Infinitely variable transmission for differentially steered vehicles
OwnerMehmet Koray Inalinventor
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Abstract
An infinitely variable transmission system for differentially steered vehicles comprises two planetary gearboxes, each coupled to drive, as output, a driving component, such as track or wheel, on either side of a vehicle. The planetary gearboxes are drivingly coupled to a power source, such as an engine or motor, via fixed gear ratio driver and via belt drive system of two or more variable ratio belt drive pulleys. Each of the two outputs of the transmission can independently and simultaneously be controlled to revolve in forward, neutral (stop), and reverse directions in a manner of continuously and infinitesimally variable speed and torque.
Claims4
An infinitely variable transmission system for differentially steered vehicles comprising:
- a variable ratio driver pulley having a pair of flanges, comprising a means for continually exerting force on said flanges towards each other, wherein said variable ratio driver pulley is drivingly connected to a power source;
- a variable ratio driven pulley having a pair of flanges, with said flanges disconnected from each other;
- a belt extending around the driver and driven pulleys, forming a variable ratio belt drive system;
- wherein each flange of the driven pulley is controllably and independently movable along a respective straight path that is parallel to the contact line between the belt and the respective flange face;
- and wherein each flange of the driven pulley is independently rotatable about its respective axis;
- two planetary gearboxes, where gear sets of each are drivingly connected to the power source, a respective variable ratio driven pulley flange, and a respective driving component as output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.