Geared infinitely variable transmission
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
InventorsWeidong Zhu, Xuefeng Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A geared infinitely variable transmission (GIVT) to provide a continuous output-to-input speed ratio from zero to a certain value is designed, and its working principle is illustrated. Crank-slider systems are used in the GIVT; the output-to-input speed ratio is changed with the crank length. Racks and pinions, controlled by planetary gear sets, are used to change the crank length when the cranks are rotating. One-way bearings rectify the output speeds from different crank-slider systems to obtain the output speed of the GIVT. Noncircular gears are used to minimize variations since the crank-slider systems can introduce variations of the instantaneous speed ratio. A direction control system is provided using planetary gear sets.
Claims10
A geared infinitely-variable transmission comprising:
- a rotational input member, and a rotational output member;
- a crank-slider system associated with the rotational input member to convert an input motion of a crank to a slider motion;
- a driver associated with the crank-slider system to convert the slider motion to an output rotation of an output gear associated with the rotational output member,
- wherein the driver is a rack-pinion meshing,
- further comprising a noncircular gear coupled to the rotational input member, and
- wherein the crank-slider system comprises adjustable length cranks that are adjusted by racks and pinions.
A geared infinitely-variable transmission for adjusting input shaft to output shaft speed ratio during operation, comprising:
- a motion conversion module operatively associated with an input-control module;
- the input-control module comprises an input shaft in communication with an active control shaft, and an idler control shaft is in communication with the active control shaft;
- the input-control module rides on the input shaft, the active control shaft has at least one control gear, and the idler control shaft has at least one control gear;
- the motion conversion module comprises an output shaft is connected to at least four crank-slider systems that are in communication with a crank shaft through a crank-slide transmitting shaft;
- the motion conversion module rides on the crank shaft, and the crank shaft is in communication with the input shaft of the input-control module through an intermodule transmitting shaft
- wherein the input-control module controls the input speed that is transmitted to the crankshaft, wherein the crank-slider systems are adjustable in crank length, wherein the crank length is the distance of the crank shaft relative to a slider rack of the crank-slider systems, wherein the input-control module adjusts the the crank length so that the crank length may be changed while the crank shaft is rotating and the input shaft to output shaft speed ratio can be changed while the transmission is operating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.