Offset compound gear inline two-speed drive
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsMark A Stevens, Robert F Handschuh, David G Lewicki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A two-speed transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft, the transmission being capable of transitioning between fixed ratios, the high-range ratio being direct 1:1 and the low-range ratio being about 2:1. The transmission is a simple lightweight, yet robust, configuration utilizing only two gear meshes, being comprised of an input gear, a cluster gear, and an output gear. The transmission is controlled with a clutch and a sprag and with the input and output shafts turning in the same direction.
Claims13
A transmission having a gear arrangement for transmitting torque from an input shaft to an output shaft, the gear arrangement comprising:
- the input shaft rotating about a first rotational axis and having a first gear coupled thereto;
- a cylindrical shaft rotating about a second rotational axis that is offset from the first rotational axis, the cylindrical shaft having a second gear at one end thereof which engages the first gear and a third gear at an opposite end thereof;
- a fourth gear mounted to one end of a drive shaft, the fourth gear and the drive shaft rotating about the first rotational axis, the fourth gear being meshed with the third gear and the drive shaft having an end portion at an opposite end thereof;
- the output shaft rotating about the first rotational axis and having a flange portion attached thereto;
- a sprag clutch having an input side mounted to the end portion of the drive shaft and an output side mounted to the flange portion of the output shaft;
- a clutch attached to an end portion of the input shaft and to the output shaft;
- a device that couples and uncouples the input shaft with the output shaft whereby the transmission operates in first or second modes;
- and the first gear has external teeth adapted to engage internal teeth of the second gear and the third gear has external teeth adapted to engage internal teeth of fourth gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.