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US 12,624,734 B2Granted
Shift system and method for power transmission assembly
AssigneeMeans Industries, Inc.
InventorsDustin Finn, John Jennings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for power transmission method includes providing first and second shafts, a gear assembly having first and second gear ratios, and first and second coupling assemblies. The first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft, and the second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft. The speed of the first shaft varies, wherein the deployment of a locking element of the second coupling assembly is based on the speed of the first shaft.
Claims35
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 gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the first gear ratio, the first coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element in a deployed position;
- providing a second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the second gear ratio, the second coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element movable between a deployed and nondeployed position;
- and
- varying the speed of the first shaft in the same direction of rotation to select one of the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio, wherein deployment of the locking element of the second coupling assembly is based on the speed of the first shaft.
4 more elements
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 gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the first gear ratio, the first coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element in a deployed position;
- providing a second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the second gear ratio, the second coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element movable between a deployed and nondeployed position;
- varying the speed of the first shaft to select one of the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio, wherein deployment of the locking element of the second coupling assembly is based on the speed of the first shaft;
- the step of varying the speed of the first shaft includes reducing the speed of the first shaft until the speed of the first shaft synchronizes with the speed of the second gear ratio;
- and
- moving the locking element of the second coupling assembly to a deployed position after the speed of the first shaft synchronizes with the speed of the second gear ratio.
6 more elements
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 gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the first gear ratio, the first coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element in a deployed position;
- providing a second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft through the second gear ratio, the second coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element movable between a deployed and nondeployed position;
- varying the speed of the first shaft to select one of the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio, wherein deployment of the locking element of the second coupling assembly is based on the speed of the first shaft;
- and
- the step of varying the speed of the first shaft includes reducing the speed of the first shaft until the speed of the first shaft is below the speed of the second gear ratio and increasing the speed of the first shaft to engage the locking element of the second coupling assembly.
5 more elements
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 gear assembly, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element;
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch and enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft in the first gear ratio;
- reducing the speed of the first shaft until the speed of the first shaft synchronizes with the speed of the second gear ratio;
- and
- deploying the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch after the speed of the first shaft synchronizes with the speed of the second gear ratio and enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft in the second gear ratio.
6 more elements
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 gear assembly, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, the first one-way clutch associated with the first gear ratio;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a forward torque transmitting locking element, the second one-way clutch associated with the second gear ratio;
- enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft through the second gear ratio with the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch in a deployed position;
- moving the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch in a nondeployed position;
- after the forward torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch is in a nondeployed position, changing the rotation speed of the first shaft to engage the forward torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch;
- and
- enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft through the first gear ratio.
7 more elements
A power transmission system comprising:
- a first shaft rotatable at a variable speed;
- a second shaft rotatable at a variable speed;
- a gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- a first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft in the first gear ratio, the first coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element in a deployed position;
- a second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft in the second gear ratio, the second coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element movable between a deployed and nondeployed position;
- and
- an actuator operative to move the locking element of the second coupling assembly based on the speed of the first shaft without a change of direction of the first shaft relative to the speed of the second gear ratio to enable torque from the first shaft to the second shaft in either the first gear ratio or the second gear ratio.
4 more elements
A power transmission system comprising:
- a first shaft rotatable at a variable speed;
- a second shaft rotatable at a variable speed;
- a gear assembly between the first shaft and the second shaft, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- a first coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft in the first gear ratio, the first coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element in a deployed position;
- a second coupling assembly enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft in the second gear ratio, the second coupling assembly including a notch plate, a pocket plate, and a locking element movable between a deployed and nondeployed position;
- enabling torque transfer from the first shaft to the second shaft in one of the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio based on the speed of the first shaft;
- and
- the locking element of the second coupling assembly moves between the deployed and nondeployed position based on the speed of the first shaft and the speed of the second gear ratio.
5 more elements
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 gear assembly, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a torque transmitting locking element, the first one-way clutch associated with the first gear ratio;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a torque transmitting locking element, the second one-way clutch associated with second gear ratio;
- deploying the torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch and enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft in the first gear ratio;
- changing the speed of the first shaft without changing the direction of rotation of the first shaft to synchronize the speed of the first shaft with the speed of the second gear ratio;
- and
- deploying the torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch after the speed of the first shaft synchronizes with the speed of the second gear ratio and enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft in the second gear ratio.
6 more elements
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 gear assembly, the gear assembly including at least a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio;
- providing a first one-way clutch including a torque transmitting locking element, the first one-way clutch associated with the first gear ratio;
- providing a second one-way clutch including a torque transmitting locking element, the second one-way clutch associated with the second gear ratio;
- enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft through the second gear ratio with the torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch in a deployed position;
- moving the torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch to a nondeployed position;
- and
- after the torque transmitting locking element of the second one-way clutch is in a nondeployed position, changing the rotation speed of the first shaft without changing the direction of the first shaft to engage the torque transmitting locking element of the first one-way clutch enabling torque from the first shaft to the second shaft through the first gear ratio.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.