IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0469777
(2002-09-11)
|
우선권정보 |
ZA-2002-0066(2002-01-04) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/ZA02/000137
(2002-09-11)
|
§371/§102 date |
20030904
(20030904)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO03/056212
(2003-07-10)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
0 |
초록
▼
An angular velocity profile generator [22,24] comprising an input shaft [46], an output shaft [56], a universal joint coupling the shafts by pivot pins [70,75] situated on two pivot axes which are normal to one another, means [49] in the joint for varying the path of rotation of the pin [70] relativ
An angular velocity profile generator [22,24] comprising an input shaft [46], an output shaft [56], a universal joint coupling the shafts by pivot pins [70,75] situated on two pivot axes which are normal to one another, means [49] in the joint for varying the path of rotation of the pin [70] relatively to that of the pin [75], a first control arrangement [32] for varying the angle between the shafts and a second control arrangement [84], external to the universal joint, connected to the pivot pin path varying member which is activated by the first control arrangement to suit a specific velocity profile produced by the generator. The invention extends to an infinitely variable transmission machine including transmission stages [16] which each include two of the profile generators connected in series and an angular velocity profile portion extraction device.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. An angular velocity profile generator comprising: a first shaft, a second shaft, a universal joint in which the first and second shafts are joined to each other by pivot pins which lie on two perpendicular axes which are fixed relatively to and intersect each other and
The invention claimed is: 1. An angular velocity profile generator comprising: a first shaft, a second shaft, a universal joint in which the first and second shafts are joined to each other by pivot pins which lie on two perpendicular axes which are fixed relatively to and intersect each other and the axes of the first and second shafts at a static point in the joint with the radially outer ends of the pivot pins on each of the pivot pin axes, in use, being rotatable in first and second circular paths about the static point, a first control arrangement for moving one of the shafts relatively to the other to vary the angular relationship between them at the universal joint, means in the universal joint which enables the path of rotation of the first universal joint pivot pin axis to be varied, in use, relatively to the path of rotation of the second pivot pin axis about the static point in the universal joint, and a second control arrangement, external to the universal joint, which is connected to the first pivot pin path varying means and is activated by the first control arrangement to cause, in use, as the first control arrangement is moved, the angular relationship between the first and second shafts and the first pivot pin path varying means to be adjusted in a predetermined relationship to achieve an output angular velocity profile to suit a specific application of the angular velocity profile generator. 2. A profile generator as claimed in claim 1 including spaced formations which are fixed to the second shaft and with which the pivot pins of the second pivot pin axis are pivotally engaged, a support frame including spaced first and second frame members in each of which one of the profile generator shafts is journaled for rotation and the first control arrangement is means for moving one of the frame members relatively to the other to vary the angular relationship of the two shafts in a common plane. 3. A profile generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first pivot pin path varying means includes a housing which is pivotally mounted in the support frame for pivotal movement on an axis which is normal to and intersects, at the static point, the common plane in which the profile generator shafts are relatively movable to each other, a bore through the housing with the axis of the bore intersecting the static point and a circular path guide in the bore in which the ends of the pivot pins on the first universal joint pivot axis are engaged for rotation. 4. A profile generator as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pivot pin circular path guide is a ring which is engaged in the housing bore for rotation, relatively to the housing, about the housing axis with the ends of the pivot pins on the first universal joint pivot axis pivotally engaged in diametrically opposite formations on the ring. 5. A profile generator as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pivot pins on the first pivot pin axis are engaged with the first shaft by an arrangement which enables the pivot pins on the first pivot pin axis to oscillate during rotation of the first and second shafts, in use, in a path of rotation about the static point in the universal joint with the path of rotation of the pivot pins being fixed and angled relatively to the first shaft axis at a predetermined angle relatively to a line which is normal to the first shaft axis at the static point in the universal joint. 6. A profile generator as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second control arrangement includes a profiled ramp formation in the support frame and a ramp follower which is connected to the housing and is adapted to move over and follow the profile of the ramp formation to cause the path of rotation of the first pivot pin axis to be angularly varied relatively to that of the second pivot pin axis with the profile of the ramp formation and the position of the ramp follower on it, in use, determining the profile of the cyclic angular velocity output of the profile generator. 7. A profile generator as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first pivot pin axis pivot pin engaging arrangement includes a second ring which is located in the first ring on a common centre at the static point with diametrically opposite pivot pins of the second pivot pin axis projecting from its outer surface to be pivotally located in the spaced formations on the second shaft, and the first pivot pin axis pivot pin first shaft connecting arrangement is a pivot shaft which is fixed to the first shaft with its axis passing through the static point in the universal joint and is angled at a predetermined angle relatively to a line, which passes through the static point, which is normal to the axis of the first shaft and a rotor on the pivot shaft which carries the pivot pins on the first pivot pin axis which is normal to the pivot shaft axis and passes through the static point in the universal joint. 8. A profile generator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the universal joint pivot pins are continuous pins which are fixed to each other in the form of a crucifix and the first universal joint axis pivot pin engaging arrangement includes two spaced arms which are fixed to the first shaft, an elongated slot in each of the arms with the longitudinal centres of the slots defining a path of rotation of the pivot pin which includes the static point in the universal joint which is angled at a predetermined angle relatively to a line which passes through the static point and which is substantially normal to the first shaft axis with the pivot pins on the first universal joint pivot axis passing through the slots with their ends pivotally located in apertures in the first ring. 9. An infinitely variable transmission machine comprising: an angular velocity input member, an angular velocity output member, a plurality of angular velocity transmission stages which each include a cyclic angular velocity generator, an input divider arrangement with which the angular velocity input member is engaged for applying the input angular velocity, in use, to the cyclic angular velocity generator in each of the transmission stages in a fixed ratio of rotation relatively to each other, an extraction device in each transmission stage which is driven by a cyclic angular velocity generating device in that stage to extract an absolute maximum angular velocity pulse section from the output of the angular velocity generating device during each revolution of the machine input member, an output collector arrangement which is adapted to sum the extracted outputs of each of the extraction devices in each of the transmission stages and to apply the summed extraction device outputs to the machine output member, characterised in that: the cyclic angular velocity generator in each transmission stage is the angular velocity profile generator as claimed in claim 5 with the first shaft of each of the profile generators being connected to the angular velocity input member of the machine through the input divider and their second shafts each engaged with an extraction device. 10. An infinitely variable transmission machine comprising: an angular velocity input member, an angular velocity output member, a plurality of angular velocity transmission stages which each include a cyclic angular velocity generator, an input divider arrangement with which the angular velocity input member is engaged for applying the input angular velocity, in use, to the cyclic angular velocity generator in each of the transmission stages in a fixed ratio of rotation relatively to each other, an extraction device in each transmission stage which is driven by a cyclic angular velocity generating device in that stage to extract an absolute maximum angular velocity pulse section from the output of the angular velocity generating device during each revolution of the machine input member, an output collector arrangement which is adapted to sum the extracted outputs of each of the extraction devices in each of the transmission stages and to apply the summed extraction device outputs to the machine output member, characterised in that: the cyclic angular velocity generator in each transmission stage is the angular velocity profile generator as claimed in claim 7 with the first shaft of each of the profile generators being connected to the angular velocity input member of the machine through the input divider and their second shafts each engaged with an extraction device. 11. An infinitely variable transmission machine comprising: an angular velocity input member, an angular velocity output member, a plurality of angular velocity transmission stages which each include a cyclic angular velocity generator, an input divider arrangement with which the angular velocity input member is engaged for applying the input angular velocity, in use, to the cyclic angular velocity generator in each of the transmission stages in a fixed ratio of rotation relatively to each other, an extraction device in each transmission stage which is driven by a cyclic angular velocity generating device in that stage to extract an absolute maximum angular velocity pulse section from the output of the angular velocity generating device during each revolution of the machine input member, an output collector arrangement which is adapted to sum the extracted outputs of each of the extraction devices in each of the transmission stages and to apply the summed extraction device outputs to the machine output member, characterised in that: the cyclic angular velocity generator in each transmission stage is the angular velocity profile generator as claimed in claim 8 with the first shaft of each of the profile generators being connected to the angular velocity input member of the machine through the input divider and their second shafts each engaged with an extraction device. 12. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein the path of rotation of the pivot pins on the first universal joint pivot axis in each of the profile generators is angularly variable relatively to and includes the second universal joint pivot axis and the second control arrangement is adjusted to provide an angular velocity output profile which includes a section of linear angular velocity. 13. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 12 wherein each revolution of the machine input member causes the profile generators to produce at the input to the extraction device of each transmission stage a single, substantially sinusoidal, angular velocity which includes the section of linear angular velocity with the number of transmission stages of the machine being dependent on the number of linear velocity section durations which are required together to provide a continuous linear velocity at the output member for each revolution of the machine input member. 14. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein each transmission stage includes two of the profile generators which are connected to each other in series with the second shaft of the first profile generator being connected to the first shaft of the second profile generator to provide an intermediate shaft between the two profile generators. 15. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein one of the shafts of the intermediate shaft is linearly splined and the other includes a splined bore in which the splined portion of the splined shaft is telescopically slidable. 16. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein the transmission stages of the machine are located in a common support frame with a first frame member carrying the input divider arrangement with which the first shafts of the first profile generators in each transmission stage are rotatably engaged and a second frame member which carries the extraction devices with which the second shafts of the second profile generators are engaged with the frame members being movable relatively to each other. 17. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second frame member is the first control arrangement of each of the profile generators in each transmission stage and is movable relatively to the first frame member. 18. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the transmission stages are arranged in a side by side relationship in the common support frame with the first shafts of the first profile generators being journaled for rotation in the first frame member with the input divider comprising an input gear on each of the profile generator first shafts with the gears being meshed together in a 1:1 ratio of rotation with the angular position of each of the first profile generator shafts being rotatably phased from each other by the angular duration of the linear velocity output sections of the extraction devices. 19. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 18 wherein the second frame member is the first control arrangement of the profile generators in each transmission stage and is vertically movable on a guide arrangement which is fixed to the common support frame with the extraction devices being fixed to the second frame member with the second shafts of each of the second profile generators passing through the second frame member to be engaged with an extraction device and the machine includes, means for moving the second support frame between a first position in which all of the shafts of the profile generators in a transmission stage are aligned and a second position on the guide arrangement in which the axis of the second shaft of the second profile generator of each transmission stage is parallel to and displaced from the axis of the first shaft of the first profile generator with all of the profile generator shafts in each transmission stage, in all positions of movement of the second frame member, each being situated in a common plane with the common plane of each of the transmission stages being parallel to each other. 20. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 19 wherein the first pivot pin path varying means housing of each first profile generator in each transmission stage includes an arm which extends from the housing and operates in the plane including the axes of all of the shafts of the profile generator and carries on it the first profile generator ramp follower which follows the profile of a ramp formation which is attached to the second frame member as the second frame member is moved between its two positions of operation. 21. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first pivot pin path varying means housing of each second profile generator in each transmission stage includes an arm which extends from the housing and operates in a plane including all of the axes of the shafts of both profile generators with the ramp follower on it following the profile of a ramp formation which is fixed to the support frame as the second frame member is moved between its two positions of operation. 22. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 21 wherein the angular velocity output collector comprises an output gear which is attached to and index rotated once by a transmission stage extraction device during each revolution of the machine input member with the output gears of each of the transmission stage being meshed with one another so that sequentially phased indexed rotation of the gears by the extraction devices will together provide a continuously linear output velocity at the machine output member for each single rotation of the machine input member. 23. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 22 wherein the extraction devices are each a one-way clutch such as a sprag clutch or the like. 24. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 22 wherein the output gear of each transmission stage is an externally toothed outer race of the one-way clutch. 25. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 22 wherein the extraction devices each include a first clutch plate, a second clutch plate which is fixed to the machine output gear which it index rotates and an actuator which is engaged with the second shaft of the second profile generator in the transmission stage which is connected to the extraction device for moving the clutch plates on the common axis between a first position in which they are disengaged from each other to a second position in which they are engaged with one another to index drive the second clutch plate and so the transmission stage output gear. 26. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 25 wherein the clutch plates are rings of dog clutch teeth with the second clutch ring being fixed to aside of the output gear, which is continuously rotated, in use, in the machine output collector, with the first ring being movable towards and away from the second ring by the actuator against and with the bias of a biasing spring between the clutch plates. 27. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 26 wherein the actuator includes a synchronisation arrangement which, in use, is slidably located on and continuously rotated by the second profile generator second shaft and which on movement by the actuator of the first clutch ring towards its second position of movement synchronously aligns the dog clutch teeth of the two clutch rings, prior to engagement, for perfect mesh of the dog teeth of the independently rotating clutch plate rings. 28. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 27 wherein the actuator of the extraction device of each transmission stage of the machine includes a cam arrangement which includes fixed and rotatable lobed annular cam members which surround and are free of the second shaft of the second profile generator, a drive ring for rotating the rotatable cam members with lobes on the fixed cam member acting on lobes on the rotatable cam members to cause, in use, the first clutch ring to be moved by the rotatable cam members from its first to its second position of movement for a fractional period of rotation of the second shaft of the second profile generator of each transmission stage. 29. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 28 wherein the drive rings of the extraction device in each of the transmission stages are meshed together for concomitant rotation and the machine includes a drive arrangement for driving the coupled drive rings directly from the machine input divider. 30. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 23 comprising an arrangement for reversing the direction of rotation of the output shaft of the machine including a driven gear which is engaged with and driven by the machine output collector gears, a ratio varying planetary gear arrangement, a suitable transmission arrangement which is driven by drive gear and drives a drive gear which in turn drives the first sun gear of the planetary system with the second sun gear being driven by an extended machine input shaft while the cage of the planetary system is connected to the machine output member. 31. A transmission machine as claimed in claim 24 comprising an arrangement for extending the ratio of the machine of the output shaft of the machine including a driven gear which is engaged with and driven by the machine output collector gears, a ratio varying planetary gear arrangement, a suitable transmission arrangement which is driven by drive gear and drives a drive gear which in turn drives the first sun gear of the planetary system with the second sun gear being driven by an extended machine input shaft while the cage of the planetary system is connected to the machine output member.
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