Gearless differential
AssigneeTeam, Inc. dba Tool Engineering & Manufacturing Company
InventorsPaul G McKinnon, Lane McKinnon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gearless differential for distributing power from a motor to two follower shafts with ends connected to opposite wheels and to opposed outer disks held in position with a journal mounted casing having corresponding identical regular polygonal raceways with asymmetric sections surrounding a central drive disk there between with equidistant radial slots each holding one cylinder or roller bearing to radially reciprocate as they race along the raceways in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction; and in a drive mode where the central drive disk power input drives both outer disks connected to the two follower shafts transferring torque evenly to both wheels so there is no movement of the cylinders or roller bearings in the raceways.
Claims11
A gearless differential for distributing power from a motor to two aligned follower shafts connected to opposite wheels to permit the two aligned follower shafts to rotate differently comprising:
- a. an axle pin,
- b. a central drive disk rotatably centrally mounted on the axle pin having perimeter structure adapted to be rotatably driven by a motor and having six or more equidistant radial slots,
- c. one cylinder or roller bearing with center portions and extension portions placed into each radial slots such that the cylinders or roller bearings are held by their center portions to radially reciprocate, and
- d. two opposed corresponding outer disks rotatably coaxially mounted on each side of the central drive disk on the axle pin with exterior faces affixed to each follower shaft;
- and interior faces with corresponding aligned regular polygonal shaped raceways proximate the radial slots where at least one regular side of the raceway has an off-center extension section that is not symmetrical around a radial line of the geometric shape, the opposed raceways sized to accommodate the extension portions of the cylinders or roller bearings to race along the raceways when reciprocating in the radial slots in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction retarding equal rotation of one of the outer disks;
- and in a drive mode, the central drive disk power input drives both outer disks to rotate similarly for the two follower shafts to transfer torque evenly to both wheels so there is no movement of the cylinders or roller bearings in the raceways.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.