EP0024100A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transmission
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1980-06-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A transmission (10) has first, second and third motion transmitting members (12,14,16) which initiate driving direction, such as forward or reverse, control output speed and maintain differential operation of the transmission, respectively. In space critical applications, such as small utility tractors, for example, transmission size must be kept to a minimum to accommodate accessories and reduce overall tractor dimensions. In the transmission (10), the third member (16) or differential is carried by a support member (36), such as a shaft (66), and drives output elements (24,26) connected to tractor axles. The second member (14), controlling axle speed, is positioned about and longitudinally along an axis (40) of the support member (36) and drives the third member (16). Driving direction is initiated by controlling rotational input through the first member (12) to drive the second member (14). Thus, the transmission (10) is made compact by closely positioning the speed control and differential portions relative to one support member (36), such as the shaft (66), in the transmission (10).
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Robert Coutant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:59
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H37/00; F16H37/02; F16H37/06; F16H37/08; F16H37/0806; F16H37/0813; F16H3/00; F16H3/44; F16H3/62; F16H3/66; F16H37/04; F16H2200/00; F16H2200/20; F16H2200/2002; F16H2200/201; F16H2200/2097; F16H48/00; F16H48/06; F16H48/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A transmission (10) for receiving a rotational input and controllably delivering a rotational output through first and second output elements (24,26), the transmission (10) comprising a housing (18) having a first motion transmitting member (12) for controlling driving direction of the transmission output, a second motion transmitting member (14) for controlling output speed of the transmission (10), and a third motion transmitting member (16) for allowing differential operation of the transmission (10), characterised in that the transmission further comprises a first support member (36) having an axis (40) and being carried by the housing (18), the first motion transmitting member (12) being arranged to drive, in use, the second motion transmitting member (14) in response to receiving a rotational input, the third motion transmitting member (16) being carried by the first support member (36) and being arranged,in use, to transmit a rotational output to the first and second output elements (24, 26) and to allow differential rotation between the first and second output elements (24, 26);:and the second motion transmitting member (14) being positioned about the axis (40) of the first support member (36) to drive, in use, the third motion transmitting member (l6).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A transmission (10) for receiving a rotational input and controllably delivering a rotational output through first and second output elements (24,26), the transmission (10) comprising a housing (18) having a first motion transmitting member (12) for controlling driving direction of the transmission output, a second motion transmitting member (14) for controlling output speed of the transmission (10), and a third motion transmitting member (16) for allowing differential operation of the transmission (10), characterised in that the transmission further comprises a first support member (36) having an axis (40) and being carried by the housing (18), the first motion transmitting member (12) being arranged to drive, in use, the second motion transmitting member (14) in response to receiving a rotational input, the third motion transmitting member (16) being carried by the first support member (36) and being arranged,in use, to transmit a rotational output to the first and second output elements (24, 26) and to allow differential rotation between the first and second output elements (24, 26);:and the second motion transmitting member (14) being positioned about the axis (40) of the first support member (36) to drive, in use, the third motion transmitting member (l6).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the third motion transmitting member (16) comprises first and second differential portions (52, 54) carried by the first support member (36) which is rotatable relative to the housing (18), the first and second differential portions being connected one to the other only through the first support member (36).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (14) is positiuned generally between the first and second differential portions (52,54).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that second motion transmitting member (14) directly drives the first differential portion (52).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A transmission (10) according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the first and second differential portions (52,54) comprise first and second planetary gear assemblies (56,58) respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that the sun element (62a, 62b) of each planetary gear assembly (56,58) is connected non-rotatably to the first support member (36).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that the first output element (24) is connected to a respective first one (63a) of the ring and carrier elements (61a, 63a) of the first planetary gear assembly (56), and the other one (61a) of the ring and carrier elements (61a, 63a) of the first planetary gear assembly (56) is connected to the second motion transmitting member (14).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A transmission (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (l6) is carried coaxially about the first support member (36).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
116 words
A transmission (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (14) comprises a motion receiving portion (72) operable in response to driving force from the first motion transmitting member (12); and a motion transferring portion (74) operable in response to operation of the motion receiving portion (72), the motion receiving (72) and motion transferring (74) portions being rotatable one relative to the other, the motion transferring portion (74) being connected to the third motion transmitting member (16), and the second motion transmitting member including means (82) for selectively, controllably freeing for rotation and blocking from rotation the motion receiving and transferring portions (72, 74) one with the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 9, when dependant on at least claim 2, characterised in that the motion receiving portion (72) is a gear (86,108) engageable with the first motion transitting member (12) and rotatably carried by the housing (18); and the motion transferring portion (74) has a hub (68) positioned about and rotatable relative to the first support member (36) and between the first and second differential portions (52,54).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the motion transferring portion (74) comprises a third planetary gear assembly (90) having sun, ring, planet and carrier elements (92,94,96,98) and is connected to the third motion transmitting member (16); and means (100) for selectively, controllably freeing for rotation and blocking from rotation relative to the housing (18) a preselected one (96) of the ring, sun and carrier elements (94,96,98)of the third planetary gear assembly (90).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 11, characterised in that the motion receiving portion (72) and the third motion transmitting member (16) are connected each to a selected one (94,98) of the sun, ring and carrier elements (94,96,98) of the third planetary gear assembly (90), the motion receiving portion (72) being rotatably operable, and the second motion transmitting member including means for controllably, selectively initiating and terminating rotation of the one (98) of the elements (94,96,98) of the third planetary gear assembly (90) connected to the third transmitting member (16) with the motion receiving portion (72).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A transmission (10) according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (14) comprises a fourth planetary gear assembly (110) having planet, ring sun and carrier elements (112,114,116,118).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 13, when dependant on claims 7 and 9;, characterised in that a first one (114) of the ring sun and carrier elements (114,116,118) of the fourth planetary gear assembly (110) is connected to the motion transferring portion (74) and a second different one (118) of the ring, sun and carrier elements (114,116,118) is connected to the other one (61a) of the first planetary gear assembly (56) of the first differential portion (52).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
88 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 14, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (14) comprises means (120) for selectively, controllably initiating and terminating rotation of the motion transferring portion (74) relative to the second one (118) of the elements (114,116,118) of the fourth planetary gear assembly (110); and means (124) for selectively, controllably freeing for rotation and blocking from rotation the remaining third one (116) of the ring, sun and carrier elements (114,116,118) of the fourth planetary gear assembly (110) relative to the ' housing (18).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A transmission (10) according to any of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the sun element (116) of the fourth planetary gear assembly (120) is positioned about and is rotatable relative to the first output element (24).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 9, characterised in that the second motion transmitting member (12) comprises a gear (78,81) mounted about the first support member (36).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
93 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 17, characterised in that the third motion transmitting member (16) is a bevel gear differential (59) having first, second, third and fourth bevel gears (70a,b,c,d,), the first and third bevel gears (70a,c) being carried by the first support member (36) and positioned in mesh with the second and fourth bevel gears (70b,d), the second and fourth bevel gears (70b,d) being connected to the first and second output elements (24, 26) respectively, and the second motion transmitting member being connected to the first and third bevel gears (70a,c).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
130 words
A transmission (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transmission further comprises a second support member (38) carried by the housing (18), the first motion transmitting member (12) being carried by the second support member (38) and having a first motion receiving portion (130) positioned about and rotatable relative to the second support member (38) in response to a rotational input; and a first motion transferring portion (131) positioned about and mounted non-rotatably to the second support member (38) and engaging the second motion transmitting member (14), the first motion transmitting member (12) further including means (148) for controllably, selectively initiating and terminating rotation of the first motion receiving (130) and motion transferring (131) portions of the first motion transmitting member one with the other.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
A transmission (10) according to claim 19, characterised in that the first motion transmitting member (12) further comprises a second motion receiving portion (132) positioned about and rotatable relative to the second support member (38) in response to a rotational input and a second motion transferring portion (133) positioned about and mounted non-rotatably to the second support member (38) and engaging the second motion transmitting member (14), the rotation initiating and terminating means (148) being operable controllably and selectively to initiate rotation of one of the first and second motion receiving portions (130, 132) with the related respective one of the first and second motion transferring portions (131, 133), and to terminate rotation of the other of the first and second motion receiving portions (132, 130) with the related respective one of the first and second motion transferring portions (133, 131) for initiating one of forward and reverse driving directions of the transmission (10).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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