Transmissions for opposed-piston engines with two crankshafts
View Patent ↗A transmission for an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts includes a crankshaft gear train that combines the torque inputs from the two crankshafts and a gear arrangement coupled to the gear train that is operable to obtain various speed ratios for an output torque drive.
1. A transmission for an opposed-piston engine with two spaced-apart crankshafts, comprising: a rotatable power take off shaft;
a gear train that links the two crankshafts together, the gear train comprising:
input gears, each input gear mounted to an end of a respective crankshaft;
an output gear coupled to the power take-off shaft; and,
at least one idler gear mounted for rotation between one of the input gears and the output gear;
and,
a gear arrangement integrated with the gear train, the gear arrangement comprising:
one or more of the input gears of the gear train being a planetary gear,
the output gear of the gear train being a planetary gear, and
a double-planetary gear drive having:
a first state providing a forward gear range output, and
a second state providing a reverse gear output,
in which the gear arrangement is operable to act between the gear train and the power take-off shaft to provide a plurality of speed ratios with which to drive the power take-off shaft.
2. The transmission of claim 1 , in which the gear arrangement comprises both of the input gears being two-speed planetary gears and the output gear being a two-speed planetary gear.
3. A combination comprising:
an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising:
a rotatable power take-off shaft;
a gear train that links the two crankshafts together, the gear train comprising:
input gears, each input gear mounted to an end of a respective crankshaft; an output gear coupled to the power take-off shaft; and
at least one idler gear mounted for rotation between one of the input gears and the output gear; and
a gear arrangement integrated with the gear train, the gear arrangement comprising:
one or more of the input gears of the gear train being a planetary gear, and
the output gear of the gear train being a planetary gear; and
an electric motor and a frictional engagement device coupling the electric motor to a sun gear of the output gear,
in which the gear arrangement is operable to act between the gear train and the power take-off shaft to provide a plurality of speed ratios with which to drive the power take-off shaft.
4. A combination comprising:
an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising:
a rotatable power take-off shaft;
a gear train that links the two crankshafts together, the gear train comprising:
input gears, each input gear mounted to an end of a respective crankshaft;
an output gear coupled to the power take-off shaft; and
at least one idler gear mounted for rotation between one of the input gears and the output gear; and
a gear arrangement integrated with the gear train, the gear arrangement comprising:
one or more of the input gears of the gear train being a planetary gear, and
the output gear of the gear train being a planetary gear,
in which the gear arrangement is operable to act between the gear train and the power take-off shaft to provide a plurality of speed ratios with which to drive the power take-off shaft; and
an electric motor and a frictional engagement device coupling the electric motor to a sun gear of the output gear,
in which the gear arrangement comprises both of the input gears of the gear train being two-speed planetary gears and the output gear of the gear train being a two-speed planetary gear.
5. A combination comprising:
an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts coupled to a transmission, the transmission comprising:
a rotatable power take-off shaft;
a gear train that links the two crankshafts together, the gear train comprising:
input gears, each input gear mounted to an end of a respective crankshaft, an output gear coupled to the power take-off shaft, and at least one idler gear mounted for rotation between one of the input gears and the output gear;
a gear arrangement integrated with the gear train, the gear arrangement comprising:
one or more of the input gears of the gear train being a planetary gear;
the output gear of the gear train being a planetary gear; and
a double-planetary gear drive having:
a first state providing a forward gear range output; and
a second state providing a reverse gear output,
in which the gear arrangement is operable to act between the gear train and the power take-off shaft to provide a plurality of speed ratios with which to drive the power take-off shaft; and
an electric motor and a frictional engagement device coupling the electric motor to a sun gear of the output gear.
6. A combination comprising an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts coupled to the transmission of claim 1 and a lubrication system operable to deliver lubricant to the opposed-piston engine and the transmission.
7. The combination of claim 6 in which the lubrication system is operable to deliver the same lubricant to the opposed-piston engine and the transmission.
8. The combination of claim 6 in which the lubrication system is operable to deliver a first lubricant to the opposed-piston engine and a second lubricant the transmission.