Abstract

A split ring planetary drive for an engine or use with an electric phaser. The split ring planetary drive includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a spring ring gear, a camshaft ring gear, and at least one spring. The sun gear has teeth and is driven to rotate around a sun axis. The plurality of planet gears are arranged around the sun gear with each planet gear comprised of planet teeth maintaining the planet gear in meshing engagement with the sun gear teeth. The sprocket ring gear has teeth and is driven by a crankshaft. The camshaft ring gear has teeth is rotatable with a camshaft. The teeth of the sprocket and camshaft ring gears maintain the ring gears in meshing engagement with each of the planet gears. The spring biases the planet gear teeth into meshing engagement with the sprocket and camshaft ring gear teeth.