Idler gear shaft support

Abstract

A component of a multi-gear, manual transmission, in particular, an idler gear shaft support which supports one end of a relatively short idler gear shaft within a transmission housing. The idler gear shaft has an idler gear mounted thereon, the idler gear being rotatable about a bearing, usually a needle bearing, relative to the idler gear shaft in order to provide a reverse output to the reverse gear on the output shaft of the transmission. More specifically, the idler gear shaft support of the present invention includes an offset bolt slot for securing the idler gear shaft to the transmission housing, and a non-symmetrical mass apportionment of the support on either side of the bolt slot with a larger portion thereof accommodating the maximum thrust load of the idler gear shaft.

1 . An idler gear shaft support for a transmission comprising:
 an outer surface for engaging an inner wall of a transmission housing;   an inner surface radially spaced from the outer surface for engaging and supporting an idler shaft;   a substantially planar front face; and   a rear face defining a bolt slot extending radially between the inner surface and the outer surface.   
   
   
       2 . The idler gear shaft support for the transmission as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the bolt slot extends non-symmetrically across the rear face of the idler gear shaft support. 
   
   
       3 . The idler gear shaft support for the transmission as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the non-symmetrical bolt slot defines a larger portion of the idler gear shaft support on one side of the bolt slot and a smaller portion on the opposing side of the bolt slot. 
   
   
       4 . The idler gear shaft support for the transmission as set forth in  claim 3  further comprising a first and a second parallel ridge running along the front face of the idler gear support and defining the bolt slot therebetween. 
   
   
       5 . The idler gear shaft support for the transmission as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the bolt slot has an upper portion defined between the first and second parallel ridges and a lower portion formed below a planar surface of the front face. 
   
   
       6 . The idler gear shaft support for the transmission as set forth in  claim 5  further comprising a first end wall and a second end wall defining an arcuate length of the idler gear shaft therebetween and wherein the first end and the second end walls each have a radially extending linear portion contiguously attached to a curved portion defining an extended buttress section circumferentially extending the arcuate length of the axial outer surface. 
   
   
       7 . A transmission having a reverse idler gear shaft support for a reverse idler gear shaft, the reverse idler gear shaft support comprising:
 a radial aligned passage for receiving a bolt extending through the gear shaft support to engage the non-rotating gear shaft;   a larger portion having a greater mass of material on a first side of the radial aligned passage and a smaller portion having less mass of material on a second side of the radial aligned passage.   
   
   
       8 . The transmission having a reverse idler gear shaft support for a reverse idler gear shaft as set forth in  claim 7 , the reverse idler gear shaft support further comprising a thicker portion having a greater mass of material on a third side of the radial aligned passage than on a fourth side of the radial aligned passage. 
   
   
       9 . The transmission having a reverse idler gear shaft support for a reverse idler gear shaft as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the radial aligned passage of the gear shaft support comprises an open slot in which a bolt can be inserted into the open slot in at least one of a radial direction and an axial direction. 
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing a gear shaft support according to the steps of:
 forming the gear shaft support having an attachment point offset from a center of mass of the gear shaft support;   determining the maximum thrust load vector of the non-rotating gear shaft acting on the gear shaft support; and   aligning a portion of greater mass on a first side of the attachment point with the maximum thrust load vector of the non-rotating gear shaft; and   fabricating the gear shaft support by a powder metal process.   
   
   
       11 . The method of manufacturing a gear shaft support as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising the step of eliminating any drilling of the gear shaft support whereby the gear shaft support is fabricated solely by the powder metal fabrication process.