| 摘要 |
<p>A composite gear includes one or more metal stamped plates (18, 20), and two thermoplastic layers (12, 14) disposed on opposite sides of the plates. Apertures (34) are provided in the stamped metal plates so that the molten thermoplastic material may flow through the apertures and anchor the two thermoplastic layers to each other as well as to the metal plates. The composite gear has composite gear teeth (11) which consist of one or more metal gear teeth portions sandwiched between two thermoplastic gear teeth portions. The thermoplastic gear teeth portions extend outwardly from the metal gear teeth portions so that the thermoplastic teeth portions absorb loads under normal operating conditions. Under abnormal conditions such as when an abrupt stop occurs, the thermoplastic portions of the gear teeth are compressed and the higher torque forces resulting from the abnormal condition are absorbed by the metal gear teeth portions. Unique tooling and manufacturing methods are also described to enable the composite gear to be made without overmolding the metal gear teeth portions.</p> |
