Back to results
US 10,591,028 B2Granted
Transmission assembly and method
AssigneeJoe G. Villarreal
InventorJoe G. Villarreal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transmission assembly includes a ring gear configured to receive an input torque from a power source, a carrier assembly coupled to the ring gear, the carrier assembly configured to rotate about a first axis and including a housing, and a spider gear rotatably coupled to the housing, a carrier outlet shaft including a carrier outlet gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear, wherein the carrier outlet shaft is configured to transmit an output torque to a driveshaft, a control shaft including a control gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear, and a load applicator coupled to the control shaft, wherein the load applicator is configured to provide a resistive torque to the control shaft to resist rotation of the control shaft and vary a gear ratio between the driveshaft and the input shaft.
Claims20
A transmission assembly, comprising:
- a ring gear configured to receive an input torque from a power source;
- a carrier assembly coupled to the ring gear, the carrier assembly configured to rotate about a first axis and comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a spider gear rotatably coupled to the housing;
- a carrier outlet shaft comprising a carrier outlet gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear, wherein the carrier outlet shaft is configured to transmit an output torque to a driveshaft;
- a control shaft comprising a control gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear;
- a load applicator coupled to the control shaft, wherein the load applicator is configured to provide a resistive torque to the control shaft to resist rotation of the control shaft and vary a gear ratio between the driveshaft and an input shaft;
- a torque applicator configured to controllably apply torque to the carrier outlet shaft;
- a hydraulic circuit coupled to the load applicator and a load controller configured to control the amount of resistive torque applied to the control shaft from the load applicator;
- a bypass circuit fluidically coupled to the hydraulic circuit;
- and
- a bypass valve fluidically coupled to the bypass circuit and configured to permit a fluid flow in the hydraulic circuit to bypass the torque applicator when the bypass valve is in an open position;
- wherein the load applicator comprises a pump fluidically coupled to the hydraulic circuit;
- wherein the torque applicator comprises a motor fluidically coupled to the hydraulic circuit and is configured to convert pressure of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit into rotational torque.
12 more elements
A transmission assembly, comprising:
- a ring gear configured to receive an input torque from a power source;
- a carrier assembly coupled to the ring gear;
- a carrier outlet shaft coupled to the carrier assembly and configured to transmit an output torque to a driveshaft;
- a control shaft comprising a control gear coupled to the carrier assembly;
- a load applicator coupled to the control shaft, wherein the load applicator is configured to provide a resistive torque to the control shaft to resist rotation of the control shaft;
- a load controller coupled to the load applicator and configured to control the amount of resistive torque applied to the control shaft from the load applicator;
- a hydraulic circuit coupled to the load controller and the load applicator;
- and
- a reverse gear coupled to the carrier outlet shaft;
- wherein the load applicator comprises a pump fluidically coupled to the hydraulic circuit and the load controller comprises a valve configured to controllably restrict fluid flow through the hydraulic circuit.
7 more elements
A motor vehicle system, comprising:
- a prime mover;
- a transmission rotatably coupled to the prime mover with an input shaft;
- a driveshaft rotatably coupled to the transmission;
- a ring gear configured to receive an input torque from the prime mover;
- a carrier assembly coupled to the ring gear, the carrier assembly configured to rotate about a first axis and comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a spider gear rotatably coupled to the housing;
- a carrier outlet shaft comprising a carrier outlet gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear;
- a control shaft comprising a control gear in meshed engagement with the spider gear;
- and
- a load applicator coupled to the control shaft, wherein the load applicator is configured to provide a resistive torque to the control shaft to resist rotation of the control shaft and vary the gear ratio between the driveshaft and the input shaft;
- wherein the transmission provides a cleared coupling between the input shaft and the driveshaft;
- wherein the transmission provides a continuously variable gear ratio between the input shaft and the driveshaft;
- wherein the transmission further comprises a reverse gear coupled to the carrier outlet shaft of the carrier assembly.
12 more elements
A transmission assembly, comprising:
- a ring gear configured to receive an input torque from a power source;
- a carrier assembly coupled to the ring gear;
- a carrier outlet shaft coupled to the carrier assembly and configured to transmit an output torque to a driveshaft;
- a control shaft comprising a control gear coupled to the carrier assembly;
- a load applicator coupled to the control shaft, wherein the load applicator is configured to provide a resistive torque to the control shaft to resist rotation of the control shaft;
- a load controller coupled to the load applicator and configured to control the amount of resistive torque applied to the control shaft from the load applicator;
- a torque applicator configured to controllably apply torque to the carrier outlet shaft;
- a hydraulic circuit coupled to the load controller and the load applicator;
- a bypass circuit fluidically coupled to the hydraulic circuit;
- and
- a bypass valve fluidically coupled to the bypass circuit and configured to permit a fluid flow in the hydraulic circuit to bypass the torque applicator when the bypass valve is in an open position.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.