Frictional drive device and traction wheel
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorWataru Yada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A friction drive device comprises a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by a frame opposite to each other in a coaxial relationship, a power source for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks, a traction wheel interposed between the drive disks and including a plurality of articulation members pivotally connected in tandem into a loop and a free roller rotatably support by each articulation member so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending along the loop, and drive rollers pivotally supported along a peripheral part of each drive disk at a regular angular interval and engaging the free rollers at an oblique angle. The articulation members allow the free rollers to be held in a loop without requiring a stiff annular member.
Claims13
A friction drive device, comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by the frame opposite to each other in a substantially coaxial relationship;
- a power source mounted on the frame for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks;
- a traction wheel interposed between the drive disks, the traction wheel including a plurality of articulation members pivotally connected in tandem into a loop and a free roller rotatably supported by each articulation member so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending along the loop, the articulation members being pivotally movable around pivot axial lines extending in parallel with a center line of the drive disks;
- and a plurality of drive rollers pivotally supported along a peripheral part of each drive disk at a substantially regular angular interval and in a skewed relationship to the center line of the drive disks, and engaging the free rollers over an entire circumference of the traction wheel;
- wherein opposing end faces of each adjoining pair of the articulation members are provided with abutting surfaces that define an opening angle between each adjacent pair of free rollers, said opening angle greater than a minimum angle that causes the adjoining free rollers to engage a ground surface without becoming parallel to each other, but allows a plurality of the free rollers to engage the ground surface at the same time.
A traction wheel, comprising:
- a plurality of articulation members each comprising a cylindrical member, the articulation members being pivotally connected in tandem into a loop;
- and a free roller rotatably supported by and surrounding each articulation member so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending along the loop;
- wherein an axial end of each articulation member is provided with a pair of flat surfaces on lateral parts thereof, and an opposing axial end of an adjoining articulation member is provided with a pair of axial projections diametrically opposing each other and defining a space therebetween for closely receiving the flat surfaces;
- wherein a pivot shaft is passed through the axial projections and the flat surfaces.
A traction wheel, comprising:
- a plurality of articulation members pivotally connected in tandem into a loop;
- and
- a free roller rotatably supported by each articulation member so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending along the loop;
- wherein opposing end faces of each adjoining pair of the articulation members are provided with abutting surfaces that define an opening angle between each adjacent pair of free rollers, said opening angle greater than a minimum angle that causes the adjoining free rollers to engage a ground surface without becoming parallel to each other, but allows a plurality of free rollers to engage the ground surface at the same time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.