Granted Patent B2

US 12,590,626 · App. 19/233,202 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Inventors: Michael Lee Starkey (Canyon, TX); Robert E. Arnot (Albuquerque, NM)

Assignee: Michael Lee Starkey

F16H47/085F16H37/041F16H47/10F16H2200/2007

Abstract

Claims (93)

1 . A geartrain comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

a first intermediate shaft;

a second intermediate shaft;

a first auxiliary shaft;

a second auxiliary shaft;

a first planetary carrier supported on the input shaft, the first planetary carrier having two or more first planetary gears that engage a first sun gear supported on the first intermediate shaft;

a first ring gear engages the two or more first planetary gears and a first stationary gear supported on the first auxiliary shaft;

a first gear supported on the first intermediate shaft;

a second gear supported on the second intermediate shaft that engages the first gear;

a third gear supported on the second auxiliary shaft that engages the second gear;

a second planetary carrier supported on the output shaft, the second planetary carrier having two or more second planetary gears that engage a second sun gear supported on the first intermediate shaft; and

a second ring gear engages the two or more second planetary gears and a second stationary gear supported on the first auxiliary shaft.

2 . The geartrain of claim 1 , wherein the first ring gear is larger than the second ring gear.

3 . The geartrain of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft;

a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft; and

wherein the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets control an output gear ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft and a rotational direction of the output shaft.

4 . The geartrain of claim 3 , wherein the geartrain operates in:

a neutral setting when no torque feedback is supplied by the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets;

a forward setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the first fluid-coupled-gearset; and

a reverse setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the second fluid-coupled-gearset.

5 . The geartrain of claim 1 , further comprising an operator interface coupled to the geartrain that stops, starts or reverses the geartrain.

6 . The geartrain of claim 1 , wherein the geartrain does not include a band-clutch or a disc-clutch.

7 . The geartrain of claim 1 , further comprising a power source coupled to the input shaft.

8 . A method of operating the geartrain comprising:

providing the geartrain of claim 1 , the geartrain further comprising a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft and a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft;

turning the output shaft in a same direction of the input shaft by activating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset;

turning the output shaft in an opposite direction of the input shaft by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and activating the second fluid-coupled-gearset; and

neutralizing the output shaft by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first ring gear is larger than the second ring gear.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising an operator interface coupled to the geartrain that stops, starts or reverses the geartrain.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the geartrain does not include a band-clutch or a disc-clutch.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising a power source coupled to the input shaft.

13 . A geartrain system comprising:

a first geartrain;

a second geartrain;

wherein the first geartrain and the second geartrain each comprise:

an input shaft,

an output shaft,

a first intermediate shaft,

a second intermediate shaft,

a first auxiliary shaft,

a second auxiliary shaft,

a first planetary carrier supported on the input shaft, the first planetary carrier having two or more first planetary gears that engage a first sun gear supported on the first intermediate shaft,

a first ring gear engages the two or more first planetary gears and a first stationary gear supported on the first auxiliary shaft,

a first gear supported on the first intermediate shaft,

a second gear supported on the second intermediate shaft that engages the first gear,

a third gear supported on the second auxiliary shaft that engages the second gear,

a second planetary carrier supported on the output shaft, the second planetary carrier having two or more second planetary gears that engage a second sun gear supported on the first intermediate shaft, and

a second ring gear engages the two or more second planetary gears and a second stationary gear supported on the first auxiliary shaft; and

a power source coupled to the input shaft of the first geartrain and the input shaft of the second geartrain.

14 . The geartrain system of claim 13 , wherein the first ring gears of the first and second geartrains are larger than the second ring gears of the first and second geartrains.

15 . The geartrain system of claim 13 , further comprising:

a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain and the second geartrain;

a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain and the second geartrain; and

wherein the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets control an output gear ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft of the first geartrain and the second geartrain and a rotational direction of the output shaft of the first geartrain and the second geartrain.

16 . The geartrain system of claim 15 , wherein the geartrain system operates in:

a neutral setting when no torque feedback is supplied by the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets;

a forward setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the first fluid-coupled-gearset; and

a reverse setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the second fluid-coupled-gearset.

17 . The geartrain system of claim 13 , further comprising:

a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain;

a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain;

a third fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft of the second geartrain;

a fourth fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft of the second geartrain;

wherein the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets control an output gear ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft of the first geartrain and a rotational direction of the output shaft of the first geartrain; and

wherein the third and fourth fluid-coupled-gearsets (FCG 3 , FCG 4 ) control an output gear ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft of the second geartrain and a rotational direction of the output shaft of the second geartrain.

18 . The geartrain system of claim 17 , wherein:

the first geartrain operates in a neutral setting when no torque feedback is supplied by the first and second fluid-coupled-gearsets, a forward setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the first fluid-coupled-gearset, and a reverse setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the second fluid-coupled-gearset; and

the second geartrain operates in the neutral setting when no torque feedback is supplied by the third and fourth fluid-coupled-gearsets, the forward setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the third fluid-coupled-gearset, and the reverse setting when the torque feedback is supplied by the fourth fluid-coupled-gearset.

19 . The geartrain system of claim 13 , further comprising an operator interface coupled to the geartrain system that stops, starts or reverses the geartrain system.

20 . The geartrain system of claim 13 , wherein the geartrain system does not include a band-clutch or a disc-clutch.

21 . A method of operating the geartrain system comprising:

providing the geartrain system of claim 13 , the first geartrain and the second geartrain further comprising a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft and a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft;

turning the output shafts of the first geartrain and the second geartrain in a same direction of the input shaft by activating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset;

turning the output shafts of the first geartrain and the second geartrain in an opposite direction of the input shaft by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and activating the second fluid-coupled-gearset; and

neutralizing the output shafts of the first geartrain and the second geartrain by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first ring gears of the first and second geartrains are larger than the second ring gears of the first and second geartrains.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising an operator interface coupled to the first geartrain and second geartrain that stops, starts or reverses the geartrain system.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the geartrain system does not include a band-clutch or a disc-clutch.

25 . A method of operating the geartrain system comprising:

providing the geartrain system of claim 13 , further comprising a first fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain, a second fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft of the first geartrain, a third fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the first auxiliary shaft of the second geartrain, and a fourth fluid-coupled-gearset coupled to the second auxiliary shaft of the second geartrain;

turning the output shaft in a same direction of the input shaft of the first geartrain by activating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset;

turning the output shaft in an opposite direction of the input shaft of the first geartrain by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and activating the second fluid-coupled-gearset;

neutralizing the output shaft of the first geartrain by inactivating the first fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the second fluid-coupled-gearset;

turning the output shaft in a same direction of the input shaft of the second geartrain by activating the third fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the fourth fluid-coupled-gearset;

turning the output shaft in an opposite direction of the input shaft of the second geartrain by inactivating the third fluid-coupled-gearset and activating the fourth fluid-coupled-gearset; and

neutralizing the output shaft of the second geartrain by inactivating the third fluid-coupled-gearset and inactivating the fourth fluid-coupled-gearset.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the first ring gears of the first and second geartrains are larger than the second ring gears of the first and second geartrains.

27 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising an operator interface coupled to the first geartrain and second geartrain that stops, starts or reverses the geartrain system.

28 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the geartrain system does not include a band-clutch or a disc-clutch.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (27)