Patent US4209731A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5730675A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5730675A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transmission for vehicle
Assignee: Equos Research Co Ltd
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Filing: 1995-10-31
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Granted: 1998-03-24
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Expires: 2015-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A transmission which allows for relative rotation between an input shaft in an output shaft while lowering fuel consumption. An electric motor/generator has one element fixed to a reaction-force element of a planetary gear unit in low gear. Consequently, when the vehicle is halted, the relative rotation between the input shaft and the output shaft in the transmission can be utilized as a reaction-force to drive the motor/generator as a generator. Since electric power is generated by means of the motor/generator, the generated energy is collected and fuel consumption by the engine is reduced. In other gear stages, the motor/generator is adapted to receive the energy produced when the vehicle is decelerated by means of regenerative braking.
Inventors
- 👤 Kozo Yamaguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:06
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60W; B60W20/00; B60W20/10; B60W20/13; B60K; B60K6/00; B60K6/20; B60K6/22; B60K6/36; B60K6/365; B60K6/38; B60K6/387; B60K6/42; B60K6/48; B60K6/50; B60K6/54; B60K6/547; B60W10/00; B60W10/02; B60W10/04; B60W10/06; B60W10/08; B60W10/10; B60W10/24; B60W10/26; F; F16; F16H; F16H2200/00; F16H2200/003; F16H2200/0039; F16H2200/20; F16H2200/202; F16H2200/2023; F16H3/00; F16H3/44; F16H3/72; F16H3/724; F16H3/725; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/62; Y10; Y10S; Y10S903/00; Y10S903/902; Y10S903/903; Y10S903/904; Y10S903/909; Y10S903/91; Y10S903/912; Y10S903/914; Y10S903/915; Y10S903/917; Y10S903/919; Y10S903/945; Y10S903/946; Y10S903/951
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; a generator including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; a generator including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
131 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 1 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a first single planetary gear unit comprising a first sun gear, a first carrier and pinion gear and a first ring gear; a second single planetary gear unit comprising a second sun gear, a second carrier and pinion gear and a second ring gear, said second ring gear being connected to said input shaft for rotation therewith; wherein said first sun gear and said second sun gear are connected in series for rotation together and are connectable to said input shaft through a first clutch; wherein said first ring gear and said second carrier and pinion gear are connected in series to said output shaft, and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said first carrier and pinion gear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: a second clutch interposed between said second ring gear and said input shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 1 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a long pinion meshed with said first sun gear, a short pinion and a ring gear engaged with said long pinion and a second sun gear engaged with said short pinion; wherein said transmission further comprises a first clutch interposed between said second sun gear and said input shaft and a second clutch interposed between said first sun gear and said input shaft; wherein said ring gear is fixed to said output shaft for rotation therewith; and wherein said long pinion and said short pinion are mounted on a common carrier and said carrier is said rotatable reaction force element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 4 further comprising a third clutch for connecting said common carrier to said input shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 1 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a first single planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first pinion and carrier and a first ring gear and a second single planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second pinion and carrier and a second ring gear; a first clutch for selectively engaging said second sun gear with said input shaft; a brake for selectively locking said first sun gear against rotation; a second clutch for selectively engaging said first sun gear with said input shaft; a third clutch for selectively connecting said first carrier and said second ring gear to the input shaft; wherein said first ring gear and said second carrier are connected in series to said output shaft; and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said first carrier, said first carrier being connected to said second ring gear for rotation therewith.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
201 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 1 wherein said planetary gear means comprises a first single planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first carrier and pinion and a first ring gear, a second single planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second carrier and pinion and a second ring gear and a third single planetary gear unit including a third sun gear, a third carrier and pinion and a third ring gear; wherein said transmission further comprises: a first clutch for selectively connecting said second ring gear and said third sun gear to said input shaft, said second ring gear and said third sun gear being interconnected for rotation together; a brake for locking said first and second sun gears against rotation, said first and second sun gears being coaxial and interconnected for rotation together; a second clutch for selectively connecting said first and second sun gears to said input shaft; a second brake for locking said first carrier against rotation; wherein said first ring gear, said second carrier and pinion and said third carrier and pinion are connected in series to said output shaft; and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said third ring gear.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 1, wherein said planetary gear means functions in the reverse gear stage as a differential gear system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; an electric motor including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; an electric motor including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 9, wherein said planetary gear means functions in the reverse gear stage as a differential gear system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
118 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; an electric motor/generator capable of operating in a first mode as a motor and in a second mode as a generator, said motor/generator including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
118 words
A transmission for a vehicle having an engine and electric power storage means, said transmission comprising: an input shaft driven by the engine; an output shaft; an electric motor/generator capable of operating in a first mode as a motor and in a second mode as a generator, said motor/generator including a rotor; and planetary gear means for establishing a plurality of gear stages including a reverse gear stage, a low gear stage and higher gear stages, and for operating as a differential gear unit in said low gear stage, said planetary gear means including an input element connected to said input shaft, an output element connected to said output shaft and a reaction element connected to said rotor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 11, wherein said planetary gear means functions in the reverse gear stage as a differential gear system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
131 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 11 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a first single planetary gear unit comprising a first sun gear, a first carrier and pinion gear and a first ring gear; a second single planetary gear unit comprising a second sun gear, a second carrier and pinion gear and a second ring gear, said second ring gear being connected to said input shaft for rotation therewith; wherein said first sun gear and said second sun gear are connected in series for rotation together and are connectable to said input shaft through a first clutch; wherein said first ring gear and said second carrier and pinion gear are connected in series to said output shaft, and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said first carrier and pinion gear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 13 further comprising: a second clutch interposed between said second ring gear and said input shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
122 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 11 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a long pinion meshed with said first sun gear, a short pinion and a ring gear engaged with said long pinion and a second sun gear engaged with said short pinion; wherein said transmission further comprises a first clutch interposed between said second sun gear and said input shaft and a second clutch interposed between said first sun gear and said input shaft; wherein said ring gear is fixed to said output shaft for rotation therewith; and wherein said long pinion and said short pinion are mounted on a common carrier and said carrier is said rotatable reaction force element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 15 further comprising a third clutch for connecting said common carrier to said input shaft.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
153 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 11 wherein said planetary gear means comprises: a first single planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first pinion and carrier and a first ring gear and a second single planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second pinion and carrier and a second ring gear; a first clutch for selectively engaging said second sun gear with said input shaft; a brake for selectively locking said first sun gear against rotation; a second clutch for selectively engaging said first sun gear with said input shaft; a third clutch for selectively connecting said first carrier and said second ring gear to the input shaft; wherein said first ring gear and said second carrier are connected in series to said output shaft; and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said first carrier, said first carrier being connected to said second ring gear for rotation therewith.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
201 words
A transmission in accordance with claim 11 wherein said planetary gear means comprises a first single planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first carrier and pinion and a first ring gear, a second single planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second carrier and pinion and a second ring gear and a third single planetary gear unit including a third sun gear, a third carrier and pinion and a third ring gear; wherein said transmission further comprises: a first clutch for selectively connecting said second ring gear and said third sun gear to said input shaft, said second ring gear and said third sun gear being interconnected for rotation together; a brake for locking said first and second sun gears against rotation, said first and second sun gears being coaxial and interconnected for rotation together; a second clutch for selectively connecting said first and second sun gears to said input shaft; a second brake for locking said first carrier against rotation; wherein said first ring gear, said second carrier and pinion and said third carrier and pinion are connected in series to said output shaft; and wherein said rotatable reaction element is said third ring gear.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5337848A
Cited
US5343970A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-23 | 2001-09-22 | 2002-03-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-23 | 2005-09-22 | 2006-03-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-23 | 2009-09-22 | 2010-03-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |