IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0995310
(2008-06-05)
|
등록번호 |
US-8512190
(2013-08-20)
|
국제출원번호 |
PCT/EP2008/057009
(2008-06-05)
|
§371/§102 date |
20101130
(20101130)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2009/146748
(2009-12-10)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
The invention provides a new type of reversible variable transmission for vehicles such as cars, busses, trucks, off-road vehicles, lift trucks, telescopic boom handlers and the like. Alternatively, the gearbox can be used in systems such as wind-mills etc. and other industrial applications that req
The invention provides a new type of reversible variable transmission for vehicles such as cars, busses, trucks, off-road vehicles, lift trucks, telescopic boom handlers and the like. Alternatively, the gearbox can be used in systems such as wind-mills etc. and other industrial applications that require power to be transferred at variable speeds.
대표청구항
▼
1. Planetary Variator, functioning as subsystem for variable or reversible transmissions, able to vary continuously the transmission ratio, characterized in that: it consists of a ring wheel, two or more planets mounted around a central shaft and a sun wheel, so that the ring wheel, the central shaf
1. Planetary Variator, functioning as subsystem for variable or reversible transmissions, able to vary continuously the transmission ratio, characterized in that: it consists of a ring wheel, two or more planets mounted around a central shaft and a sun wheel, so that the ring wheel, the central shaft and the sun wheel form an interface with other transmission components,the ring wheel is an axisymmetric body around the axis with a rolling surface shaped according to a tractrix curve,the sun wheel is the same as the ring wheel but the inner and outer diameter of the tractrix curve may differ from the diameters of the ring wheel,the planets consist of a planet wheel with basically a conical rolling surface, mounted freely rotational around a planet fork by means of radial and axial bearings or bushings and that the virtual top of the mentioned cone coincides with the intersection of the axis of the central shaft with the axis of a hinge connecting the planet to the central shaft,each planet fork of one Planetary Variator can rotate freely around a hinge joint of which the axis is perpendicular on the central shaft axis and parallel to the planet wheel plane and that each planet fork and each planet wheel is designed not to interfere with each other for all applicable inclination angles between the planet axis and the central shaft axis,the ring wheel, planets and sun wheel are squeezed against each other so that the rolling surfaces are in contact with each other and that the contact pressures are high enough to transmit the required torque,the central shaft is moved axially with a defined speed in relation to the squeezing force and transmitted torque, in order to change the transmission ratio,the tractrix curve of ring and sun wheel have both the same length parameter L as the length from the rolling contact point of the planet wheel to the intersection of the hinge axis with the central shaft axis, where L is used in the tractrix equation,+/−x +c =L*(cos α+In |tan(α/2)|), with c an arbitrary constant and α the inclination angle between the tangent in the contact point and the axis of the central shaft, andin that the shape of the rolling surfaces of the planet wheels, which is basically conical, deviates slightly from this theoretical shape in a convex way in order to optimize the contact pressure distribution. 2. A reversible variable transmission, comprising a primary and a secondary Planetary Variator according to claim 1, characterized in that: the ring wheel of the primary Planetary Variator is connected to a housing so that it cannot rotate but can move axially by a preload force compressing all rolling contacts of both Planetary Variators,the central shafts of both Planetary Variators are combined into 1 main shaft and rotationally connected to a transmission input shaft and axially movable by a steering force in both senses, while the input shaft does not move axially,the sun wheel of the primary Planetary Variator is connected to the ring wheel of the secondary Planetary Variator so that the combined ring-sun wheel can rotate around the central axis of the transmission, andin that the sun wheel of the secondary Planetary Variator is connected to an output shaft of the transmission and that the reaction force of the preload force is transferred to the housing over an axial bearing. 3. A planetary variator according to claim 1 or a reversible variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: the relative dimensions of the ring wheel, sun wheel and planets are chosen appropriate for a car application, meaning that the highest speed ratio is so high that an engine can deliver its power at its best efficiency curve when driving with zero or positive acceleration,the relative dimensions of the ring wheel, sun wheel and planets are chosen appropriate for a car application, meaning that the highest speed ratio in reverse is high enough to drive the car with moderate engine speed and low noise in reverse, andin that by moving the main shaft of the transmission, the transmission ratio varies continuously between the highest speed ratio in forward over standstill to the highest transmission ratio in reverse. 4. A reversible variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: the Normal force on each rolling contact is created by one preload force, acting from the housing on the not rotating primary ring wheel and that the reaction force is transferred over one bearing from the secondary sun wheel to the housing, andin that net steering forces for defining the position of the main shaft and thus also for defining the transmission ratio, are created by one force in one of both senses and acting on the main shaft, and that said forces are transferred over a bearing to the housing. 5. A reversible variable transmission according to claim 4, characterized in that: the preload force is created by one or more piston and cylinder system(s) between the housing and primary ring wheel and activated by a single pneumatic or hydraulic pressure or created by a mechanical preload system, where this mechanical system can also be used as a parking brake when the transmission is put in zero speed ratio,the steering pressure is created by a hydraulic or pneumatic piston cylinder system, able to work in both senses, integrated in the input shaft and main shaft, andin that the hydraulic or pneumatic pressure to create the steering pressure mentioned in claim 4 is sealed between the stationary housing and the rotating input shaft by piston rings or seals designed to seal parts rotating at different rotational speeds. 6. A Hydraulic system, intended to control a reversible variable transmission according to claim 2 in a car, truck or other on-highway or off-highway vehicle, characterized in that: one engine driven pump is used to deliver the hydraulic pressure and flow,a high and a low pressure accumulator are integrated in the system, wherein the fluid from the low pressure accumulator for pressurizing the preload piston and a steering piston is used with priority over the high pressure accumulator,the high pressure accumulator is filled up by the pump with priority over the low pressure accumulator, andin that pressure reducer valves are used to control the preload pressure and the steering pressures for forward and reverse driving sense. 7. A hydraulic safety feature for a hydraulic control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of a shut off valve in the preload pressure line and that the shut off valve is switched by the forward steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as the active steering pressure drops below a certain bias pressure. 8. A hydraulic safety feature for a hydraulic control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of two shut off valves in the preload pressure line and that one of the two shut off valves is switched by the forward steering pressure and the other of the two shut off valves is switched by the reverse steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as one of the active steering pressures drops below a certain bias pressure. 9. A software program intended to control a reversible variable transmission according to claim 2 with a hydraulic valve, characterized in that: one engine driven pump is used to deliver the hydraulic pressure and flow,a high and a low pressure accumulator are integrated in the system, wherein the fluid from the low pressure accumulator for pressurizing the preload piston and a steering piston is used with priority over the high pressure accumulator,the high pressure accumulator is filled up by the pump with priority over the low pressure accumulator,pressure reducer valves are used to control the preload pressure and the steering pressures for forward and reverse driving sense,the curve of engine torque versus engine speed expressing minimal fuel consumption for every engine power level is stored in a controller's memory,a PID controller defines the speed of the steering piston, connected to the main shaft, in order to get the engine speed equal to the required engine speed calculated from the curve of minimal fuel consumption,the speed of the steering piston as proposed by the PID controller can be reduced to stay within the microslip range based on the calculation procedure, andin that the preload pressure and the steering pressure determining the angle of the planets relative to the axis of the main shaft are defined to stay within longitudinal and transverse microslip. 10. The software program according to claim 9, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of a shut off valve in the preload pressure line and that the shut off valve is switched by the forward steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as the active steering pressure drops below a certain bias pressure. 11. The software program according to claim 9, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of two shut off valves in the preload pressure line and that one of the two shut off valves is switched by the forward steering pressure and the other of the two shut off valves is switched by the reverse steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as one of the active steering pressures drops below a certain bias pressure. 12. The Variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: a transmission interior, defined as the interior where the rolling contacts are moving, is filled with an inert gas, or normal air and a splashing fluid for cooling and lubrication, or a gas with a mist of a coolant, andin that this said interior is sealed from the lube oil for the bearings and from the exterior of the transmission. 13. The Planetary Variator according to claim 1 or the variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: the lubrication flow for bearings or bushings inside the planets is realized by a closed circuit for each planet and that optionally the oil is pumped around by vanes inside the planets, pumping outwards the oil, which is further guided through the bearings or bushings. 14. A method of transmitting power at variable speeds in a vehicle selected from the group consisting of car, truck, bus, off-road vehicle, mowing machine, wind turbine, telescopic boom handler, lift truck or any other industrial application in which power needs to be transmitted at variable speeds, wherein the vehicle comprises the reverse variable transmission of claim 2, comprising the step of: transmitting power with the reversible variable transmission. 15. A combination of: a reversible variable transmission system comprising a transmission of claim 2,a hydraulic system, intended to control a reversible variable transmission according to claim 2 in a car, truck or other on-highway or off-highway vehicle, characterized in that: one engine driven pump is used to deliver the hydraulic pressure and flow,a high and a low pressure accumulator are integrated in the system, wherein the fluid from the low pressure accumulator for pressurizing the preload piston and a steering piston is used with priority over the high pressure accumulator,the high pressure accumulator is filled up by the pump with priority over the low pressure accumulator,pressure reducer valves are used to control the preload pressure and the steering pressures for forward and reverse driving sense, anda software program intended to control a reversible variable transmission according claim 2 with a hydraulic valve, characterized in that: the curve of engine torque versus engine speed expressing minimal fuel consumption for every engine power level is stored in a controller's memory,a PID controller defines the speed of the steering piston, connected to the main shaft, in order to get the engine speed equal to the required engine speed calculated from the curve of minimal fuel consumption,the speed of the steering piston as proposed by the PID controller can be reduced to stay within the microslip range based on the calculation procedure, andin that the preload pressure and the steering pressure determining the angle of the planets relative to the axis of the main shaft are defined to stay within longitudinal and transverse microslip. 16. The combination according to claim 15, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of a shut off valve in the preload pressure line and that the shut off valve is switched by the forward steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as the active steering pressure drops below a certain bias pressure. 17. The combination according to claim 15, characterized in that: a safety feature is added by means of two shut off valves in the preload pressure line and that one of the two shut off valves is switched by the forward steering pressure and the other of the two shut off valves is switched by the reverse steering pressure in order to drain the preload pressure immediately as soon as one of the active steering pressures drops below a certain bias pressure. 18. The Planetary Variator according to claim 1 or the variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: an alternative lubrication flow for the bearings or bushings inside the planets is realized by integrating this oil flow in the main lube flow comprising all bearings of an input and an output shaft, wherein the flow is taken from the central shaft through one of the hinges, guided through the bearings of the planets and flowing back via another hinge into the central shaft. 19. The Planetary Variator according to claim 1 or the variable transmission according to claim 2, characterized in that: bearings of the planets are lubricated with grease or that hybrid bearings are used which do not require any lubrication. 20. A combination of 1 or more Planetary Variators according to claim 1, in different variable transmission layouts, characterized in that: the ring wheel, the central shaft and the sun wheel, can be connected to a transmission input, an output, a housing, an interface with another Planetary Variator or any other transmission component, wherein the expression ‘reversible’ means here a variable transmission of which the output rotation sense, relative to the input rotation sense, can be changed continuously and of which the speed ratio is defined even at very low and zero output speed, without slipping components as used in torque converters or friction disc clutches.
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