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US 12,607,259 B1Granted
Shift system and method for power transmission assembly
AssigneeMeans Industries, Inc.
InventorKyle N. Ball
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power transmission system and method that includes a first shaft, a second shaft, and a planetary gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft. The planetary gear assembly includes at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio. A first coupling assembly associated with the first gear ratio and a second coupling associated with the second gear ratio. The system and method determines an input speed of the second gear ratio based on the speed of the second shaft and varies the speed of the first shaft relative to the input speed of the second gear ratio wherein the second coupling assembly operates based on the speed of the first shaft relative to the input speed of the second gear ratio.
Claims20
A power transmission method comprising:
- providing a first shaft, the first shaft rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing a second shaft, the second shaft rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing a planetary gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the planetary gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- the first gear ratio having a torque reaction path;
- the second gear ratio having a torque reaction path;
- providing a first coupling assembly including torque transmitting locking elements, positioning the first coupling assembly in the torque reaction path of the first gear ratio;
- providing a second coupling assembly including torque transmitting locking elements, positioning the second coupling assembly in the torque reaction path of the second gear ratio;
- determining an input speed of the second gear ratio based on the speed of the second shaft;
- and
- varying the speed of the first shaft relative to the input speed of the second gear ratio wherein deployment of one of the torque transmitting locking elements of the second coupling assembly is based on the speed of the first shaft relative to the input speed of the second gear ratio.
7 more elements
A power transmission method comprising:
- providing an input member, the input member rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing an output member, the output member rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing a planetary gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio between the input member and the output member;
- the first gear ratio having a first torque reaction path and the second gear ratio having a second torque reaction path;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, positioning the first one-way clutch in the first torque reaction path;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, positioning the second one-way clutch in the second torque reaction path;
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch;
- transmitting reaction torque in the first torque reaction path resulting in corresponding propulsion torque to the output member;
- reducing the speed of the input member until the speed of the input member synchronizes with an input speed of the second gear ratio;
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch after the speed of the input member synchronizes with the input speed of the second gear ratio;
- and
- transmitting reaction torque in the second torque reaction path resulting in corresponding propulsion torque to the output member.
9 more elements
A power transmission method comprising:
- providing an input member, the input member rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing an output member, the output member rotatable at a variable rotation speed;
- providing a planetary gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio between the input member and the output member;
- the first gear ratio having a first torque reaction path and the second gear ratio having a second torque reaction path;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, positioning the first one-way clutch in the first torque reaction path;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, positioning the second one-way clutch in the second torque reaction path;
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch;
- transmitting reaction torque in the second torque reaction path resulting in corresponding propulsion torque to the output member;
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch;
- moving the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch to a nondeployed position;
- after the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch is in a nondeployed position, increasing the speed of the input member to engage the forward torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch;
- and
- transmitting reaction torque in the first torque reaction path resulting in corresponding propulsion torque to the output member.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.