US 6,182,522 B2Granted

Transmission for automotive vehicles or machinery

OwnerSanto Romano Tartivitainventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A transmission with two parallel shafts has an input shaft that may be directly connected to an engine crankshaft. The input shaft carries fixed gears that are at all times meshed with corresponding gears on the output shaft. Also, the input shaft has a screw type pump to circulate and cool fluids. The output shaft carries various modules. Each module is made up of an electromagnetic clutch with a parallel gear-plate on each side. Modules can be added or removed. All gears on the output shaft are on bearings and free to rotate. When a rheological and/or a magnetizable fluid between the electromagnets and the adjacent gear-plate are electrically energized, the fluid between them changes phase and/or it becomes magnetized and/or solidified. The electromagnetic force also pulls the sliding gear-plate to bond to the electromagnet. Each side of the electromagnet is energized independently to either attract or repulse the adjacent gear-plate. When one of the various electromagnetic clutches is installed between the engine crankshaft and the transmission input shaft. Synchronization type clutch gear-plates may be installed on the output shaft. The manual gear selector transfers electrical current from a source to the various contacts on the transmitter and thereafter along the output shaft and to the desired side of the electromagnet.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A transmission for vehicles and machinery for the purpose of changing engine speeds and torque for moving loads or rotating shafts, comprising:

a) a transmission housing including an interior housing compartment and being connected to the engine;
b) a rheological or magnetizable fluid within said interior compartment of said transmission housing;
c) an input shaft and an output shaft mounted in said interior housing compartment in a parallel arrangement;
d) a plurality of fixed gears mounted on said input shaft and being rotated by said input shaft;
e) said output shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of electromagnetic clutch plates, each having an adjacent free rotating gear mounted on said output shaft to form a plurality of sets of electromagnetic clutch plates and free rotating gears;
f) said plurality of fixed gears being meshed at all times with said free rotating gears on said output shaft;
g) means for selecting one of said plurality of sets of electromagnetic clutch plates and free rotating gears for activating said output shaft into a forward or reverse rotational movement;
h) means for transferring electric current from battery or power source to energize one or more of said electromagnetic clutch plates to create a magnetic force for pulling an adjacent free rotating gear axially along said output shaft to bond with said electromagnetic clutch plate to cause rotation of said output shaft.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/231,676Filed 15 Jan 1999
Granted: 6 Feb 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F16H 63/3043
The final output mechanisms comprising elements moved by electrical or magnetic force: comprising friction clutches or brakes
F16H 3/089
Characterised by the disposition of the gears: all of the meshing gears being supported by a pair of parallel shafts, one being the input shaft…
F16H 61/0211
Layout of electro-hydraulic control circuits, e.g. arrangement of valves: characterised by low integration or small number of valves
F16H 63/48
Comprising signals other than signals for actuating the final output mechanisms: signals to a parking brake or parking lock; Control of parking…