US 4,807,494 AGranted

Stepwise variable speed planetary drive

OwnerHyok S. Lewinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The variable speed planetary drive of the present invention comprises a combination of a plurality of external gears of varying pitch diameters and a first power transfer gear coaxially affixed to each other and rotatably mounted on an eccentric section of a first shaft; a second power transfer gear coaxially affixed to a second shaft disposed in line with the first shaft wherein the first and second power transfer gears engage each other; and a combination of internal ring gears of varying pitch diameters coaxially affixed to each other and disposed coaxially to the first and second shaft in an axially shiftable arrangement wherein each shift engages only one of the external gears to only one of the internal ring gears. The combination of the internal ring gears includes means for restraining the internal ring gears from rotating, which means may be a permanent type or a type that can be activated and deactivated.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A stepwise variable speed mechanical transmission apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a housing;
(b) a first shaft rotatably mount in the housing;
(c) a second shaft disposed in line with the first shaft and rotatably mount in the housing, said second shaft including a first rotary member nonrotatably and coaxially affixed to the second shaft;
(d) a second roary member disposed in a parallel and eccentric arrangement with respect to the central axis of the first shaft and secured to the first shaft wherein the second rotary member is rotatable about the central axis thereof, said central axis of the second rotary member orbiting about the central axis of the first shaft at the same angular velocity as the angular velocity of the first shaft;
(e) a hollow cylindrical member disposed within the housing and enclosing the second rotary member said hollow cylindrical member being axially shiftable in a direction parallel to the central axis of the first shaft, the hollow cylindrical member including a plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces of various pitch diameters arranged in series in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the first shaft and further including means for nonrotatably securing the hollow cylindrical member to the housing;
(f) an internal generally circular cylindrical traction surface included in said second rotary member in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the second rotary member, said internal generally circular cylindrical traction surface engaging an external generally circular cylindrical traction surface included in the first rotary member in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the second shaft and disposed within said internal generally circular cylindrical traction surface;
(g) a plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces of various pitch diameters included in the second rotary member in series in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the second rotary member, wherein only one of said plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces engages only one of said plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces included in the hollow cylindrical member at each of various shift positions;
and
(h) means for shifting and retaining the hollow cylindrical member to and at each of the various shift positions wherein only one of said plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces engages only one of said plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces at each of the various shift positions.

6 more elements

A stepwise variable speed mechanical transmission comprising in combination:

(a) a housing;
(b) a first shaft rotatably mounted in the housing;
(c) a second shaft disposed in line with the first shaft and rotatably mounted in the housing, said second shaft includng a first rotary member nonrotatably and coaxially affixed to the second shaft;
(d) a second rotary member disposed in a parallel and eccentric arrangement with respect to the central axis of the first shaft and secured to the first shaft wherein the second rotary member is rotatable about the central axis thereof, said central axis of the second rotary member orbiting about the central axis of the first shaft at the same angular velocity as the angular velocity of the first shaft;
(e) a hollow cylindrical member disposed within the housing and enclosing the second rotary member said hollow cylindrical member being axially shiftable in a direction parallel to the central axis of the first shaft, the hollow cylindrical member including a plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces of various pitch diameters arranged in series in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the first shaft and further including means for nonrotatably securing the hollow cylindrical member to the housing;
(f) an externally generally circular cylindrical traction surface included in said second rotary member in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the second rotary member, said external generally circular cylindrical traction surface engaging an internal generally circular cylindrical traction surface included in the first rotary member in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of said second shaft;
(g) a plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces of various pitch diameters included in the second rotary member in series in a coaxial arrangement with respect to the central axis of the second rotary member, wherein only one of said plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces engages only one of said plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces included in the hollow cylindrical member at each of various shift positions;
and
(h) means for shifting and retaining the hollow cylindrical member to and at each of the various shift positions wherein only one of said plurality of external generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces engages only one of said plurality of internal generally circular cylindrical traction surfaces at each of the various shift positions.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/005,111Filed 20 Jan 1987 · continuation in part
Priority: 24 Jun 1985
Granted: 28 Feb 1989
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

F16H 3/70
Using gears having orbital motion: in which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear
F16H 1/32
With gears having orbital motion: in which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear
F16H 2001/2881
With gears having orbital motion: comprising two axially spaced central gears, i.e. ring or sun gear, engaged by at least one common orbital gear…
F16H 2001/328
In which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear: comprising balancing means

Family

Serial747,889Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Jun 1985
Serial750,787Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 1 Jul 1985
Serial891,124Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jul 1986
US 4,733,579 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 4,807,494 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.