Planetary gear units

Details Planetary gear units Planetary gear units

1992-04-01

1994-10-25

Bonck, Rodney H.

Planetary gear transmission systems or components

With means to vary drive ratio or disconnect drive

475282, 475283, 475317, 475311, F16H 3706

Patent

active

053584589

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to planetary gear units and particularly, though not exclusively, to such units for use in tractor transmissions.
Such units are well known for use in the input stages of the transmission of tractors or similar vehicles to provide two or more ratios which can be shifted between under full power without the need to disengage the main drive clutch of the transmission.
It is object of the present invention to provide an improved form of planetary gear unit which is capable of providing a number of substantially evenly-spaced and relatively closely grouped ratios.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus according to the present invention there is provided a planetary gear unit comprising a plurality of inter-connected co-axial three element planetary gear trains each including a sun, planet carrier and annulus, the gear unit being characterised in that one of said planetary gear trains is a dominant train with one element connected with an input member of the unit and a second element connected with an output member of the unit, the remaining train or trains of the unit being connected with the third element of the dominant train to vary, by the use of associated clutches acting between elements of the trains and ground, the direction and speed of rotation of the third element, thus providing a number of overall ratios from the unit.
One element of the or each remaining train is connected with the third element of the dominant train and the other two elements of the or each remaining train are selectively clutchable to ground or an element of another train.
In a four speed unit, the third element of the dominant train is connected with a first element of a second train, a first clutch is provided for clutching a second element of the second train to ground, a second clutch is provided for clutching a third element of the second train to ground, a third clutch is provided for clutching one of the second and third elements of the second train to one of the input or output members and a fourth clutch is provided for clutching the other of the second or third elements of the second train to the other of the input or output members, the arrangement being such that a first ratio is provided from the unit when said first and second clutches are engaged, a second ratio is provided when said first and third clutches are engaged, a third ratio is provided when said second and fourth clutches are engaged and a fourth ratio is provided when said third and fourth clutches are engaged.
In one arrangement, the annulus of the dominant train is connected with one of the input members, the carrier of the dominant train is connected with the other of the input or output members and the sun of the dominant train is connected to an element of the second train. In one arrangement, the sun of the dominant train is connected to the carrier of the second train.
In such an arrangement the first clutch may clutch the annulus of the second train to ground, the second clutch may clutch the sun of the second train to ground, the third clutch may clutch the sun of the second train to the input or output member connected to the carrier of the dominant train and the fourth clutch may clutch the annulus of the second train to the input or output member connected to the annulus of the dominant train.
In an alternative arrangement, the sun of the dominant train is connected with the sun of the second train.
In this alternative arrangement the first clutch may clutch the carrier of the second train to ground, the second clutch may clutch the annulus of the second train to ground, the third clutch may clutch the annulus of the second train to the input or output member connected to the carrier of the dominant traing, and the fourth clutch may clutch the carrier of the second train to the input or output member connected to the annulus of the dominant train.
Preferably the clutches are grouped together in two pairs, one clutch of each pair being spring-applied and automatically released when the other cl

REFERENCES:
patent: 3308687 (1967-03-01), Borman, Jr.
patent: 3877320 (1975-04-01), Iijima
patent: 4089238 (1978-05-01), Forster et al.
patent: 4334440 (1982-06-01), Fonck
patent: 4836052 (1989-06-01), Iwanaga et al.
patent: 5062823 (1991-11-01), Ra et al.

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