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US 11,441,617 B2Granted
Hydraulic clutches, gearboxes, transmissions, and energy recovery systems
AssigneeA & A International, LLC
InventorsHoria Abaitancei, Cornel Mihai, Stefan Ioana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automobile or other wheeled vehicle includes various hydraulic components, including a hydraulic gearbox, transmission, clutch, and brake energy recovery system. Such hydraulic components supplement or replace traditional mechanical components of the automobile or other wheeled vehicle to improve the overall operational efficiency thereof.
Claims22
A torque transfer device employing radial hydraulic piston assemblies, the torque transfer device comprising:
- an output shaft;
- an output disc affixed to the output shaft for rotation therewith;
- an input shaft;
- a rotatable housing affixed to the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- a plurality of hydraulic cylinders operatively connected to the rotatable housing of the input shaft, the hydraulic cylinders positioned in a radial configuration and equally spaced about an inner perimeter of the rotatable housing;
- and
- a plurality of pistons, each piston of the plurality of pistons being slidably mounted within a corresponding hydraulic cylinder of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders, each piston of the plurality of pistons positioned to be selectively pushed, when actuated, towards the output disc and to create a rigid connection between the input shaft and the output shaft;
- wherein each hydraulic cylinder of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders is positioned at an offset angle relative to radial directions of the input shaft and the output shaft.
5 more elements
A torque transfer system employing radial offset hydraulic piston assemblies, the torque transfer system comprising:
- an input shaft;
- an input disc coupled to the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- an input ring coupled to the input disc for rotation therewith;
- an output body located substantially within the input ring for rotation about the input shaft, the output body having at least two output body arms extending radially outwardly from the input shaft;
- a plurality of hydraulic cylinders and associated pistons located at radially outward ends of the output body, each piston positioned to be selectively urged, when actuated, towards the input ring and create a rigid connection between the input shaft and the output body;
- a hydraulic passage containing hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic passage extending through the output body arms to the hydraulic cylinders and the pistons.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.