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US 6,447,421 B1Granted
Device to provide continuously variable gearing
OwnerNicholas D. Wreninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanical transmission device for modifying torque and speed of rotation form torque input to torque output, more particularly a device capable of modifying torque and speed of rotation in a continuously variable fashion utilizing a single set of levers in conjunction with an abaxial ring.
Claims20
A torque transmission device comprising:
- a drive element rotatable about a primary axis serving as means for torque input;
- a driven element with an axis of rotation coincident with the primary axis serving as means for torque output;
- a multiplicity of separate rotatable levers, having an axis of rotation coincident with the primary axis;
- a multiplicity of drive element engagement devices for engaging and disengaging each of the rotatable levers with the drive element;
- a multiplicity of driven element engagement devices for engaging and disengaging each of the rotatable levers with the driven element;
- an abaxial ring with a multiplicity of lever-engaging members arranged at angular intervals thereon such that each lever is engaged to the abaxial ring, the abaxial ring being rotatable about a secondary axis of rotation;
- and
- a carriage means by which the abaxial ring may be moved so the secondary axis of rotation is non-coincident, but parallel with the primary axis;
- wherein torque applied to the drive element engages, through some of the multiplicity of drive element engagement devices, some of the
- rotatable levers, which in turn, engage some of the multiplicity of the lever-engaging members of the abaxial ring, which torque is transferred to other lever-engagement members of the abaxial ring which, in turn, transfer torque to other of the rotating levers which, in turn, rotate the driven element through engagement of some of the multiplicity of driven element engagement devices with the driven element.
7 more elements
An axle-mounted transmission device comprising:
- a drive ring with an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the axle;
- a driven ring with an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of the axle;
- a multiplicity of separate rotatable levers, having an axis of rotation coincident with those of the drive and driven rings;
- a multiplicity of drive ring engagement devices for engaging and disengaging each of the rotatable levers with the drive ring;
- a multiplicity of driven ring engagement devices for engaging and disengaging each of the rotatable levers with the driven ring;
- an abaxial ring with a multiplicity of lever-engaging elements arranged at angular intervals thereon such that each of the levers is engaged to the abaxial ring, the abaxial ring having a second axis of rotation;
- and
- a carriage means for engaging the abaxial ring to the axle such that the abaxial ring may be moved so the second axis of rotation is non-coincident, but parallel with the axis of the axle;
- wherein torque applied to the drive ring engages, through some of the multiplicity of drive ring engagement devices, some of the rotatable levers, which in turn, engage some of the multiplicity of the lever-engaging elements of the abaxial ring, which torque is transferred to other lever-engaging elements of the abaxial ring which, in turn, transfer torque to other of the rotatable levers which, in turn, rotate the driven ring through engagement of some of the multiplicity of driven ring engagement devices with the driven ring.
6 more elements
A transmission device comprising:
- a torque input means;
- a torque output means;
- the torque input means and the torque output means rotatable about a primary axis;
- a set of levers separately articulated with the primary axis, the set of levers having an axis of rotation coincident with the primary axis each lever of the set of levers acting in operative association with the torque input and torque output means;
- and
- a rotatable lever engagement device for engaging all of the levers of the single set of levers to transfer torque input at some of the levers to torque output at other of the levers, the rotatable lever engagement device including means to move the axis of rotation of the rotatable lever engagement device with respect to the primary axis.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.