Metadrive planetary gear drive system
OwnerRichard D. Yelvingtoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A planetary gear drive system in which the planetary gears are made of a resilient plastic or polymer compound so as to allow slippage within the system in response to over-torqueing, and a reverse drive incorporating the planetary gear drive system for use on motor vehicles.
Claims20
A drive system, comprising:
- a) a planetary gear system comprising a plurality of planet gears rotatably mounted on a planet gear carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear;
- and
- b) a locking means for locking and unlocking the sun gear relative to the ring gear and for allowing and preventing the planet gear carrier from rotating,
- wherein the locking means is movable from
- a first position for locking the sun gear relative to the ring gear and for allowing the planet gear carrier to rotate
- to a second position for unlocking the sun gear relative to the ring gear and for preventing the planet gear carrier from rotating,
- wherein when the locking means is in the first position, the sun gear rotates in the same rotational direction as the ring gear providing a first drive direction, and
- wherein when the locking means is in the second position, the sun gear rotates in the opposite rotational direction as the ring gear providing a second drive direction opposite to the first drive direction.
A drive system comprising a planetary gear system comprising a plurality of planet gears rotatably mounted on a planet gear carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear, wherein the plurality of planet gears are made from a material that allows mechanical slippage or shape distortion of the planet gears relative to the any of the sun gear and the ring gear upon over-torqueing of the planetary gear system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.