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US 12,385,551 B2Granted
Motor-gearbox arrangement
OwnerRaymond J. Hicks, Frank Cunliffeinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A motor-gearbox arrangement, comprising a gearbox arranged to as to selectively couple a first input and a second input to the output via a plurality of epicyclic gears a first electric motor coupled to the first input so as to rotate the first input; and a second electric motor coupled to the second input so as to rotate the second input; in which the clutches and the epicyclic gears which are connected to the input and the output and to other epicyclic gears of the gear train.
Claims17
A motor-gearbox arrangement, comprising a gearbox comprising:
- a first input;
- a second input;
- an output;
- a plurality of epicyclic gears each comprising the following members:
- a sun gear;
- a planet carrier;
- a plurality of planet gears carried on the planet carrier and each engaging the sun gear;
- and
- an annular gear engaging each of the planet gears;
- and
- a plurality of clutches, the plurality of clutches being arranged so as to selectively couple the first input and the second input to the output via the plurality of epicyclic gears;
- the motor-gearbox arrangement further comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to the first input so as to rotate the first input;
- and
- a second electric motor coupled to the second input so as to rotate the second input;
- in which the clutches and the epicyclic gears define a plurality of states of the gearbox in which in each state the first input and the second input are coupled to the output through at least one of the epicyclic gears to form a gear train, the plurality of states differing from each other in at least one of the selection of the epicyclic gears which form the gear train and the selection of the members of each epicyclic gear which are connected to the first input, the second input, and the output and to other epicyclic gears of the gear train;
- in which the gearbox has a ratio, being a number of turns of the output for a single turn of the first input, in which the ratio varies dependent upon the rotational speed of the second input;
- and
- in which there are at least one pair of states such that, at a crossover rotational speed of the second input, the ratio of the gearbox is the same for the pair of states.
16 more elements
A method of controlling a motor-gearbox arrangement, the motor-gearbox arrangement comprising a gearbox comprising:
- a first input;
- a second input;
- an output;
- a plurality of epicyclic gears each comprising the following members:
- a sun gear;
- a planet carrier;
- a plurality of planet gears carried on the planet carrier and each engaging the sun gear;
- and
- an annular gear engaging each of the planet gears;
- and
- a plurality of clutches, the plurality of clutches being arranged to as to selectively couple the first input and the second input to the output via the plurality of epicyclic gears;
- the motor-gearbox arrangement further comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to the first input so as to rotate the first input;
- and
- a second electric motor coupled to the second input so as to rotate the second input;
- in which the clutches and the epicyclic gears define a plurality of states of the gearbox in which in each state the first input and the second input are coupled to the output through at least one of the epicyclic gears to form a gear train, the plurality of states differing from each other in at least one of the selection of the epicyclic gears which form the gear train and the selection of the members of each epicyclic gear which are connected to the first input, the second input, and the output and to other epicyclic gears of the gear train;
- in which the gearbox has a ratio, being a number of turns of the output for a single turn of the first input, in which the ratio varies dependent upon the rotational speed of the second input;
- in which there is at least one pair of states such that, at a crossover rotational speed of the second input, the ratio of the gearbox is the same for the pair of states;
- and
- the method comprising varying the rotational speed of the second motor so as to vary the ratio of the gearbox.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.