Granted Patent B2

US 7,204,777 · App. 11/051,052 · Granted Apr 17, 2007

Abstract

Claims (52)

1. A transmission comprising:

a shaft; a plurality of power adjusters distributed radially about the shaft, each power adjuster having a tiltable axis about which it rotates;

an input disc in contact with the power adjusters;

an output disc in contact with the power adjusters;

an idler coaxial with and rotatable about the shaft, the idler in contact with the power adjusters;

a thrust washer coaxial with the idler, the washer having a first side facing the input disc and having a set of thrust ramps formed on the first side;

a set of thrust-receiving ramps formed on the input disc facing the thrust washer; and

a plurality of thrust elements in contact with the thrust ramps and the thrust-receiving ramps; and

a ball spline structure having ball spline units that connect the shaft to one of the input or output discs, each ball spline structure having a ball gripped by a pair of spline grooves.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a split shaft.

3. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein power adjusters are spherical.

4. The transmission of claim 3 , wherein the idler comprises a concave surface in contact with the power adjusters.

5. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein each power adjuster comprises a bore for receiving a spindle.

6. The transmission of claim 5 , further comprising one spindle for each bore.

7. The transmission of claim 6 , wherein the spindles are adapted to be tiltable, and wherein a tilting of the spindles causes a tilting of the power adjusters.

8. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising a cage adapted to maintain a radial and axial orientation of the power adjusters about the idler, wherein the cage is further adapted to rotate about the shaft.

9. The transmission of claim 8 , wherein the cage comprises: a disc-shaped input stator positioned between the power adjusters and the input disc; a disc-shaped output stator positioned between the power adjusters and the output disc; and a plurality of spacers adapted to rigidly connect the stators.

10. The transmission of claim 8 , wherein the input disc is fixed and does not rotate.

11. The transmission of claim 8 , further comprising a motor operationally coupled to the cage.

12. The transmission of claim 11 , further comprising a planetary gear set comprising:

a sun gear rotatable about the longitudinal axis and coupled to the cage;

a plurality of planet gears engaged with and adapted to orbit the sun gear, wherein each planet gear rotates about a planet shaft of its own;

a ring gear engaging each planet gear; and

a planet carrier rotatable about and coaxial with the shaft, wherein the planet carrier retains and positions each of the planet shafts.

13. The transmission of claim 12 , wherein the motor is connected to the planet carrier.

14. The transmission of claim 13 , wherein each planet shaft extends from the planet carrier and terminates at a connection point with the input disc so that the planet carrier rotates the planets about the sun gear and rotates the input disc about the shaft.

15. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bearing disc coaxial with and rotatable about the shaft having a threaded bore;

a plurality of bearing disc perimeter ramps attached to a first side of the bearing disc near an outer diameter of the bearing disc;

a plurality of bearings adapted to engage the plurality of bearing disc perimeter ramps;

a plurality of input disc perimeter ramps mounted on the input disc on a side opposite of the balls, the input disc perimeter ramps adapted to engage the bearings.

16. The transmission of claim 15 , further comprising:

a screw coaxial with and rotatable about the shaft adapted to engage the threaded bore;

a plurality of central screw ramps attached to an end of the screw; and

a plurality of central input disc ramps affixed to the input disc and adapted to engage the plurality of central screw ramps.

17. A method of manufacturing a transmission, the method comprising:

providing a shaft;

arranging a plurality of power adjusters radially about the shaft, each power adjuster having a tiltable axis about which it rotates;

providing an input disc adapted to contact the power adjusters;

providing an output disc adapted to contact the power adjusters;

mounting an idler coaxially the shaft, the idler adapted to contact the power adjusters;

providing a thrust washer coaxial with the idler, the washer having a first side facing the input disc and having a set of thrust ramps formed on the first side; providing a set of thrust-receiving ramps formed on the input disc facing the thrust washer; providing a plurality of thrust elements in contact with the thrust ramps and the thrust-receiving ramps; and

providing a ball spline structure having ball spline units that connect the shaft to one of the input or output discs, each ball spline structure having a ball gripped by a pair of spline groove.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing a shaft comprises providing a split shaft.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a bearing disc coaxial with and rotatable about the shaft having a threaded bore;

attaching a plurality of bearing disc perimeter ramps to a first side of the bearing disc near an outer diameter of the bearing disc;

providing a plurality of bearings adapted to engage the plurality of bearing disc perimeter ramps; and

mounting a plurality of input disc perimeter ramps on the input disc on a side opposite of the balls, the input disc perimeter ramps adapted to engage the bearings.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a screw coaxial with and rotatable about the shaft adapted to engage the threaded bore; coupling a plurality of central screw ramps to an end of the screw; and

affixing a plurality of central input disc ramps to the input disc to engage the plurality of central screw ramps.

Assignments (11)