Vibration attenuation of mating gears in a power take-off

Abstract

A power take-off includes a housing including a mounting surface that is adapted to be secured to a source of rotational energy. The mounting surface has an opening therethrough. An input mechanism includes an input gear that has a portion that extends outwardly from the housing through the opening provided through the mounting surface and is adapted to extend within and be rotatably driven about an input gear rotational axis by a driving gear contained within the source of rotational energy. An output mechanism is disposed within the housing and includes a driven gear that is rotatably driven about an output gear rotational axis by the input gear of the input mechanism. The rotational axis of the input gear and the rotational axis of the driven gear are movable relative to one another so as to minimize the transmission of torque transients and other vibrations therethrough during operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power take-off that is adapted to be secured to a source of rotational energy, the power take-off comprising:
 a housing including a mounting surface that is adapted to be secured to a source of rotational energy, the mounting surface having an opening therethrough;   an input mechanism including an input gear that has a portion that extends outwardly from the housing through the opening provided through the mounting surface and is adapted to extend within and be rotatably driven about an input gear rotational axis by a driving gear contained within the source of rotational energy; and   an output mechanism disposed within the housing and including a driven gear that is rotatably driven about an output gear rotational axis by the input gear of the input mechanism,   wherein the rotational axis of the input gear and the rotational axis of the driven gear are movable relative to one another so as to minimize the transmission of torque transients and other vibrations therethrough during operation.