US3823620A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatically and continuously variable transmission
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-05-19
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Granted: 1974-07-16
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Expires: 1992-05-19
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to an automatically and continuously variable transmission for changing the velocity of a driven shaft relative to the velocity of a drive shaft. The transmission includes three epicyclic trains, namely an input train, a control train and an intermediate train. The input train includes an element driven by the drive shaft and another element connected to the driven shaft. The control train is a high ratio train including a planetary gear system, the planet-carrier of which is driven by an electric motor of variable velocity and low power, of the order of 1 percent of the power to be transmitted from the drive shaft to the driven shaft. A first sun-wheel of the planetary gear system is connected to the third element of the input train and a second-sun-wheel is connected to an element of the intermediate train, the two remaining elements of which are respectively connected to the input train and to either of the drive or the driven shafts. The control motor provides a constant reaction torque and consists of a double squirrel-cage, asynchronous electric motor, the stator of which is supplied by an alternator driven by the transmission so as to produce a field rotating permanently in the same direction. The control motor is so constructed as to have a torque of between 1 percent and 3 percent of the maximum transmitted torque, the ratio of the epicyclic train which drives it being selected accordingly.
Inventors
- 👤 R Bricout
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:01
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/02; F16H61/0202; B; B60; B60K; B60K6/00; B60K6/20; B60K6/22; B60K6/36; B60K6/365; B60K6/42; B60K6/44; B60K6/445; B60K6/48; B60W; B60W10/00; B60W10/24; B60W10/26; F16H3/00; F16H3/44; F16H3/72; F16H3/727; F16H3/728; F16H37/00; F16H37/02; F16H37/06; F16H37/08; F16H37/0833; F16H37/084; F16H2037/088; F16H2718/00; F16H2718/08; F16H2718/10; F16H2718/16; F16H2720/00; F16H3/46; F16H3/48; F16H3/52; F16H3/56; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/62; Y10; Y10S; Y10S903/00; Y10S903/902; Y10S903/903; Y10S903/904; Y10S903/909; Y10S903/91
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
An automatically and continuously variable transmission for changing the velocity of a driven shaft relative to the velocity of a drive shaft, comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, three epicyclic trains each provided with at least two toothed wheels and a planet carrier having planet wheels meshing with said toothed wheels respectively, namely an input train, a control train and an intermediate train, said input train including an element driven by the drive shaft and another driven element connected to the driven shaft, the control train being a high ratio train including a planetary gear system, having a first and a second sun wheel and a planet-carrier, an electric motor of variable velocity driving said planet-carrier and having low power, of the order of 1 percent of the power to be transmitted from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, a third driven element of the input train being connected to said first sun-wheel, said second sun-wheel of said control train being connected to a driven element of the intermediate train, two remaining driven elements of said intermediate train respectively connected to the input train and to one of the drive and driven shafts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
An automatically and continuously variable transmission for changing the velocity of a driven shaft relative to the velocity of a drive shaft, comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, three epicyclic trains each provided with at least two toothed wheels and a planet carrier having planet wheels meshing with said toothed wheels respectively, namely an input train, a control train and an intermediate train, said input train including an element driven by the drive shaft and another driven element connected to the driven shaft, the control train being a high ratio train including a planetary gear system, having a first and a second sun wheel and a planet-carrier, an electric motor of variable velocity driving said planet-carrier and having low power, of the order of 1 percent of the power to be transmitted from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, a third driven element of the input train being connected to said first sun-wheel, said second sun-wheel of said control train being connected to a driven element of the intermediate train, two remaining driven elements of said intermediate train respectively connected to the input train and to one of the drive and driven shafts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A variable transmission according to claim 1, in which the control motor provides a constant reaction torque and comprises a double squirrel-cage, asynchronous electric motor, a stator in said control motor, an alternator supplying said stator and driven by the transmission to produce a field rotating permanently in the same direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A variable transmission according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the control motor is so constructed as to have a torque of between 1 percent and 3 percent of the maximum transmitted torque, the ratio of the epicyclic train which drives it being selected accordingly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
A variable transmission according to claim 3, in which the electric control motor comprises a rotating field motor, an alternator independent of the electric circuits of the vehicle applying current to said rotating field motor, said rotating field motor and alternator each being of very low voltage, of the order of 1 to 5 volts, and each having stator windings comprising aluminum bars in closed grooves, magnetic plates of the stators defining said grooves and insulation on the bars effected by an oxidation or phosphatization treatment of the surface of the grooves in contact with these bars.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
177 words
A variable transmission according to claim 1, in which said input train is of the type known as ''''complex'''' comprising driven members comprising a driven ring-gear, two driven sun-wheels and two sets of driven planet-wheels, the input and output torques being applied respectively to two of the driven elements of this train, while the other driven elements are acted on by equilibrium actions and reactions by means of said control train consisting of two crown shaped interiorly toothed sun-wheels and double planet-wheels coacting with respective one of said other driven elements of said input train, a planet-carrier in said control train connected to the electric control motor, the number of teeth of the two crown shaped sun-wheels of said control train differing only by a very small number of teeth while the corresponding planet-wheels have the same number of teeth, one of said two sun-wheels connected to a driven member of the ''''complex'''' input train and the other to a driven member of thE intermediate train, said intermediate train having a member interlocked with the driven shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A variable transmission according to claim 5, in which the planet-carrier of the ''''complex'''' input train is interlocked with the driven shaft and the planet-carrier of the intermediate train, one of its sun-wheels coacting with one of the sun-wheels of the control train and the second sun-wheel of the ''''complex'''' train coacting with a corresponding second sun-wheel of the connection train.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A variable transmission according to claim 6, including a sleeve mounted freely on the driven shaft and connected to the planet-carrier of the control train bearing the rotor of the electric control motor, a casing enclosing the stator of said motor in the transmission.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
A variable transmission according to claim 5, in which the intermediate train includes a planet-carrier, a reducing gear connecting said planet carrier to the electric control motor, the two sun-wheels of said intermediate train consisting of two ring-gears with interior teeth having a difference of one tooth, and defining with planet-wheels of the same toothing a train having a ratio equal to at least 100:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A variable transmission according to claim 5, including a reversing-gear on the input shaft enabling the extent of variation to be made available when running forwards and in reverse.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A variable transmission according to claim 5, including means for locking a sunwheel of the intermediate train in order to obtain a fixed ratio while running in reverse.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A variable transmission according to claim 1, including a reversing-gear on the input shaft enabling the extent of variation to be made available when running forward and in reverse.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A variable transmission according to claim 1, including means for locking a sun-wheel of the intermediate train in order to obtain a fixed ratio when running in reverse.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
183 words
A variable transmission according to claim 1, in which the input epicyclic train comprises a sun-wheel nonrotatably fixed on the driving shaft, a planet-carrier having two sets of planet-wheels and an interiorly toothed crown wheel meshing with the planet wheels of one set, the other set of planet wheels meshing with the sun-wheel, a pinion nonrotatably connected to said crown wheel and freely rotating on the driving shaft, a toothed wheel nonrotatably fixed on the driven shaft and meshing with the pinion connected to said crown wheel, said intermediate train comprising a crown wheel, a planet carrier keyed on this driven shaft and a sun wheel, said control train comprising two sun-wheels and a planet carrier, two toothed wheels connected with the planet-carrier of the input train and means for driving by said two toothed wheels the crown wheel of the intermediate train and said first sun-wheel of the control train, means for driving the planet carrier of the control train by the electric motor and means nonrotatably connecting the second sun-wheel of the control train with the sun-wheel of the intermediate train.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-15 | 1978-01-14 | 1978-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-15 | 1982-01-14 | 1982-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-15 | 1986-01-14 | 1986-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |