Continuously variable mechanical transmission
OwnerGregory Kapluninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuously variable mechanical transmission comprised of two wheels, either friction or toothed, of which one or both are in the shape of hemispheres. A hemisphere wheel is mounted through a bearing on a mounting with two pivots attached to the outer race of the bearing, allowing the wheel to rotate around two perpendicular accesses. The center of the wheel is attached to the shaft through a single or double universal joint or a flexible shaft. The other wheel can be a regular narrow wheel fixed to the second shaft. By rotating the hemisphere wheel around the mounting pivots the diameter of the wheel engaged with the second wheel is increased or decreased allowing the transmission rate to vary.
Claims13
A continuously variable transmission system comprising:
- an input means for an input shaft wherein said input shaft is a flexible constant velocity device connected to a hemisphere wheel on the inside center of said hemisphere wheel;
- said hemisphere wheel having a bearing located on the outside circumference of the hemisphere wheel;
- a housing having a mounting attached to an outer race of the bearing at two opposing pivot points located at the hemispheres major diameter;
- a control lever having a joint attachment to the outer race of the bearing, the joint attachment being circumferentially spaced about the outer race by 90 degrees with respect to the pivot points of the mounting;
- an output means for an output shaft wherein said output shaft is connected to a second wheel at the center of said second wheel;
- the circumference of said second wheel is engaged with the outside of said hemisphere wheel;
- said control lever having the ability to swing the hemisphere wheel around the pivot points of the mounting to change the engaged diameter of the hemisphere wheel.
A continuously variable transmission system comprising:
- an input means for an input shaft wherein said input shaft is a flexible constant velocity device connected to a hemisphere wheel on the inside center of said hemisphere wheel;
- said hemisphere wheel having a bearing located on the inside circumference of the hemisphere wheel;
- a housing having a mounting attached to an inner race of the bearing at two opposing pivot points located at the hemispheres major diameter;
- a control lever having a joint attachment to the inner race of the bearing, the joint attachment being circumferentially spaced about the inner race by 90 degrees with respect to the pivot points of the mounting;
- an output means for an output shaft wherein said output shaft is connected to a second wheel at the center of said second wheel;
- the circumference of said second wheel is engaged with the outside of said hemisphere wheel;
- said control lever having the ability to swing the hemisphere wheel around the pivot points of the mounting fork to change the engaged diameter of the hemisphere wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.