Planetary gear transmission systems or components – Input from independent power sources – Worm gear in drive train
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-03
2001-11-13
Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)
Planetary gear transmission systems or components
Input from independent power sources
Worm gear in drive train
C475S340000, C074S724000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315690
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission for applying rotational power gradually from zero to maximum at constant torque throughout the speed range in both forward and reverse.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As used herein clutch means a device for coupling two working parts such as the engine and driveshaft of an automobile. In automobiles, manual clutches make use of friction to transmit rotation of the engine crankshaft to the gearbox, and then to the wheels. Moreover, manual clutches use friction linings on a clutch plate to allow the plate to slide before it becomes fully engaged, so that the rotation can be taken up slowly in order to make the automobile move smoothly. Specifically, in a car with a manual gearbox, the clutch is disengaged by pressing down on a clutch pedal to raise a pressure plate away from the clutch plate, disconnecting the flywheel and crankshaft from the transmission shaft. When the clutch pedal is lifted, springs force the pressure plate and clutch plate against the flywheel.
As used herein, synchronized shifting means a gear system by which driving and driven members are brought to the same speed before engaging. Synchronized shifting is accomplished by a collar sliding along the transmission shaft and rotating with the transmission shaft. The collar fits over a cone on the gear wheel, making the wheel speed up or slow down until both are moving at the same speed. The outer toothed ring on the collar then engages the teeth on the cone, locking the collar to the gear wheel.
As used herein, “transmission” means a device that transmits power from the engine of an automobile to the driving wheels and varies the speed ratios between them. As used herein, automatic transmission means a transmission in which the speed ratios are automatically selected and engaged. Automatic transmissions contain a torque converter and an automatic gearbox. The torque converter passes power from the engine flywheel to the gearbox progressively and smoothly. The automatic gearbox contains two sets of epicyclic gears in which gear wheels rotate at different speeds. Except in top gear, the speed of the flywheel is reduced so that the car wheels turn more slowly but with more torque. Reverse gear reverses the direction of the transmission output shaft and therefore the direction of the wheels.
Major automakers have disclosed development of a “stepless automatic” transmission based on British Technologies Group licensed “Torotrak” technolgy for development of an infinitely variable transmission (IVT). The Ford development is based on a “variator” comprising two clusters of free-wheeling rollers hydraulically clamped between two pairs of opposed toroidal discs where the outer discs of each pair are turned continuously by the engine and the rollers take the drive to the two inner, output discs. Tilting the rollers changes the ratio changing the working diameters of the input and output discs. The variator is combined with a single three-element planetary gearset providing a unique “geared neutral” for starting from rest, thereby replacing the usual torque converter. At a critical disc ratio, the two input elements rotate in opposite directions and the third output element is stationary providing no drive to the wheels. By changing the disk angles, the drive is engaged in either forward or reverse. U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,418 discloses an infinitely variable transmission. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,920 discloses an automatic transmission having a belt type infinitely variable gear housed in a transmission casing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,955 discloses a multimode infinitely variable traction roller transmission including a toroidal traction roller transmission for infinitely varying the transmission ratio in each of the modes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,494 discloses an infinitely variable transmission with a lever or walking beam having variable fulcrum point. U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,060 discloses a compound planetary gear set used to provide an idle speed control and a vehicle speed control on an automotive type carburetor valve. U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,201 discloses a shaft that is offset from the wormgear or wormwheel with the worm speed controlled by a motor. The speed controls are rotational to the speed of the output shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,636 discloses a wormgear that is driven with a shaft that has a planet gear and meshes with the pinion.
What is needed beyond the prior art is a simple infinitely variable transmission that has the advantage of a frictionless clutch and the advantages of a stepless transmission.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention which meets the needs identified above is an orbital transmission comprising an input element connected to a first power source, a control element connected to a second power source and an output element connected to the control element whereby rotational power is transmitted by an orbiting gear in the output element. The first power input is the input shaft of the input element and the second power input is the control gear of the control element. The orbital transmission functions on the relationship of the speeds imparted by the first power source and the second power source. As used herein, orbit will refer to the revolution of gear or shaft's center about a point separate and distinct from the gear or shaft. Rotation will refer to the movement of an object about its own center or central axis. More specifically, the orbital transmission functions based on the relationship of the speed of the orbit of the orbiting gear and the speed of rotation of the input shaft of the input element. The orbiting gear may be rotating while it is orbiting but it is the speed of the orbit in relation to the speed of the rotation of the input shaft that determines forward, neutral and reverse. When the orbiting gear makes one complete orbit in the same time and in the same direction that the input shaft makes one revolution, then the transmission is in neutral and no rotation will be imparted to the output shaft. When the orbiting gear makes less orbits in a unit of time than the input shaft makes revolutions in the same unit of time, the transmission will impart rotation in a first direction to the output shaft which may be forward. When the orbiting gear makes more orbits in a unit of time than the input shaft makes revolutions in the same unit of time, the transmission will impart rotation in a second direction to the output shaft which may be reverse. The direction of rotation of the input shaft must be the same direction as the direction of orbit of the orbiting shaft.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention.
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Estremsky Sherry
Lewis Tisha D.
Siegesmund Rudolf O.
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