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US 7,121,160 B2Granted
Mechanical transmission
OwnerLaird B. Goginsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A constant power mechanical transmission with seamless, ripple free, infinitely variable torque multiplying outputs comprises an input shaft and an output shaft. The input shaft is coupled to a pair of oscillating levers whereby rotation of the input shaft causes oscillation of the oscillating levers in opposite directions. The oscillating levers are linked to the output shaft with one-way clutches in order to cause rotation of the shaft upon movement of the oscillating levers. The rotational speed of the output shaft can be infinitely varied by changing the throw of the oscillating levers.
Claims25
A transmission, comprising:
- an input member;
- an output member;
- at least two cam followers;
- at least two camming devices coupled to and rotatable by said input member, said at least two camming devices each contoured to provide substantially constant linear speed to said output member over a portion of rotation of each of said at least two camming devices;
- at least two levers each having a fulcrum and each coupled to at least one of said at least two cam followers in a manner that causes said at least two levers to oscillate upon movement of said at least two cam followers, said at least two levers oscillating out of phase;
- at least one clutching mechanism coupled between said at least two levers and said output member, where oscillation of said at least two levers drives said clutching mechanism causing substantially ripple free rotational movement of said output member;
- at least two selectively positionable power take-offs, each being coupled to, oscillatable by and moveable along a length of one of said at least two levers, wherein movement of said at least two power take-offs relative to said at least two levers changes the position of said at least two power take-offs relative to a respective fulcrum of said at least two levers such that when said power take-offs are positioned proximate the fulcrums of said at least two levers, rotation of said input member causes oscillation of said at least two levers and zero rotational speed of said output member, the output speed of the output member increasing as the at least two power take-offs are selectively positioned away from the fulcrums.
4 more elements
A transmission, comprising:
- an input shaft;
- a pair of cams coupled to said input shaft;
- a pair of cam followers, each in line contact with one of said pair of cams;
- at least two oscillating members, each pivotable about a fulcrum and each coupled to one of said pair of cam followers such that rotation of said input shaft causes at least partial out of phase oscillation of said at least two oscillating members;
- at least two clutching devices each coupled to at least one of said at least two oscillating members;
- an output shaft coupled to said at least two clutching devices, said output shaft being driven by oscillation of said at least two oscillating members which in turn drive said at least two clutching devices to rotate said output shaft in a substantially ripple free manner;
- a first selectively positionable power take-off coupled to said first lever and a second selectively positionable power take-off coupled to said second lever, wherein adjustment of said first and second power take-offs relative to said first and second levers causes a proportional change in the rotational speed of said output shaft, whereby positioning said first power take-off at the fulcrum of said first lever and positioning said second power take-off at the fulcrum of said second lever causes zero rotation of said output shaft as said first and second levers are oscillating, the output speed of the output shaft increasing as the at least first and second power take-offs are selectively positioned away from the fulcrums.
4 more elements
A transmission, comprising:
- an input shaft;
- an output shaft;
- at least two oscillators, each configured to provide select constant output speed of said output shaft driven by said input shaft;
- at least two oscillator followers, each coupled to one of said at least two oscillators and moveable thereby;
- at least two levers, each coupled to one of said at least two oscillator followers for movement thereby, each of said at least two levers being pivotable about a fulcrum and each of said at least two levers oscillating out of phase;
- means for coupling said at least two levers to said output shaft to rotate said output shaft at substantially constant rotational speed upon movement of said at least two levers;
- and,
- at least two slide members, each coupled to one of said at least two levers for movement of said at least two slide members along with the movement of said at least two levers, said at least two slide members driving said output shaft in a substantially ripple free manner, wherein translation of said at least two levers relative to said slide members varies a rate of rotation of said output shaft relative to said input shaft, said rate of rotation being constant for a given position of said at least two levers relative to said slide members and wherein said rate of rotation of said output shaft is zero when said at least two slide members are positioned at the fulcrums of their respective levers of said at least two levers.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.