a main gear.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment, each drive shaft is attached to the sun gear by a friction or snap connection, thereby making it easier to assemble and disassemble the differential unit.

[0016] The invention is particularly advantageous as a component in a toy construction kit which also includes a plurality of construction elements which are releasably connectable to each other to form a component, such as a toy vehicle.

[0017] Components of the differential unit described above may advantageously be produced in an additive manufacturing process by providing a computer readable model comprising computer readable instructions configured to, when processed by an apparatus for performing the additive manufacturing process, cause the apparatus to manufacture a toy building element as defined above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the attached picture:

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a bell housing constituting the first part of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a cover constituting the first part of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a planetary gear or a sun gear constituting a first part of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 , 5 , 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the use of Figure 1 , 2 3 and 4 are perspective views of the four steps of partially assembling the differential of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the complete differential assembly of the present invention shown in the preceding figures and forming part of a toy building kit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 , 2 3 show different components or parts of an embodiment of the invention which can be assembled to construct a gear differential. When the cover 2 is locked to the bell housing 1 by a snap connection, Figure 1 The bell housing 1 and Figure 2 The cover 2 shown constitutes the gear carrier of the present invention. To this end, the bell housing 1 has an elastic flange 4 extending from the open end 5 of the bell housing 1, and a snap projection 6 is provided on the outer side of each flange 4 to engage with a corresponding snap groove (not visible in the figure) provided at the cover 2, so that the cover 2 closes the open end 5 of the bell housing 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the cover 2 has the teeth of the main drive gear 7 arranged on its outer periphery, thereby defining the rotation axis A of the carrier when the differential is used in a structure or a vehicle.

[0026] According to the invention, the bell housing 1 has at least one slide groove 8 which has only one open end at the open end 11 of the bell housing 1 and extends parallel to the axis of rotation A in the direction of the closed end 10 of the bell housing 1. Thus, each of these slide grooves 8 forms a recess suitable for inserting a planetary gear 9 (e.g. Figure 3 ), so that when the planetary gears 9 are inserted into the slide groove 8, each of the planetary gears 9 can rotate around a planetary rotation axis (not shown), which is perpendicular to the rotation axis A of the gear carrier and intersects therewith.

[0027] In this embodiment of the invention, the bell housing 1 also has an opening 12 located near the closed end 10. The opening 12 leads to a recess for placing Figure 3 The sun gear 9 is shown inserted into the bell housing.

[0028] Figure 1 , 2 The differential section shown in Figures 3 and 4 provides a differential which is very easy to assemble and at the same time very robust. Figures 4 to 7 This is shown in Figure 4 The first step shown is to insert the sun gear 9 into the opening 12 in the side of the bell housing 1 , as indicated by the arrow.

[0029] Then, the three planetary gears 9 are respectively inserted into one of the slide slots 8, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 In this position, each planetary gear 9 meshes with the sun gear 9 inserted into the opening 12 at the bottom of the bell housing 1.

[0030] Next, Figure 6 Another sun gear 9 is shown arranged on top of the planet gear 9 in the bell housing 1 so as to mesh with the planet gear 9, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As indicated by the arrow in .

[0031] Then, if Figure 7 As shown by the arrows in the figure, the cover 2 is snapped onto the bell housing 1 so that all the sun gears and planetary gears 9 are safely enclosed in the gear carrier. The complete unit thus forms a differential gear unit, at which point the drive shaft 14 can be inserted through the shaft hole 13 arranged in the cover 2 and the bell housing 1 (not shown).

[0032] exist Figure 8 , the differential gear unit is now shown as part of a construction formed by building elements 15 of a toy building set, and two drive shafts 14 extend into gear chambers in the gear carriers 1 , 2 , respectively, and are connected to one sun gear 9 .

Claims

1. A toy differential, comprising: a gear carrier having a main drive gear defining an axis of rotation of the gear carrier, and the gear carrier including a bell housing having an inner surface extending between a closed end and an open end, and a cover attached to the open end of the bell housing such that the bell housing and the cover together form a gear chamber; a pair of drive shafts, one of which passes through the closed end of the bell housing and the other of which passes through the cover portion of the carrier in an opposite direction along the first rotational axis and each of which is connected to each of the two sun gears disposed in the gear chamber; at least one planetary gear disposed in the gear chamber, each planetary gear being arranged to mesh with the two sun gears and to rotate relative to the gear carrier about a planetary rotation axis that is perpendicular to and intersects the first rotation axis; and in The bell-shaped housing part is provided with a slide groove for each planetary gear on the inner surface, which extends parallel to the first rotation axis and is suitable for allowing the planetary gear to slide in the slide groove from the open end to the closed end of the bell-shaped housing, wherein the bell-shaped housing has an opening at the closed end and the opening leads to a recess in the gear chamber extending in a direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and the recess and the opening are suitable for inserting a sun gear through the opening into the recess in the gear chamber.

2. The toy differential of claim 1, wherein the cover is releasably attached to the bell housing.

3. The toy differential of claim 1, wherein each planetary gear has a circular outer periphery, and each slide groove engages with the outer periphery of the planetary gear disposed in the slide groove.

4. The toy differential of claim 2, wherein the cover is attached to the bell housing by a snap connection.

5. The toy differential of claim 1, wherein the bell housing has at least three slide slots, all of which are arranged with equal distances between adjacent slide slots.

6. The toy differential of claim 1, wherein the sun gear and the planet gears are bevel gears.

7. The toy differential of claim 1, wherein the cover portion includes a main gear.

8. A toy differential as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each drive shaft is attached to the sun gear by a friction or snap connection.

9. A toy construction kit comprising a toy differential as claimed in any preceding claim and further comprising a plurality of building elements which are releasably attachable to each other to form an assembly.

10. A computer readable model comprising computer readable instructions configured to, when processed by an apparatus for performing an additive manufacturing process, cause the apparatus to manufacture a toy building element as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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