Patent US4031420A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4031420A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flywheel drive system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-04-22
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Granted: 1977-06-21
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Expires: 1996-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A drive system including at least a pair of flywheels which rotate in opposite directions about a common axis. The flywheels are drivingly coupled by means of rollers and a first of the flywheels is driven by an electric motor or motors mounted thereon and adjacent the periphery thereof. A rotatable output shaft is positioned between the counterrotating flywheels and the motion of the flywheels is transmitted to the output shaft by means of a roller which contacts the facing surfaces of the flywheels and is radially movable with respct to the flywheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene P. Carini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:26
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K7/00; H02K7/02; H02K7/025; H02K11/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/16; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/21; Y10T74/2117
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
Rotary motion producing apparatus comprising: a housing; first flywheel means, said first flywheel means including a first flywheel supported in said housing for rotation about an axis; second flywheel means, said second flywheel means including a second flywheel supported in said housing for rotation about said axis; drive means for causing said first flywheel to rotate about said axis, said drive means including at least a first electric motor; means drivingly coupling said first flywheel to said second flywheel whereby said first and second flywheels rotate about said axis in opposite directions; power take-off means, said power take-off means including a rotatable output shaft oriented transversely to said axis; and means coupling said first and second flywheel means to said power take-off means whereby the motion of said flywheels is transmitted to said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
Rotary motion producing apparatus comprising: a housing; first flywheel means, said first flywheel means including a first flywheel supported in said housing for rotation about an axis; second flywheel means, said second flywheel means including a second flywheel supported in said housing for rotation about said axis; drive means for causing said first flywheel to rotate about said axis, said drive means including at least a first electric motor; means drivingly coupling said first flywheel to said second flywheel whereby said first and second flywheels rotate about said axis in opposite directions; power take-off means, said power take-off means including a rotatable output shaft oriented transversely to said axis; and means coupling said first and second flywheel means to said power take-off means whereby the motion of said flywheels is transmitted to said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means coupling said flywheel means to said power take-off means includes: a roller adapted to contact said first and second flywheels, said roller being mounted on said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said roller is movable along and rotatable with said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises: at least a first electric motor mounted on said first flywheel adjacent the periphery thereof, said motor having an output shaft; and means coupling said motor output shaft to said housing whereby energization of said motor will produce relative motion between said flywheels and said housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means coupling said flywheel means to said power take-off means includes: a roller adapted to contact said first and second flywheels, said roller being mounted on said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said roller is movable along and rotatable with said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises: a first electric motor mounted on said first flywheel adjacent the periphery thereof, said first motor having an output shaft; at least a second electric motor mounted on said first flywheel adjacent the periphery thereof, said second motor having an output shaft; and means coupling said motor output shafts to said housing whereby energization of said motors will produce relative motion between said flywheels and said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means coupling said motor output shafts to said housing includes: a drive gear mounted on each of said motor output shafts; and a ring gear on the interior of said housing, said ring gear being positioned to be engaged by said gears on said motor output shafts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said roller is in contact with facing surfaces of said first and second flywheels and is connected to the power take-off means output shaft by means of a spline-type connection whereby said roller is movable along and rotatable with said power take-off means output shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said flywheels are each provided with an axial recess on the facing surfaces thereof, said recesses being of sufficient width and depth to receive said roller without contact between said roller and said flywheels being established whereby said motion producing apparatus may be placed in a neutral position by moving said roller to a position centered on said axis of rotation of said flywheels.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means drivingly coupling said first and second flywheels comprises: a plurality of rollers positioned between said flywheels, said rollers being in contact with the facing surfaces of said flywheels adjacent the peripheries thereof, said rollers being supported from said housing and being free to rotate about axes oriented transversely to the axis of rotation of said flywheels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means drivingly coupling said first and second flywheels comprises: a plurality of rollers positioned between said flywheels, said rollers being in contact with the facing surfaces of said flywheels adjacent the peripheries thereof, said rollers being supported from said housing and being free to rotate about axes oriented transversely to the axis of rotation of said flywheels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-06-20 | 1980-12-20 | 1981-06-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-06-20 | 1984-12-20 | 1985-06-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-06-20 | 1988-12-20 | 1989-06-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |