CN101484726A

CN101484726A - Positive displacement variable speed transmission with dual motion drive gears

Info

Publication number: CN101484726A
Application number: CNA2007800251436A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 加里·D·李
Original assignee: VMT TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Current assignee: VMT TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Priority date: 2006-06-08
Filing date: 2007-06-07
Publication date: 2009-07-15
Also published as: EP2024662A4; EP2024662A2; JP2009540236A; CA2654078C; KR20090020682A; JP5694131B2; WO2008105891A3; CA2654078A1; CA2736815A1; WO2008105891A2; JP2012042061A; JP4932907B2; KR101099568B1; CA2736815C; BRPI0712329A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to transmission systems and changing gear ratios within power transmission systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a positive displacement variable speed transmission. The transmission includes one or more drive gears which orbit, rotate, and which translate radially to change the size of the orbital path. The change in the orbital path increases or decreases the linear velocity of the drive gears which engage one or more driven gears and transfer the changed linear velocity in the form of a gear ratio change. The driven gears are also radially movable and movement of the driven gears is synchronized with the radial movement of the drive gears to maintain substantially constant engagement between gear ratios change. Thus, as the drive and driven gears can slide or step radially to any location within a range of positions, gear ratio changes can be made in very small increments.

Description

Active displacement variable speed transmission with dual motion drive gears

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of large-scale velocity ratio and can be of can limiting with the speed changer of large-scale velocity ratio running.

Background technique

At the beginning of the similar development of mechanical engine, the intention of motor and design just concentrate at least to a certain extent and make the mini engine can mobile bulk loads.Along with the development and the technology of motor becomes more advanced, the motor of developing has the speed changer of a plurality of velocity ratios, so that motor can be with the close steps moving load when starting, begins progressively to increase to than high transmission ratio when mobile when load then.So, speed changer can more effectively utilize the moment of torsion of motor and make motor remain near the running of proper speed.And motor can turn round in narrow velocity range when the output speed of relative broad range is provided.

For the incremental that realizes velocity ratio changes, manual-type transmission is connected with one or more driving gears with the various independent driven gear of different size.When carrying out ratio changing, driving gear and driven gear break away from engagement and mesh again with different gear.For example, clutch makes driving gear and driven gear break away from engagement, and same driving gear or different driving gears are meshed again with second driven gear with different radii.Because new meshed gears has different radiuses or lever, so velocity ratio changes.Yet in order to realize the change of this velocity ratio, driving gear must be temporarily disconnects with all driven gear and being connected, makes that when carrying out ratio changing power source also temporarily is connected with the load disconnection.Although be temporary transient, be enough to make the mechanical operation member of use speed changer to discover but break away from the time span that engagement continued between driving gear and the driven gear, and be enough to make when driving gear and driven gear mesh each other again and potential destructive torque peak may occur.

Automatic transmission also can be connected the incremental change that produces velocity ratio by motor and load are disconnected.In order to accomplish this point, automatic transmission is generally used one or more planetary gear set, and described planetary gear set is used for being connected with a series of clutch and bands by HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM.In order to change between a plurality of velocity ratios, the valve in the hydraulic system is used to control hydraulic pressure, and described hydraulic pressure starts various clutches and band so that the various gears of automatic transmission are connected with motor with carriage and disconnect connection.Based on engagement and out-of-gear special clutch and band, the ratio changing that speed changer obtains being scheduled to.

Is connected or breaks away from when meshing when power source and load disconnect, load meeting inertia motion is up to reconnecting power source.For the situation can ignoring except that the time that disconnect to connect, load inertia motion immediately and can lose suitable momentum.For example, when needs carried out the gear change, semitractor trailer or other mobile vehicle may move upward slope.By jamming on clutch or otherwise disconnecting the power source of semitractor trailer, the RPMs of motor (per minute rotating speed) reduces, and turbine may stall, and moment of torsion no longer is applied to load is moved.As a result, the driver generally must two to three gears of downward modulation, and reason can't be near being enough to make motor to keep the only RPMs under the situation of one or two gear of downward modulation for meshing power source again.This will cause effectively utilizing the power and the fuel of motor.

Equally, when tractor pulling such as plough even load, velocity ratio and motor and load are temporarily disconnected be connected the momentum that will reduce tractor and plough for a change.Although tractor can inertia motion, plough unlikely inertia motion.For example, when plough loses enough momentum, it can stay on the soil of just being ploughed, thus dilatory tractor and stop tractor to do the inertia motion.Plough can block may damage tractor also may injure operator's unexpected motion and stop.Thereby tractor plows more quickly although top gear can make, more economical ground consume fuel and utilize momentum to come trailed plough, and for fear of damaging and injury, the tractor operator can drive tractor and plough with bottom gear, thereby avoids the demand of gear shift.

In addition, many other used the advantage can't use speed changer in the past, formerly can make that this application is dangerous and maybe can not be committed to reality because power source is connected with the load disconnection.For example, elevator can be benefited from ratio changing to change the speed of its rising or decline.Yet, rising or decrement phase is separated will cause inertia motion of elevator case or free fall with being connected of power source, be unsafe but also can make speed changer for elevator passenger.

Also can benefit from variable speed such as those conveyer belt systems that are used for manufacturing industry or mining etc.For example, open when system, line belt can start with low speed, and speed increases to full speed running then.Yet many line belts are mounted with material and/or have several miles long, thereby produce the huge load that must move.Even if ratio changing is to carry out with being connected of power source by temporary transient the disconnection, material and line belt also will lose momentum and stop velocity ratio effectively to change so.Therefore, often have to material is removed and only made conveyer belt from being with, and/or make the conveyer belt system must be with fixing speed operation.

Although speed changer has many advantages, be connected the artificer who causes motor and speed changer in these traditional speed changer medium power sources with the obvious disconnection of load and be devoted to seek and power source disconnected be connected and the method and system of the out-of-gear time minimization of driving gear.At least to a certain extent, automatic engine can gear shift recently reduces this time with the change transmission between gear by carrying out automatically, disconnects the time that is connected and reconnects thereby also reduced power source with load.Yet, with automatic engine motor and driving gear are disconnected the time that is connected and still look and be enough to make the moment of torsion significantly sacrificing, thereby can't effectively utilize available power.In addition, only recently operate with the very limited discrete transmission of quantity, the relative broad in the interval of these discrete velocity ratios, motor will mainly be worked in inefficient scope.Therefore, motor must can provide more power, if thereby desired power originally under the situation that must turn round more continually with speed efficiently greater than motor.With compare with the motor of the running of effective velocity more, the poor efficiency of these motors uses and then the more fuel that burnt.

Also make load disconnect the time decreased that is connected with power source although change required time decreased between velocity ratio, this also causes the higher torque peak that can damage power train.Especially, when ratio changing is during from a discrete ratio changing to another discrete velocity ratio, the engagement of driving gear and driven gear can produce torque peak, makes when driving gear and driven gear engagement moment of torsion generation transient peak.This torque peak can be by connecting clutch so that driving gear and driven gear mesh gradually again reduces.Yet if gear shift is too fast, torque peak can produce the output torque that is enough to damage live axle, chassis or axletree.

Therefore, some effort have been carried out for reducing torque peak, to reduce the possibility that torque peak causes damage.For example, when changing velocity ratio, use the torque peak fallout predictor manually to reduce moment of torsion.Particularly, when changing velocity ratio, the torque peak fallout predictor can reduce the RPMs of motor during ratio changing, makes to mesh when producing new velocity ratio the littler moment of torsion of generation during torque peak again when gear.Yet, thereby this system has added extra complexity to speed changer and has hindered with the running of constant speed and effectively utilized usable power.

In low torque applications, disconnect the problem that is connected about power source and load and be decreased to a certain degree by stepless speed variator (CVT) and unlimited speed changer (IVT).General two belt wheels that connect by band that use of stepless speed variator.These two belt wheels comprise two cones that face with each other and can be pulled together and further push open under the effect of hydraulic coupling, centrifugal force or spring tension.When a belt wheel increased its radius, another reduces its radius so that band keeps tensioning.When two belt wheels relative to each other change its radius, they will produce various velocity ratios.A similar notion embodies in unlimited speed changer (IVT), and unlimited speed changer (IVT) also uses identical, complementary belt wheel and cone.Yet unlimited speed changer use is clipped in interpyramidal roller member and replaces band.

Yet no matter be to use CVT (holding member) or use IVT (roller member), system relies on to rub to adjust velocity ratio and power output is provided.Yet, rub in the heat drawing-in system, the result, holding member and roller member can generate heat and be worn easily, thereby needs the user to keep in repair or renewal part.In order to reduce the frequency of maintenance, such as making friction type hold member or tough and tensileization of roller member by the modes such as band of using thicker band or flood with metal or other more tough and tensile material.Yet when band strength increased, cost of parts increased.In addition, too tough and tensile material can make the cone in the speed changer wear and tear and lose efficacy.

In addition, because these systems based on friction, so they generally only are suitable for the application of low moment of torsion, because the application of high moment of torsion can make excessive heating in the speed changer, thereby cause transmission components to take place even bigger wearing and tearing and inefficacy.Therefore, CVT and IVT speed changer can not be upgraded and be used for multiple low moment of torsion and high torque applications.In fact, the CVT or the IVT that apply a torque in high moment of torsion or the high power system can almost break down at once, former because roller member or hold member and can melt or deterioration otherwise owing to frictional heat.

Because in high torque applications, CVT and IVT are considered as unacceptable possibility, thus extra effort done aspect the high torque applications, to provide little to the time slot that does not almost have in power source and load disconnection connection and between reconnecting.For example, John Deere proposes to have the tractor that drives manual transmission, this speed changer uses and is intended to almost side by side carry out clutch automatically and disconnect the somewhat complex design that connects and reconnect, and making does not have tangible time slot and make that loss of machine of torque is very little even do not have.Yet this speed changer is more much bigger than modular transmission, and can accommodate a plurality of undergrounds in speed changer.As a result, be difficult to circuit is safeguarded, and the size of motor has further increased the size of equipment and weight or the load that must carry.In addition, because the complexity of speed changer and size, its cost restriction is used for some application, and it can not be upgraded and is used for low moment of torsion or smaller applications.

Therefore, need a kind of improved speed changer, this speed changer can be upgraded, and changes between can any velocity ratio in various velocity ratios and need not power source is connected with the load disconnection.

Summary of the invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, a kind of speed changer comprises:

The speed changer input interface, it comprises rotatable input shaft;

One or more driving gears, it is attached to described speed changer input interface at least indirectly, each described one or more driving gears are configured to carry out spinning motion and carry out revolution motion around total outside axis around the corresponding inner axis of described driving gear, and wherein said spinning motion and described revolution motion are corresponding to the rotation of described rotatable input shaft;

One or more driven gears, it is configured to mesh described one or more driving gear, makes described one or more driving gear be suitable for driving described one or more driven gear rotation; And

The speed changer output interface, it is attached to described one or more driven gear at least indirectly.

This speed changer of the present invention and at least some other speed changers can keep the constant engagement with various velocity ratios between at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear, even but also can keep this engagement when speed changer is in the neutral gear output state.By keep the constant engagement between at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear, speed changer can change relevant velocity ratio when load is driven, keep power to be connected to load simultaneously.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a kind of speed changer comprises:

The first speed changer interface;

First group of one or more side power transmission member, it is attached to the described first speed changer interface at least indirectly, each described one or more first side power transmission member are configured to advance along corresponding revolution path, the length in each revolution path of described first group of one or more side power transmission member can optionally change, and feasible length for each revolution path limits unique velocity ratio;

Second group of one or more side power transmission member, it is configured to mesh described first group of one or more side power transmission member; And

The second speed changer interface, it is attached to described second group of one or more side power transmission member.

This speed changer can use a plurality of velocity ratios, and these velocity ratios can change with little increment in gear range.Preferably, at least one driving gear that speed changer comprises the speed changer input interface and is attached to the power input and is configured to revolve round the sun makes the revolution path to carry out power transmission by various velocity ratios.One or more driven gear engagement driving gears and reception are from the moment of torsion input of one or more driving gears.Preferably, power output interface also is attached to described one or more driven gear, and can provide power output to the dynamic dissipation device or to one or more loads.Preferably, the revolution path of driving gear is changeable, make the length in revolution path to increase or to reduce, thereby by increasing or reduce the length in revolution path, driving gear is realized various velocity ratios.The change of revolution path length makes the velocity ratio that is associated with speed changer to change with very little increment between a plurality of discrete velocity ratios.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a kind of dynamic transfer system comprises:

In first group of one or more side power transmission member, first group of one or more side power transmission member each all is configured to receive moment of torsion and advances along the revolution path that can optionally change around its central axis rotation and around outside axis in response; And

Second group of one or more side power transmission member, it is configured to mesh described first group of one or more side power transmission member, so that can the between transmitting torque,

Wherein, described one or more first side power transmission member and described one or more second side power transmission member are suitable in response to one or more changes in the described revolution path of described first group of one or more side power transmission member and limit a plurality of different velocity ratios jointly.

In this dynamic transfer system, first and second side power transmission member can receive the power input of supplying with arbitrary group of side power transmission member, make it possible to by speed changer along any one transfer of torque in two different direction.That is to say that described one group of first side power transmission member can be served as dirivig member or driven member, and described one group of second side power transmission member can correspondingly be served as driven member or dirivig member equally.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, another kind of dynamic transfer system comprises:

First group of one or more side power transmission member, each described first group of one or more side power transmission member are configured to advance along corresponding revolution path, the length in each revolution path of described first group of one or more side power transmission member can optionally change, and makes all to limit different velocity ratios for the described revolution path of each different length; And

Second group of one or more side power transmission member, itself and described first group of one or more side power transmission member mesh, and described second group of one or more side power transmission member are configured to and can roughly keep engagement with each described a plurality of velocity ratios with described first group of one or more side power transmission member.

The speed changer input interface, it is configured to receive the rotary power input;

One or more dirivig members, it is attached to described speed changer input interface, and described one or more dirivig members are configured to optionally radially move to any in a plurality of radial positions;

One or more driven members, it is configured to mesh described one or more dirivig member, described one or more driven member is configured to receive the described power input from described dirivig member, and described one or more driven member is configured to keep the constant engagement with described one or more dirivig members in each described a plurality of radial positions place of described one or more dirivig members; And

The speed changer output interface, it links to described one or more driven member, and described speed changer output interface is configured to transmit the moment of torsion output corresponding to described moment of torsion input.

In this speed changer, include the speed changer input interface to receive the rotary power output of another equipment.This example of speed changer can also comprise one or more radially movably input link or dirivig members, and it is attached to the speed changer input interface, makes input link movably receive the moment of torsion of miscellaneous equipment output.Input link engagement output link or driven member, moment of torsion transfers to output link or driven member from input link.When input link was also radially mobile, output link and input link kept engagement at each discrete location place.The speed changer output interface also is attached to output link so that moment of torsion output is transferred to another equipment or device.

The speed changer input interface, it is configured to receive the moment of torsion input;

A plurality of dirivig members, it is attached to described speed changer interface, and described a plurality of dirivig members are configured to limit jointly a plurality of velocity ratios;

A plurality of driven members, it is configured to mesh described a plurality of dirivig member, each described a plurality of driven members are configured to respect to radially translation of central axis, described a plurality of dirivig member is provided with around this central axis, each described a plurality of driven members are set to move to along predetermined path for translation from first radial position with respect to described central axis at least one second radial position with respect to described central axis, make the described predetermined path for translation that is used for each described a plurality of driven members predetermined angled the departing from of path for translation with respect at least one other driven member; And

The speed changer output interface, it is configured to transfer of torque output, and described speed changer output interface is attached to described a plurality of driven member and is configured to receive moment of torsion from described a plurality of driven members.

In this speed changer, the speed changer input interface reception moment of torsion input of speed changer also is connected to a plurality of dirivig members, and these dirivig members receive from the moment of torsion input of speed changer input interface and can provide a plurality of in gear range and the unlimited a plurality of velocity ratios of possibility.Dirivig member and the engagement of a plurality of driven member, in described a plurality of driven member each all moves radially to the second place from primary importance along predetermined path, makes each predetermined path all with respect to predetermined angled departing from of path of other driven member.For example, driven member is can be around circle spaced apart and move along straight or crooked predetermined pathway, and described predetermined pathway departs from identical angular spacing along circumference.Driven member can further be connected to the speed changer output interface of the moment of torsion output of transmission speed changer.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a kind of speed changer comprises:

The speed changer input interface, it is configured to receive the input torque from power source;

One or more driving gears, it is attached to described speed changer input interface, and described one or more driving gears are configured to radially translation;

A plurality of driven gears, it is configured to mesh described one or more driving gear, the virtual gear of the common qualification of described a plurality of driven gear, this virtual gear is configured to keep engagement with described one or more driving gears with a plurality of velocity ratios, wherein, described virtual gear is configured at described one or more driving gears radially varying sized during translation, and the described virtual gear of different size limits different corresponding velocity ratios; And

The speed changer output interface, it is attached to described a plurality of driven gear, described speed changer output interface is configured to transmit output torque, and described output torque is associated by velocity ratio with described input torque, and described velocity ratio is associated with the described size of described virtual gear.

The power input interface, it is configured to receive first moment of torsion;

Many one or more movably driving gears of group and driven gear; And

Power output interface, it is attached to described driven gear and is configured to transmit second moment of torsion.

In this speed changer, the group of organizing driving gear and driven gear has at least one special position in speed changer more, and this special position causes second moment of torsion to ignore, and may be low to moderate zero or near zero.Yet, even driving gear and driven gear also keep engagement each other under the situation of zero output, thereby realize the engagement neutral gear, and power source keeps being connected to load.In some cases, when driving gear is in special position, spinning motion that driving gear carried out and revolution motion can substantially or be finished and cancel each other, although make driving gear can proceed rotation and revolution, the motion of driving gear does not drive driven gear and does any rotation.The middle output torque that driving gear produces can be imported second gear train.This second gear train can also receive input torque and this input torque and middle output torque will be offseted, thereby produces final clean output torque.This special position at driving gear and driven gear, when middle output torque that second gear train is received and input torque offset, basic neutralisation this input torque, make second gear train provide negligible, may be zero or near zero output torque.

According to another aspect of the present invention, transmission system comprises:

Power source;

Speed changer, it is attached to described power source, and described speed changer comprises: the speed changer input interface, it is configured to receive the input torque from described power source;

One or more driving gears, it is attached to described speed changer input interface, each described driving gear is configured to carry out revolution motion around the corresponding inner axis rotation of described driving gear and around total axis, and wherein spinning motion and revolution motion cause by receiving described input torque;

One or more driven gears, it is configured to mesh described one or more driving gear, makes described one or more driving gear dispose and be set to drive described one or more driven gear rotation;

The speed changer output interface, it is attached to described one or more driven gear;

Power Train, it is attached to the described speed changer output interface of described speed changer; And

Load, it is attached to described Power Train.

In this transmission system, can provide such as power sources such as motors.Speed changer could be attached to power source to receive the input torque from power source.Speed changer can correspondingly comprise the speed changer input interface that receives input torque, the one or more driven gears that are attached to one or more driving gears of this speed changer input interface and mesh described driving gear.Each driving gear and driven gear can be suitable for synchronously or near synchronously radially translation, also keep the constant engagement simultaneously between described driving gear and the driven gear, so that very a plurality of velocity ratios are provided in the scope of available gear ratios.Speed changer can also comprise the speed changer output interface that is attached to driven gear, thereby by speed changer transmission output torque.In this example, transmission system can also comprise that the power train of the speed changer output interface that is attached to speed changer is so that receive output torque.Transmission system can also comprise the dynamic dissipation device that part or all of output torque is pointed.

In addition, the invention still further relates to the method that power transmission is provided.In a kind of example, input is provided, will import then with the one or more velocity ratios in the gear range and be transformed to output.Output can comprise the moment of torsion of desired amount.In addition or alternately, although providing input simultaneously, output can be zero or near zero.Further, the one or more velocity ratios relevant with the output that provides can comprise very a plurality of velocity ratios, and described very a plurality of velocity ratios are optionally very a plurality of discrete velocity ratios of stepping between the complete virtual gear of integral body.

Description of drawings

Specifically describe example of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1A is the stereogram according to the exemplary active displacement variable speed transmission of one embodiment of the present invention, wherein a plurality of driving gears and driven gear are configured to keep constant engagement in the ratio changing process, and described ratio changing can carry out with very little and the non-discrete increment of possibility;

Figure 1B is the stereogram according to the another kind of exemplary speed changer of another embodiment of the invention, wherein a plurality of driving gears and driven gear are configured to be engaged with each other with a plurality of discrete velocity ratios, and described a plurality of discrete velocity ratios can change with very little discrete increment;

Fig. 2 A-2G is the driving gear of speed changer of Figure 1A and 1B and the driven gear front view of part revolution circuit in each stage at driving gear;

Fig. 3 A-3C schematically discloses three kinds of velocity ratios of exemplary active displacement variable speed transmission, this speed changer has three ring gears that depart from and two moon gears, wherein two moon gears and three ring gears can move radially separately, thereby are engaged with each other in very little ratio changing scope;

Fig. 4 schematically discloses rotatablely moving and translational motion according to each driving gear of the exemplary speed changer of one embodiment of the present invention and driven gear;

Fig. 5 is the stereogram of support that is used for the active displacement variable speed transmission of Figure 1A and 1B, and wherein this support is suitable for radially mobile drive link so that radially move the driving gear that is installed on the described drive link;

Fig. 6 is used for controlling the exemplary STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED of radial motion of ring gear of speed changer of Figure 1A and 1B and the rear view of gear track system;

Fig. 7 schematically discloses the exemplary control system of the speed changer that is used to control according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 discloses master gear and the driving gear that can be used in the synchronized movement that makes driving gear, make driving gear can suitably aim at driven gear, thereby with a lot of velocity ratios and the engagement of various lever length, described a lot of velocity ratios and lever length can change with very little and the infinitesimal increment of possibility;

If Fig. 9 discloses the oppositely speed changer by Figure 1A and 1B then can be used to obtain to mesh the exemplary planetary gear set of neutral gear of moment of torsion flow path;

Figure 10 A-B discloses each driving gear and driven gear in the alternative embodiments of exemplary transmission system, wherein radially extendible driving gear revolves round the sun and alternately meshes driven gear, and described driving gear and driven gear depart from the equi-angularly space along circumference each other;

Figure 11 A is the planimetric map of the alternative mode of execution of active displacement variable speed transmission, and wherein, a plurality of driving gears and driven gear keep constant engagement in very little and the infinitesimal ratio changing scope of possibility;

Figure 11 B is the partial cross section view of the speed changer of Figure 11 A, wherein eight revolution and the driving gear of rotation and five driven gears maintenance constant engagement;

Figure 12 discloses one group of driving gear and the driven gear in the alternative embodiments of exemplary transmission system, and wherein driving gear and driven gear are orientated biplane construction as; And

Figure 13 discloses expression and has used speed changer according to the present invention power to be transferred to the exemplary transmission system of the various application of load from power source.

Embodiment

The invention provides the speed changer that can recently move with a lot of or unlimited a plurality of transmission.Speed changer can be keep the constant engagement during the ratio changing between at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear, even and can also keep this engagement when speed changer is in the neutral gear output state.By keeping the constant engagement between at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear, speed changer can be realized the change of the velocity ratio of being correlated with when load is driven, and keeps being connected of power and load simultaneously.

As used herein, term " constant engagement " comprises, but be not limited to, the engagement that roughly continues between at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear, at least one driving gear and at least one driven gear are used to realize the change of the resultant gear ratio of speed changer, make driving gear and driven gear have the constant engagement.In another way, in the speed changer of constant engagement, two or more gears are at different velocity ratios---and in change process of different drive ratios---and be engaged with each other during speed changer rotation.Yet with regard to aforementioned, should be appreciated that, do not require that any specific driving gear always meshes with any specific driven gear.

For example, speed changer moves with " constant engagement ", and each driving gear alternately meshes one or more driven gears under " constant engagement " situation, makes in each driving gear at least one in any set time and the engagement of one or more driven gear.Term " constant engagement " does not require the engagement between the gear of any certain material yet.In fact, can keep constant engagement between the gear of any combined material, these materials comprise, only as example, and metal, composite, timber or plastics.Keeping between metal one or more driving gears and the one or more driven gear under the situation of constant engagement, making the constant engagement that keeps metal to metal, this engagement here also be called " initiatively displacement ".

Here use term " constant speed " to describe an aspect of speed changer according to certain embodiments of the present invention.As used herein, term " constant speed " is described is to rely on such as flank profil such as involute profile and/or dead-beat other device power is transferred to output from input.

Here use term " unlimited speed change " to describe an aspect of speed changer according to certain embodiments of the present invention.As used herein, term " unlimited speed change " includes, but are not limited to can be with the speed changer of a plurality of velocity ratios operations, wherein a plurality of velocity ratios can with very little, may in gear range, change by infinitesimal increment.

As mentioned above, the speed changer that meshes between driving gear and the driven gear generally relies on power source and load to disconnect to be connected with the realization ratio changing.In order to overcome the difficult point that this disconnection connection is brought taking place, has has researched and developed other method of various band transmissions, friction gear shift or maintenance moment of torsion.Yet, these designs do not allow motor to keep high-grade moment of torsion in gearshift procedure, especially when moving with constant speed and keep between wheel tooth constant engagement or at least near constant engagement so that all the more so when keeping constant or approaching constant connection between power source and driving gear and driven gear.

Therefore, in high torque applications, speed changer uses a plurality of gears that ratio changing is provided usually.For example, one or more driving gears of different size can be used for driving one or more driven gears of different size.In order to change between velocity ratio, speed changer makes driving gear and driven gear break away from engagement, and identical or different driving gears and another driven gear are meshed again.Since the driving gear of new engagement and/or the diameter of driven gear less than or greater than previous meshed gears, so velocity ratio changes, make the radius of an engaging gear---be also referred to as lever---and the radius of another engaging gear between relation change.

For example, before ratio changing, the driving gear of engagement and driven gear are with for example 4: 1 velocity ratio operation.For this velocity ratio, the radius of the driven gear of engagement is four times of radius of the driving gear of engagement, and making needs driving gear to carry out the single rotation that four complete rotations realize driven gear.For velocity ratio is changed, make driving gear and driven gear disengaging engagement and make driving gear engagement size be different from the different driven gear of the driven gear of previous engagement.When the size of the driven gear of new engagement increased or reduces, relevant velocity ratio can increase or reduce accordingly.Thereby as seen, a plurality of driven gears and/or driving gear are used for changing between the velocity ratio in discrete range of transmission ratio.

Figure 1A discloses the aspect of the illustrative embodiments of speed changer 100, this speed changer 100 can keep constant engagement during velocity ratio changes, this speed changer can change between velocity ratio with very little increment, the infinitely small or non-substantially discrete increment of possibility.Should be understood that illustrated embodiment only is exemplary mode of execution and is the proposing of illustrative purpose, thereby should not regard limitation of the present invention as.

In this illustrative embodiments, speed changer 100 comprises the speed changer input interface 105 that is connected to external power supply.In addition, speed changer input interface 105 can be connected to the dynamic transfer system 110 in the speed changer 100, make speed changer input interface 105 can with from the input power transmission of external power supply to dynamic transfer system 110.Dynamic transfer system 110 and then can be with the power output system 130 of described input power transmission to speed changer 100.As described in more detailed here disclosed content, dynamic transfer system 110 and power output system 130 can be linked together, thereby by making dynamic transfer system 110 and power output system 130 can obtain the various velocity ratios that are associated with speed changer 100 synchronously, during velocity ratio changes, keep the substantially constant engagement between dynamic transfer system 110 and the power output system 130 like this.And, because dynamic transfer system 110 and power output system 130 were keeping the substantially constant engagement when velocity ratio changed, so dynamic transfer system 110 and power output system 130 change system 135 and common running as a changable type power, velocity ratio because of little increment, may be during infinitely small increment changes, this changable type power changes system 135 and is keeping the substantially constant engagement.

As disclosed herein, speed changer input interface 105 is suitable for being attached to power source.For example, speed changer input interface 105 could be attached to the power source of speed changer 100 outsides.For instance, speed changer input interface 105 can receive the direct or indirect power input that comes from by transmission shaft or other running shaft of engine revolution drive.This motor can be used for various vehicle, aircraft and marine ship.In another embodiment, only for instance, speed changer input interface 105 can be connected to the power source in conveyer belt system, windmill, hydroelectric power system, elevator or any other suitable applications occasion.In addition, the purposes with speed changer 100 of Motor Vehicle power source comprises, gives an example but not limitation passenger vehicle, transport vehicle, construction plant, racing car, all-terrain vehicle, military vehicle and equipment, boats and ships, aircraft and agricultural vehicle and equipment.

In described mode of execution, speed changer input interface 105 is attached to dynamic transfer system 110, make when speed changer input interface 105 receives power, the power transmission that is received is transferred to power output system 130 to dynamic transfer system 110 and by dynamic transfer system 110.In described mode of execution, dynamic transfer system comprises support arm 112, and this support arm 112 is connected to speed changer input interface 105 and rotates when speed changer input interface 105 receives the power input.Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content when receiving the power input, speed changer input interface 105 can drive that support arm 112 is consistent thereupon to be rotated, feasible complete each time rotation along with speed changer input interface 105, support arm 112 is done corresponding complete rotation.Yet, in other embodiments, should be appreciated that, support arm 112 can make that support arm 112 can be to rotate than speed changer input interface 105 greater or lesser speed so that the mode that support arm 112 is rotated with the angular velocity that is different from speed changer input interface 105 is attached to speed changer input interface 105.

As shown in the figure, support arm 112 also is attached to one or more speed change master gears 114.In the present embodiment, speed change master gear 114 is attached to support arm 112, makes that speed change master gear 114 also revolves round the sun around the center of support arm 112 when support arm 112 rotations.By revolution, speed change master gear 114 is with master gear 116 engagements and around master gear 116 lift-over, and speed change master gear 114 is also simultaneously around they own corresponding central axis rotations.Though illustrated is two speed change master gears 114 and single master gear 116, should be appreciated that this configuration is just illustrative, in other embodiments, can use more or less speed change master gear 114 and/or master gear 116.

As shown in Figure 1A, in some embodiments, speed change master gear 114 is attached to one group of transmission gear 118a-d, and the input power that these transmission gears 118a-d receives speed changer input interface 105 is sent to one or more driving tooth wheels 120a-b.For example, in the mode of execution shown in Figure 1A, speed change master gear 114 is attached to a series of transmission gear 118a-d, these transmission gears 118a-d is rotated with the velocity ratio with respect to speed change master gear 114 one to, make that each among the transmission gear 118a-d is also carried out a rotation single, complete for the complete each time rotation of speed change master gear 114.Particularly, in the embodiment shown, speed change master gear 114 is attached to a 114a.Axle 114a passes support arm 112 and further is connected to transmission gear 118a, makes when 114 rotations of speed change master gear axle 114a and the identical rotational speed of each self-sustaining of transmission gear 118a.In order to make the axle 114a rotation in the support arm 112, should be appreciated that support arm 112 also has axle journal and includes, for example, bearing or axle sleeve that a 114a can be rotated in support arm 112.Though shown mode of execution is disclosed is that velocity ratio between speed change master gear 114 and the transmission gear 118a is one to one, but should be appreciated that, this velocity ratio only is an example, and one or more transmission gear 118a-d can be with respect to speed change master gear 114 with different velocity ratio rotations.

Transmission gear 118a can also be attached to the second transmission gear 118b, and this second transmission gear 118b keeps identical or different rpm.Although in the embodiment shown, for example, transmission gear 118a-b is depicted as the umbrella gear of same size, should be appreciated that, can use the gear of various sizes and type or other system of transferring power.For example, in other embodiments, one or more transmission gear 118a-b can be the gears of spur wheel, gear on worm, helical gear or any other adequate types.

In speed changer 100, transmission gear 118b can further be attached to transmission gear 118c-d, and transmission gear 118c-d is configured to the transferring power to driving tooth wheels 120a-b.For example, in the embodiment shown, transmission gear 118a-b is attached to transmission gear 120a-b indirectly by transmission shaft 122.Particularly, transmission gear 118b is attached to transmission shaft 122, makes that rotation transmission shaft 122 rotates as transmission gear 118b during by transmission gear 118a driven rotary.In dynamic transfer system 110, transmission gear 118c can further be attached to transmission shaft 122, makes that transmission gear 118c also rotates when transmission shaft 122 and transmission gear 118b rotation.In addition, transmission gear 118c can and mesh with transmission gear 118d coupling, makes transmission gear 118d by transmission gear 118c driven rotary.Therefore, because transmission gear 118a is attached to speed change master gear 114, and further is attached to transmission gear 118b-d at least indirectly, so when 114 rotations of speed change master gear, transmission gear 118a-d also rotates.As will be disclosed more in detail hereinafter, in some embodiments, transmission gear 118c-d further be configured to and can moves along transmission shaft 122.

Further, according to some illustrative embodiments, transmission shaft 122 could be attached to support arm 112, makes this transmission shaft 122 be contained in when rotated in the support arm 112.In the embodiment shown, for example, support arm is stretched in the end of transmission shaft 122, stretch in the end of transmission shaft 122 support arm the position they be connected with one or more bearings, axle sleeve or other suitable device, make these ends to rotate freely, but wherein also make these end basic fixed significant axial motion take place to prevent transmission shaft 122.Yet in other example, transmission shaft 122 is suitable for rotation and moves axially, and the mode of execution shown in making only is example of transmission shaft 122 but not limitation of the present invention.

In the embodiment shown, dynamic transfer system 110 also comprises drive link 124a-b.In the present embodiment, drive link 124a-b is used to make corresponding driving tooth wheels 120a-b rotation, and driving tooth wheels 120a-b comprises one or more driving gear 121a-f separately.In the embodiment shown, for example, drive link 124a-b is attached to corresponding transmission gear 118d, makes that when transmission gear 118d rotated, drive link 124a-b also rotated, and makes the also rotation of driving gear 121a-f of driving tooth wheels 120a-b thus.

As disclosed herein and as in the illustrative embodiments of Figure 1A shown in further, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can comprise one or more driving gear 121a-f separately.Though in the embodiment shown, for example, driving tooth wheels 120a-b comprises three driving gears that are linked together separately, can be with more or less driving gear in one or more driving tooth wheels.Particularly, in the embodiment shown, driving tooth wheels 120a comprises driving gear 121a-c, and driving tooth wheels 120b comprises driving gear 121d-f.

As shown in the figure, one or more driving gear 121a-f further mesh power output system 130 so that the transmission of power of ultromotivity transmission system 110 is to power output system 130 in the future.In the embodiment shown, for example, power output system 130 comprises a plurality of driven gear 132a-c, and these driven gears 132a-c is ring gear and meshes with one or more driving gear 121a-f respectively in the present embodiment.In the embodiment shown, for example, current driving gear 121f and driven gear 132c engagement.

As disclosed herein, when speed changer input interface 105 received power from power source, speed changer input interface 105 drove support arms 112 rotations.Though for example in the embodiment shown, support arm 112 around with the central axis rotation of the central axis almost coaxial of speed changer input interface 105, but in other embodiments, support arm 112 can rotate around the central axis out-of-alignment axis with speed changer input interface 105.Further, in some embodiments, support arm 112 is attached to drive link 124a-b.For example, in the embodiment shown, as disclosed herein, speed change master gear 114, transmission gear 118a-d and/or transmission shaft 122 are attached to support arm 112 with drive link 124a-b by this way, this mode drives drive link 124a-b and rotates around its corresponding central axis for when support arm 112 during around the rotation of its central axis.By this way, when speed changer input interface 105 received the power input, support arm 112, drive link 124a-b and driving gear 121a-f were separately around its corresponding central axis rotation.

In addition, in the embodiment shown, drive link 124a-b further is attached to support arm 112, make when support arm 112 when its central axis rotates, drive link 124a-b revolves round the sun jointly according to similar path and around the central axis of support arm 112.Therefore, when speed changer input interface 105 rotation, drive link 124a-b and the driving gear 121a-f that is connected to drive link 124a-b carry out rotation around its corresponding central axis respectively, and further revolve round the sun around the central axis of support arm 112.Be fixed on the drive link 124a-b so that keep in the exemplary mode of execution of the rotating speed identical at driving gear 121a-f with drive link 124a-b, should be appreciated that, driving gear 121a-f can thereby carry out rotation and revolution around different respective axis, therefore can be called moon gear here.

When driving gear 121a-f carries out rotation and when revolution, they mesh with the driven gear 132a-c of power output system 130, thus with transmission of power to power output system 130.And, as disclosed herein, the dynamic transfer system 110 of Figure 1A can turn round under the situation that lacks the clutch that is used to change velocity ratio or band, perhaps can be connected to the external power supply that connects with speed changer input interface 105 with otherwise being configured to substantially constant.For example, in some embodiments, driving gear 121a-f serves as moon gear and is carrying out rotation and revolution as the inside of one of driven gear 132a-c of ring gear.Because when speed changer input interface 105 received the power input, driving gear 121a-f kept substantially invariable the connection with speed changer input interface 105 jointly, so driving gear 121a-f carries out rotation and revolution separately.

And, as disclosed herein, power output system 130 can be configured to driving gear 121a-f at least one velocity ratio constant engagement with any specific, perhaps even can during changing between the velocity ratio, carry out such constant engagement.For example, when driving gear 121a-f revolves round the sun or time rotational, at least one among the driving gear 121a-f always can with at least one engagement among the driven gear 132a-c of power output system 130.Therefore, since at least one among the driven gear 132a-c always with driving gear 121a-f at least one engagement, and at least one among the driving gear 121a-f always with power source engagement, thereby among the driven gear 132a-c at least one is connected to power source consistently.And, in some embodiments, as disclosed in more detail here, driven gear 132a-c can link, to such an extent as to make when among the driven gear 132a-c any or a plurality of with driving gear 121a-f engagement and be engaged in by driving gear 121a-f driven rotary driven gear 132a-c one or more during around their corresponding central axis rotations, whole driven gear 132a-c synchronously rotate around they self corresponding central axis.So, if any driven gear 132a-c and driving gear 121a-f engagement, and thereby be connected to power source, each among the driven gear 132a-c is connected to power source and rotation too so.

Keep the substantially constant engagement between one or more among the one or more and driven gear 132a-c among the driving gear 121a-f in order to make, driven gear 132a-c can be configured to alternately mesh by this way driving gear 121a-f, described mode be make among the driving gear 121a-f at least one always with driven gear 132a-c at least one engagement.For example, Fig. 2 A-G illustrates driven gear 132a-c and the driving tooth wheels 120a-b the speed changer 100 of the Figure 1A that finds out from the anterior visual angle of the near-end 101 of speed changer 100.Particularly, Fig. 2 A-G illustrates the driving tooth wheels 120a-b of specific revolution circuit during each stage of the driving gear 121a-f of driving tooth wheels 120a-b, and discloses a kind of mode that can make maintenance constant engagement between power output system 130 and the dynamic transfer system 110.Shown in Fig. 2 A, for example in some embodiments, driven gear 132a-c can be offset, and makes their rotate around the central axis of skew.For example, in the embodiment shown, driven gear 132a-c skew, driven gear 132a is around the central axis rotation of passing center 132a ', driven gear 132b passes the central axis rotation of center 132b ' around it, and driven gear 132c passes the central axis rotation of center 132c ' around it.

In the embodiment shown, driven gear 132a-c spends spacing biases around circumference with 120.Particularly, as can be seen, if draw the circle of an external equilateral triangle that is formed by center 132a '-c ', the line that passes the center of each center among center 132a '-c ' and circumcircle is offset 120 degree respectively.Yet, should be appreciated that this skew only is exemplary but not limitation of the present invention.For example,, can use than three more or less ring gears in other the mode of execution at some, each ring gear can be with the uniformly-spaced skew beyond 120 degree.In other embodiments, use be the not skew of isogonism, and no matter output gear have what.In other embodiments, a plurality of driven gears can be around total axis rotation.

Shown in Fig. 2 A, when three driven gear 132a-c are offset with 120 equi-angularly spaces of spending, be formed with one and be the common sphering gable of each driven gear 132a-c, each driven gear 132a-c forms the limit that this sphering triangular portion branch has.In this total zone, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can revolve round the sun and rotation, enters to mesh and break away from driven gear 132a-c separately and meshes the engagement of simultaneously common maintenance again and driven gear 132a-c.In the present embodiment, for example, driving tooth wheels 120a-b is offset with 180 degree along circumference.Yet, in other embodiments, can use, and/or driving gear or driving tooth wheels can separate by different angular spacings than two more or less driving tooth wheels.

Shown in Figure 1A, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can have at least one the driving gear 121a-f corresponding to each driven gear 132a-c separately.For example, in Figure 1A, driving gear 121a is in the plane identical with driven gear 132a and with driven gear 132a with 121d and meshes.Same, driving gear 121b is in the plane identical with driven gear 132b and with driven gear 132b with 121e and meshes, and driving

gear

121c and 121f also arrange with respect to driven gear 132c similarly.In other embodiments, can use more or less driving gear.For example, can replace one group of two or more driving gear with single gear.For example, the size of single driving gear can be designed as extend through driven gear 132a-c in each plane, make thus this single driving gear can with each engagement among the driven gear 132a-c.Alternately, driving gear can be suitable for moving axially, so as can between the respective planes of each driven gear 132a-c, to move and can with each engagement among the driven gear 132a-c.Therefore, the driving tooth wheels can include as few as a driving gear.

Get back to Fig. 2 A below, as can be seen, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can revolve round the sun in the total zone of driven gear 132a-c and around the axis that departs from the one or more center among the driven gear 132a-c.For example, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can revolve round the sun around the axis that passes central point 120 ' jointly, and this central point 120 ' and driven gear 132a-c rotate any misalignment among central point the 132a '-c ' that is centered on.When driving tooth wheels 120a-b rotated in this total zone, they can alternately mesh with three bent limits in this total zone.As conspicuous among Fig. 2 A, each of three Qu Bianzhong in total zone all is the interior profile of one of corresponding driven torus generating gear 132a-c.So, the wheel tooth of virtual output gear 134 comprises the wheel tooth from each driven torus generating gear 132a-c.Therefore, the virtual output gear 134 of the common qualification of driven gear 132a-c, this virtual output gear 134 drives with driving tooth wheels 120a-b engagement and by driving tooth wheels 120a-b consistently with specific velocity ratio.And the structure of virtual gear 134 can change according to the difference of velocity ratio.For example, when driven gear 132a-c moved in or out, the size of virtual gear 134 can change.Obviously, if the wheel tooth of driven gear 132a-c remains constant dimensions, when virtual output gear 134 was varying sized, the quantity of the virtual tooth gear teeth on the virtual output gear 134 also can thereby change so.Though in the example of Fig. 2 A, virtual gear comprises from each the wheel tooth in three different driven gears, and each driven gear limits the about 1/3rd of virtual output gear, but is to use more or less driven gear can cause the wheel tooth quantity that each driven gear contributes and the percentage contribution of each driven gear that corresponding change takes place.As described in further disclosed content here, during changing between the velocity ratio, virtual output gear 134 also can mesh with driving tooth wheels 120a-b substantially constant ground.

120a-b illustrates a kind of exemplary approach in Fig. 2 A-G in each stage of center 120 ' half part revolution at description driving tooth wheels, wherein driving tooth wheels 120a-b can optionally mesh driven gear 132a-c, also meshes the effective output gear 134 that is formed by driven gear 132a-c thus.In Fig. 2 A, for example, driving tooth wheels 120a-b vertically aims at 0 degree and 180 degree places respectively.In this position, the one or more driving gears among the driving tooth wheels 120b can carry out the dead point engagement with driven gear 132c, and the arbitrary driving gear among the driving tooth wheels 120a and arbitrary driven gear 132a-c break away from engagement fully.According to the disclosure herein content, should be appreciated that though shown in the illustrated mode of execution be driving tooth wheels 120b and driven gear 132c engagement among Fig. 2 A, each gear in needn't driving tooth wheels 120b is in engagement simultaneously.In fact, when any or a plurality of driving gear 121d-f among the driving tooth wheels 120b were in engagement, these driving tooth wheels 120b promptly was in engagement.Shown in the exemplary configuration of Figure 1A, for example, even when only driving gear 121f and ring gear 132c mesh, driving tooth wheels 120b promptly meshes with driven gear 132c.

When driving tooth wheels 120a-b when the central axis that passes center 120 ' revolves round the sun, they can by with driven gear 132a-c alternately engagement keep and 134 engagements of virtual gear.For example, Fig. 2 B illustrates the clockwise driving tooth wheels 120a-b behind revolution 30 degree in position from Fig. 2 A.As shown in the figure, during 30 degree that turn clockwise, driving tooth wheels 120b keeps the engagement with driven gear 132c.In addition, rotating to 30 when spending, driving tooth wheels 120b prepares beginning and breaks away from engagement with driven gear 132c.Yet in about same time, driving tooth wheels 120a and driven gear 132b enter engagement.For example, driving gear 121b (Figure 1A) enters engagement with driven gear 132b.

30 degree if driving tooth wheels 120a-b revolves round the sun along clockwise direction again, driving tooth wheels 120a-b moves to the position shown in Fig. 2 C so.As shown in Fig. 2 C, driving tooth wheels 120a has moved to now with driven gear 132b and has carried out the dead point engagement, and driving tooth wheels 120b breaks away from engagement fully with effective output gear 134.The dead point engagement can take place in the place that the center of for example engaging tooth gear teeth in involute profile is in the root scope of mate gear substantially.

As Fig. 2 D further shown in, along with 120 ' 30 degree that revolve round the sun again clockwise around the center, each driving tooth wheels 120a-b once more all with virtual gear 134 engagements.For example, when driving tooth wheels 120b engagement driven gear 132a, driving tooth wheels 120a and driven gear 132b keep engagement.In a kind of exemplary mode of execution, the driving gear 121d (Fig. 1) of driving tooth wheels 120b thereby engagement driven gear 132a.After this, along with 30 degree that revolve round the sun again clockwise, shown in Fig. 2 E, when driving tooth wheels 120a and the 134 disengaging engagements of virtual gear, driving tooth wheels 120b can enter the dead point engagement with driven gear 132a.

As shown in Fig. 2 F-G, continue keeping same engagement during the revolution at driving tooth wheels 120a-b.Particularly, along with around the center 120 ' revolve round the sun again clockwise 30 the degree, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can be positioned at the position shown in Fig. 2 F, and when driving tooth wheels 120a and driven gear 132c entered engagement, driving tooth wheels 120b kept meshing with driven gear 132a in this position.In one example, the driving gear 121c (Figure 1A) of driving tooth wheels 120a enters engagement with driven gear 132c.After this, driving tooth wheels 120a-b revolve round the sun again clockwise 30 the degree, 180 degree have altogether been rotated from the position of Fig. 2 A, can arrive and be similar to the position shown in Fig. 2 G, in this position, driving tooth wheels 120a and driven gear 132c carry out the dead point engagement, and gear train 120b and each driven gear 132a-c break away from engagement.

After this, except being that relative driving tooth wheels alternately mesh the virtual gear 134, driving tooth wheels 120a-b continues to rotate to and finishes a complete rotation to be similar to the mode shown in Fig. 2 A-G.Particularly, the action meeting of the driving tooth wheels 120a among Fig. 2 A-G is substituted by the action of driving tooth wheels 120b, and the action meeting of driving tooth wheels 120b is alternative by the action of driving tooth wheels 120a.Therefore, when driving tooth wheels 120a-b when the axis that passes center 120 ' revolves round the sun, their common and virtual output gears 134 keep engagement.In addition, as can be seen, in some embodiments, driven gear 132a-c and driving tooth wheels 120a-b be engagement alternately, and driving tooth wheels 120a-b and driving gear 121a-f can also alternately mesh driven gear 132a-c and virtual gear 134, make among the driving gear 121a-f at least one always with driven gear 132a-c at least one engagement.In addition, in driven gear 132a-c connects with the mode of execution that keeps rotation synchronously each other, the engagement of any driven gear 132a-c all can cause each driven gear 132a-c to do corresponding rotation, makes all driven gear 132a-c keep being connected to driving tooth wheels 120a-b and power source.

Though Fig. 2 A-G illustrates driving tooth wheels 120a-b part orbital cycle along clockwise direction, and driving gear 121a-f rotates in the counterclockwise direction around its corresponding center, but should be appreciated that, be not limited to any specific revolution direction according to speed changer of the present invention, and in other embodiments, driving tooth wheels 120a-b around the axis that passes center 120 ' or some other reference points in the counterclockwise direction or other direction revolve round the sun.For example, be reversed, can see a kind of graphical representation of exemplary of driving tooth wheels 120a-b orbital cycle in the counterclockwise direction by making the circular order shown in Fig. 2 A-G.In addition, though shown mode of execution disclosed be that another driving tooth wheels should be appreciated that in the engagement of engagement place, dead point this configuration only is as example, is not limitation of the present invention when driving tooth wheels break away from engagement.For example, it is contemplated that, in other embodiments, in one or more driving tooth wheels and the engagement of one or more driven gear, same driving tooth wheels or another driving tooth wheels and other driven gear engagement.

For example, when driving tooth wheels 120a-b along the revolution path when advancing, described driving tooth wheels 120a-b meshes virtual gear 134 by alternately meshing driven gear 132a-c, so driving tooth wheels 120a-b drives driven gear 132a-c rotation.As discussed previously, this is because the driving gear 121a-f of driving tooth wheels 120a-b can carry out rotation and revolution.For example, each driven gear can both be by drive and around himself central axis rotation.Get back to Figure 1A below, as can be seen, in some embodiments, output driven gear 132a-c can be bound up, and makes that driven gear 132a-c can both keep identical rotation when each central axis around himself in them rotates.For example, in the embodiment shown, power output system 130 comprises the linked system 136 that is used for each driven gear 132a-c.Usually, linked system 136 associates the rotation of each in the rotation of each driven gear and other driven gear.So, when a driven gear rotation, other driven gear all has the respective synchronization rotation around himself central axis separately.

According to a kind of illustrative embodiments of the present invention, each linked system 136 all comprises the output moon gear 138 of one of engagement driven gear 132a-c.In the embodiment shown, driving gear 121a-f gear-profile separately is meshed with the inner teeth gear teeth flank profil of driven gear 132a-c, makes that driven gear 132a-c is driven to rotate when driving gear 121a-f carries out rotation and/or revolution.Further, the outer gear flank profil of driven gear 132a-c can also be meshed with the gear-profile of output moon gear 138.So, as just example, when driving gear 121a-f engagement and driving driven gear 132a-c, driven gear 132a-c drives output moon gear 138 rotations of linked system 136, and thereby with the output moon gear 138 of transmission of power to linked system 136.

Linked system 136 may further include and exports the output sun gear 140 that moon gear 138 matches.As shown in Figure 1, for example, output moon gear 138 is microscler, makes them can mesh driven gear 132a-c and output sun gear 140.Yet in other embodiments, output moon gear 138 can be divided into the different piece that connects subsequently, makes the gear engagement driven gear 132a-c that wins, second gear engagement output sun gear 140.

Because output moon gear 138 matches with output sun gear 140, so when 138 rotations of output moon gear, the wheel tooth of the wheel tooth engagement output sun gear 140 of output moon gear 138 also makes 140 rotations of output sun gear thus.In some embodiments, linked system 136 further comprises couple axle 142, and described couple axle 142 is connected to output sun gear 140 at its far-end.In some embodiments, couple axle 142 also is connected to output transmission gear 145 at its near-end.In some embodiments, couple axle 142, output sun gear 140 and output transmission gear 145 are suitable for the rotating speed that keeps identical.For example, couple axle 142 can be connected to output sun gear 140 and output transmission gear 145, makes that output transmission gear 145 also rotates when 140 rotations of output sun gear.Alternatively, output transmission gear 145 is with the speed rotation identical with output sun gear 140.

In some embodiments, speed changer 100 may further include the element of the linked system 136 that is used for connecting output system 130 each driven gear 132a-c, make that the output of all other linked systems 136 is done identical synchronous rotation around its corresponding axis when for example making the output rotation of any linked system 136 by rotation output sun gear 140.In the embodiment shown, for example, speed changer 100 comprises the output gear 146 of each output transmission gear 145 of each linked system 136 of engagement.So, when arbitrary driven gear 132a-c rotates, mesh output gears 146 and drive this output gear 146 rotations corresponding to a linked system of the driven gear that meshes and rotate 136.Because when each output transmission gear 145 of each linked system 136 meshes with output gear 146, if so any output transmission gear 145 rotation, output gear 146 just is engaged with and rotates so, and further drives all other output transmission gears and do corresponding rotation.So, one or more rotation among the driven gear 132a-c can be passed to output gear 146 by its corresponding linked system 136 with power, the linked system 136 of engaging gear makes not engaging gear rotation synchronously so this drives not, and this rotation is consistent and corresponding with the rotation of the driven gear of described one or more engagements.Therefore, as can be seen, any driven gear 132a-c by such as with driving gear 121a-c in mode such as one or more engagement and be connected with power source and can cause each driven gear 132a-c all to be connected with power source.

For power output is provided from speed changer 100, speed changer 100 also comprises speed changer output interface 170, and this speed changer output interface 170 is connected to power train, load or dynamic dissipation device again so that outputting power is transferred to this power train, load or dynamic dissipation device.Although in the embodiment shown, speed changer output interface 170 is connected to the linked system 136 corresponding to driven gear 132b, and this layout is not a limitation of the present invention.When speed changer output interface 170 is provided with as shown in Figure 1, because the one or more engagements among driven gear 132b and the driving tooth wheels 120a-b, perhaps otherwise be driven to rotate, so linked system 136 also can be rotated, make 170 rotations of speed changer output interface and transferring power output thus.From the disclosure content be appreciated that when driven gear 132b be not during directly with driving tooth wheels 120a-b engagement, speed changer output interface 170 also can provide power to export.For example, when driven

gear

132a or 132c were engaged, linked system 136 and output gear 146 can drive linked system 136 rotations corresponding to output driven gear 132b, also provide power output to speed changer output interface 170 thus.

Although it is the far-ends that are connected directly to the linked system related with driven gear 132b 136 that Figure 1A illustrates speed changer output interface 170, should be appreciated that also this layout only is exemplary.In other embodiments, speed changer output interface 170 can be connected directly to any other linked system 136.In going back some other mode of executions, speed changer output interface 170 is not to be connected directly to arbitrary linked system 136.For example, speed changer output interface 170 is replaceable appoints one or more among the driven gear 132a-c for being connected directly to, or be connected directly to output gear 146, perhaps be attached to arbitrary linked system 136, output gear 146 or driven gear 132a-c in any suitable manner indirectly.

In some embodiments, the physical size of each driving gear 121a-f all is identical.In addition, the physical size of each output driven gear 132a-c also can be identical, make no matter which driving gear 121a-f mesh driven gear 132a-c, the relation between the radius of the radius of driving gear 121a-f and the driven gear 132a-c that is meshed can not change.Therefore, as disclosed in more detail here, speed changer 100 can recently turn round and need not optionally with the entity gear engagement of different size and break away from engagement with a plurality of transmissions, and need not clutch and band.Therefore, thus because speed changer 100 can be not needing clutch or bringing under the situation that engages or be disengaged with driving gear or driven gear running change velocity ratio, so speed changer 100 can serve as the speed changer of no-clutch.Thereby speed changer 100 is no-clutchs, and is former because speed changer 100 need not have clutch on driving gear and driven gear or velocity ratio can be worked and/or change to band just, no matter whether otherwise use clutch or band in the speed changer 100.Yet in a kind of exemplary mode of execution of speed changer 100, this speed changer 100 does not use clutch or band for any purpose.

Although embodiments of the present invention can extend to the speed changer of no-clutch, even wherein during ratio changing driving gear 121a-f also whole keep with driven gear 132a-c in one or more constant engagement, but necessary in the structure of the no-clutch mode of execution that to be not the present invention all.Particularly,, may desirablely be to use clutch or other mechanism to come at least temporarily to make driving gear and driven gear to break away from engagement, be connected thereby make power source disconnect with load in some applications.Yet,, should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention comprise the aspects such as ability that change such as between very many and the unlimited non-discrete velocity ratio how of possibility even in this embodiment.This mode of execution of the present invention also can be included in the ability of switching with the very of short duration time between the velocity ratio, be connected if make driving gear temporarily disconnect each other with driven gear, so this disconnection connects the very little torque peak that even do not cause of torque peak that can ignore and cause for the influence of the load momentum that is associated.

For example, shown in Figure 1B, disclose a kind of alternative embodiments of speed changer 100 ', wherein used one or more clutches 123 that can be connected with driving gear 121a-f.Should be appreciated that shown mode of execution only is exemplary, the clutch that can use any adequate types and setting be connected according to speed changer of the present invention.

In the mode of execution shown in Figure 1B, on each transmission shaft 124a-b, all be provided with at least one clutch 123.For example, on transmission shaft 124a, clutch 123 can be arranged between driving gear 121a and the transmission gear 118d, and is configured to prevent the rotation of driving gear 121.Particularly, when input shaft 105 rotation drove transmission shaft 124a-b thus and carries out rotation and revolution, clutch 123 can be engaged.Rotatablely moving of driving gear 121a prevented in the engagement of clutch and then driving gear 121a is separated with the rotation of input shaft 105 thus.Should be appreciated that because clutch is arranged between driving gear 121a and the transmission gear 118, so be engaged when stoping driving gear 121a to be rotated thus to move when clutch 123, rotatablely moving of driving gear 121b-c also prevented.

Shown in further among Figure 1B, clutch 123 can be arranged on the transmission shaft 124b equally, between driving gear 121d and transmission gear 118d.Therefore, when this clutches engaged made driving gear 121d separate with the rotation of input shaft 105 thus, each stopped the rotation driving gear 121d-f.Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, can use any other that clutch device of corresponding function can be provided.Thereby the mode of execution of scope of the present invention shown in being not limited to, other clutch configuration comprises that the quantity of clutch, the type of clutch, position of clutch or the like can change.In addition, suitable clutch can provide such as mobile driving gear or driven gear so that break away from additional functions such as engagement with driving gear and driven gear.And described one or more clutches 123 can be controlled in any suitable manner.For example, can adopt artificial or electronic control.Therefore, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, clutch can be operated and be controlled by all described as disclosed herein electronic control systems 180 (Fig. 7) iso-variable velocity device control system.

As mentioned above, one or more clutches 123 can be arranged on any suitable position, and this position makes clutch that driving gear 121a-f is separated with the rotation of input shaft 105.For example, although clutch 123 can such setting as implied above, promptly between transmission gear 118a and driving

gear

121a, 121d, clutch 123 alternately or additionally is arranged on other position of transmission shaft 124a-b.For example, be depicted as the alternative position of clutch 123 or other position with dotted line.Particularly, on transmission shaft 124a, one or more clutches 123 can be arranged between driving gear 121a and the driving gear 121b and/or between driving gear 121b and the driving gear 121c.Similarly, one or more clutches 123 also can be arranged between driving gear 121d on the transmission shaft 124b and the driving gear 121e and/or between driving gear 121e and the driving gear 121f.

Be arranged on the transmission shaft 124a-b although shown clutch 123 is illustrated as, the clutch of Shi Yonging is not limited to this setup by this way.In fact, in some embodiments, desirable is that revolution and the spinning motion of driving gear 121a-f are all prevented.Therefore, clutch can be additionally or alternately is used to prevent the revolution motion of driving gear 121a-f.And unrestricted, clutch (not shown) can be arranged between input shaft 105 and the support arm 112 as example.When this clutch broke away from engagement, the rotation of input shaft 105 will be as above with reference to described lasting like that support arm 112 rotations that drive of Figure 1A.Yet when this clutch was engaged, the rotation of input shaft 105 separated with support arm 112, made support arm 112 can stop revolution.Should be appreciated that according to content disclosed herein by preventing the revolution of support arm 112, the spinning motion of driving gear 121a-f and revolution motion also can be prevented, and therefore separate with the rotation of input shaft 105.

One or more clutches 123 can also be implemented in various other modes.For example, in one embodiment, one or more clutches can be combined in the end of transmission shaft 124a-b.In this embodiment, described axle can be set to have the axle that is positioned at shaft device, makes single clutch can control engagement and/or the rotation of each driving gear 121a-f.

Should be appreciated that according to content disclosed herein clutch 123 can be to be suitable for making the spinning motion of driving gear 121a-f and/or revolution motion to connect and separate and/or driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c are meshed and out-of-gear various dissimilar clutch with the rotation of input shaft 105.For example, clutch 123 can be implemented in every way by the actual demand of concrete application, including, but not limited to, plate clutch, conical clutch, jaw-clutch, dog-clutch, spiral dog-clutch, rachet clutch, taper-dish type combined clutch, magnetic clutch, hydraulic coupling or centrifugal clutch.In addition, should be appreciated that, clutch 123 can be orientated as and make driving gear 121a-f in clutch, implement.For example, driving gear 121a-f can be arranged in the clutch box body, makes clutch 123 substantial registration driven gear 132a-c.

Further, although the above-mentioned disclosure of speed changer 100 ' comprises that the one or more clutches 123 of use come optionally and temporarily driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c disengaging is meshed that should be appreciated that, this only is exemplary openly.In other embodiments, for example, can limit determining the orientation of driving gear 121a-f once more, and the orientation of driving gear 121a-f determined to make in this window, keep meshing with driven gear 132a-c to time window.For example, the length of time window can be short be enough to avoid torque peak or allow only insignificant torque peak.In addition, this time window can be connected to the carry-out part of speed changer.In one embodiment, this connection enlarges according to the change of output speed or dwindles time window.Therefore the orientation of driving gear 121a-f can pre-determine in time window.The result, although the engagement of clutch or break away from engagement can be directed once more continuing engagement with driven gear 132a-c to driving gear 121a-f, this for making driving gear 121a-f and the out-of-gear clutch seizure of driven gear 132a-c not necessarily.

Although embodiments of the present invention can be used identical driving gear of separately physical size and separately the identical driven gear of physical size, should be appreciated that this relation not necessarily.In addition, although in some embodiments, the physical size of driving gear and driven gear can have nothing in common with each other, and any concrete variation on the physical size is not necessary condition for speed changer disclosed herein.In fact, as disclosed herein, the present invention can use physical size driving gear and driven gear much at one.In addition, in some embodiments, driving gear and driven gear be diameter from an axial end to essentially identical spur wheel of another axial end or helical gear, make them on width, not have tapering.Yet in other embodiments, driving gear and driven gear can be the umbrella gear that attenuates to another axial end from an axial end, perhaps otherwise contraction or inhomogeneous to the size of another axial end from an axial end.In general, can effectively implement function disclosed herein one or more aspects gear any gear geometry, size and/or arrange and all can adopt.Therefore, scope of the present invention is not limited to illustrative embodiments disclosed herein.

Below with reference to Fig. 3 A-C describe when keep between power source and the load be connected and keep constant or substantially invariable engagement between driving gear and the driven gear time change a kind of mode of velocity ratio, Fig. 3 A-C schematically discloses the aspect of speed changer 200, and speed changer 200 is similar to speed changer 100 (Figure 1A) and 100 ' (Figure 1B).Particularly, Fig. 3 A-C shows the speed changer 200 of various velocity ratios.

In the illustrative embodiments shown in Fig. 3 A, speed changer 200 comprises three driven gear 232a-c, and each driven gear 232a-c is configured to around the axis rotation of passing corresponding center.In addition, speed changer 200 comprises with driven gear 232a-c engagement and makes two the driving gear 220a-b or the driving tooth wheels of driven gear 232a-c rotation.Should be appreciated that the quantity of driven gear and driving gear only is exemplary, in other embodiments, can use more or less driving gear and/or driven gear.In addition, in some embodiments, as disclosed herein, these three driven gear 232a-c can be bound up, make when each driven gear when the central axis of himself rotates, three driven gear 232a-c can both keep identical rotation.In addition, although shown in illustrative embodiments in, driven gear 232a-c is a ring gear and with the basic angular spacings skew that equates of about 120 degree, driving gear 220a-b is with about 180 degree skews, but should be appreciated that the configuration of disclosed driven gear 232a-c and driving gear 220a-b and layout only are exemplary.

As disclosed herein, driven gear 232a-c can be configured to both be rotated when meshing with driving gear 220a-b, also is rotated by the linked system driven rotary time.Yet except it rotatablely moved, ring gear 232a-c can also inside and outside translation.For example, shown in Fig. 3 A-C, each driven gear 232a-c can both slide inside and outside path for translation, and one or more other the path for translation of driven gear of described path for translation distance have a certain amount of skew.Shown in illustrative embodiments in, for example, along corresponding path for translation 233a-c translation, path for translation 233a-c radially extends from the respective center of each driven gear 232a-c driven gear 232a-c separately.In some instances, the angular variation of each path for translation 232a-c can equate.Therefore, as just example, for three driven gear 232a-c, the angular variation of each path for translation 233a-c is about 120 degree.So, no matter the radial position of driven gear how, each driven gear can both the translation and the identical angular variation of other driven gear of keeping at a distance.

As shown in Figure 3A, in this embodiment, driven gear 232a-c generates one and has bent limit, part triangular in shape substantially, and this part limits the virtual gear 234 with one of at least constant engagement of driving gear 220a-b.Should be appreciated that the size and dimension of virtual gear 234 can change and virtual gear 234 need not specific layout, size or shape.For example, the shape of virtual gear 234 can or change according to the radial position of driven gear 232a-c as disclosed herein according to the quantity of the driven gear that limits virtual gear 234.

In virtual gear 234, driving gear 220a-b is positioned at the far-end of lever 219a-b.In addition, as mentioned above, driving gear 220a-b can be configured to carry out revolution motion.Therefore, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, lever 219a-b represents distance between the driving gear 220a-b and the driving gear 220a-b axis around its revolution.Therefore, lever 219a-b intersects in its proximal end opposite with far-end driving gear 220a-b location separately, and this intersection limits driving gear 220a-b around center that the axis of its revolution passes.And, except revolution motion or as the substituting of revolution motion, each driving gear 220a-b can be around the central axis rotation of himself passing its respective center accordingly.

When implementing according to the described speed changer 200 of principle disclosed herein, shown lever 219a-b can be real lever or virtual lever.For example, the entity lever can be attached between the center of intersection between the driving gear at lever one end place and lever 219a-b.Alternately, lever can be virtual.For example, as shown in Figure 1A-B, axial axis 120a-b can keep driving gear 121a-f and driving gear 121a-f is revolved round the sun around the revolution axis at center, keeps driving gear 121a-f and their being connected between the axis of its revolution and need not the entity lever arm.

No matter be real or virtual, can control and change lever 219a-b, make their length separately to change.For example, with respect to driving gear 220a-b, the driving gear 220a-b at place, the end of lever 219a-b can radially outwards slide among Fig. 3 A, makes the length of lever 219a-b change.As shown in the figure, for example, driving gear 220a-b can radially slide into the position shown in Fig. 3 B and Fig. 3 C from the position Fig. 3 A, perhaps slides into the arbitrary position between the position shown in Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 C.Therefore as can be seen, when radially translation from Fig. 3 A to Fig. 3 C took place driving gear 220a-b, the length of lever 219a-b increased.Equally, if driving gear 220a-b radially moves to the position Fig. 3 B or Fig. 3 A from the position of Fig. 3 C, the length of lever 219a-b correspondingly reduces so.

When driving gear 220a-b when revolve round the sun in the center of lever 219a-b, they can mesh each ring gear 232a-c, thereby drive driven gear 232a-c rotation.And when the length of lever 219a-b increased, the revolution radius of driving gear 220a-b increased, thereby had also increased the revolution path length of driving gear 220a-b.In order to make driving gear 220a-b in according to longer revolution path operation, keep constant angular velocity, need to increase the linear velocity of driving gear 220a-b.Equally, when the length of lever 219a-b reduced, the radius and the length in the revolution path of driving gear 220a-b reduced, and the linear velocity of driving gear 220a-b correspondingly reduces.

Therefore, the linear velocity of the last any point of driving gear 220a-b is relevant with the angular velocity that length and the driving gear 220a-b of lever 219a-b rotate.For example, in the disclosed illustrative embodiments, driving gear 220a-b matches at contact points 235 places with driven gear 232a-c in Fig. 3 A-C.Should be appreciated that, contact points 235 places on driving gear 220a-b, the linear velocity of contact points 235 is relevant with the revolution motion of driving gear 220a-b.Particularly, if v ₁Be the linear velocity of driving gear 220a-b at contact points 235 places, then v ₁With the pass of the revolution motion of driving gear 220a-b be equation: v ₁=ω ₁L, wherein ω ₁Be angular velocity, i.e. the rpm of the revolution speed of driving gear 220a-b or revolution, and l is that contact points 235 is to the distance of driving gear 220a-b around its axis that revolves round the sun.Therefore, as can be seen, v ₁Be directly proportional with l, if ω ₁Be maintained fixed constant, v so ₁To increase and increase with l, and v ₁To reduce and reduce with l.

In addition, if driven gear 232a-c when meshing with driving gear 220a-c around the rotation of the center of driven gear, the linear velocity v of the contact points on the driven gear 232a-c so ₂With the pass that rotatablely moves of driven gear 232a-c be equation v ₂=ω ₂R, wherein ω ₂Equal angular velocity, i.e. the rotational speed of driven gear 232a-c or rpm, and r is the radius of driven gear 232a-c.Therefore, as can be seen, v ₂With ω ₂Be directly proportional,, work as v so if it is constant to make that r is maintained fixed ₂During increase, ω ₂Increase, work as v ₂When reducing, ω ₂Also reduce.

In addition, contact points 235 is that driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c are common, makes driving gear 220a-b identical in the linear velocity at contact points 235 places with driven gear 232a-c.Therefore, at binding site 235 places, v ₁=v ₂Therefore, at the angular velocity omega of driving gear 220a-b ₁The revolution of and driving gear 220a-b constant with the radius r almost fixed of driven gear 232a-c is apart from the angular velocity omega of l and driven gear 232a-c ₂In the system that can change, l and ω ₂Between relation can be expressed as l=k ω ₂, wherein k equals r/ ω ₁Constant.Therefore, ω ₂Be directly proportional with l, increase or when reducing, another person is with corresponding change when one.Therefore, as can be seen, when the length of lever 219a-b increases and reduces, thereby increase or reduced the linear velocity of the contact points of driving gear 220a-b, the corresponding increase of the angular velocity of driven gear 232a-c or reduce.

Relation between the angular velocity of the length of lever 219a-b and driven gear 232a-c can be further described by two simple examples.Should be appreciated that following example is not a limitation of the present invention, and only be to describe aspects more of the present invention.

In first example, can will be arranged so that the length of lever is 1 inch such as the 200 iso-variable velocity devices of the speed changer among Fig. 3 B.In addition, can also suppose that the diameter that speed changer was set to or was configured to driving gear equals 1 inch, the radius of driven gear equals 8 inches, and driving gear can revolve round the sun with constant angular velocity 2000RPM.Therefore the linear velocity of---promptly apart from driving gear around its axis that revolves round the sun point farthest---approximates 4000 inch per minute (ω greatly to be appreciated that in this example the contact points on the driving gear outward edge ₁=2000RPM, l=(1 inch+1 inch)).

Further, because contact points is that driving gear and driven gear institute are shared, so driven gear is at the linear velocity v at contact points place ₂Equal the linear velocity v of driving gear at the contact points place ₁Therefore, in this example, v ₂Also equal 4000 inch per minute clocks.And, because driven gear is around the rotation of its central axis and have fixing radius, so the angular velocity omega of driven gear ₂Can determine and approximate 500RPM (v greatly ₂=4000 inch per minute clocks, the r=8 inch).Therefore, the angular velocity omega of driven gear ₂It is the angular velocity omega of driving gear ₁1/4th times (500RPM compares with 2000RPM), make this exemplary configuration of driving gear and driven gear that the gear reduction of 4:1 is provided.

Yet, in second example, adopt such as the 200 iso-variable velocity devices of the speed changer among Fig. 3 C, and suppose that as in first example the diameter of driving gear is 1 inch, the constant radius of driven gear is constant and equal 8 inches, and driving gear revolves round the sun with constant angular velocity 2000RPM.Yet, in this example, suppose that also lever length increases to for example 3 inches.Should be appreciated that, if increased lever length like this, so on the outward edge of driving gear apart from the linear velocity v of driving gear around the contact points of the axis farthest of its rotation ₁Approximate 8000 inch per minute clock (ω greatly ₁=2000RPM, l=(1 inch+3 inches)).Because contact points is shared by driven gear and driving gear, so driven gear is at the linear velocity v at contact points place ₂Also be about 8000 inch per minute clocks.And, because linear velocity v ₂Increase, so the angular velocity omega of driven gear ₂Also must increase to the angular velocity that surpasses driven gear in first example.For example, in this second example, the angular velocity omega of driven gear 232a-c ₂Be about 1000RPM (v ₂=8000 inch per minute clocks, the r=8 inch).Therefore, the angular velocity omega of driven gear ₂It only is the angular velocity omega of driving gear ₁1/2nd times (1000RPM compares with 2000RPM), make this exemplary configuration of driving gear and driven gear that the gear reduction of 2:1 is provided.

Therefore, invariable even the angular velocity of driving gear 220a-b keeps as can be seen, so that increase or reduce the length of lever 219a-b, the angular velocity of driven gear 232a-c can corresponding increase or is reduced by radially mobile driving gear 220a-b.Therefore, even for the invariable situation of the input angular velocity of driving gear 220a-b, the angular velocity of driven gear 232a-c still can change, thereby provides the velocity ratio in the speed changer 200 to change.And, be appreciated that driving gear 220a-b is not limited to two kinds of positions in the above-mentioned example.In fact, wait in some examples at the speed changer 100 ' of the speed changer shown in Figure 1A 100 and Figure 1B, one group of driving gear can be in a plurality of positions, may be to change between the unlimited position.Each radial position all produces different lever arms, the lever length that each velocity ratio is corresponding different.Therefore, driving gear 220a-b can slide in the scope of possible position, and this defines a unlimited non-discrete velocity ratio.Equally, even driving gear 220a-b only keeps engagement at discrete location, thus stepping between described position, driving gear 220a-b still can stepping between the numerous different discrete velocity ratio of limited quantity.

For example, with reference to Figure 1A, driving tooth wheels 120a-b can radially inwardly or outwards slide, and driven gear 132a-b correspondingly radially inwardly or outwards slides simultaneously.As mentioned above, in each position along the radial translation path, the length difference in the revolution path of driving tooth wheels 120a-b, thus limit different velocity ratios.In some embodiments, as more specifically disclosed here, driving gear 120a-b can be configured to when driving tooth wheels 120a-b and driven gear 132a-c radially during translation and driven gear 132a-c keep constant engagement.Thereby, because driving tooth wheels 120a-b can move to any position of linear path, so the non-discrete velocity ratio of unlimited amount can be arranged.

Be appreciated that the non-discrete velocity ratio that there is no need to limit unlimited amount according to content disclosed herein.In fact, in one embodiment, a plurality of discrete velocity ratios are limited by this way, this mode between adjacent velocity ratio, change be discover less than or almost imperceptible, make speed changer be similar to unlimited speed changer.For example, with reference to the speed changer 100 ' shown in Figure 1B.As mentioned above, speed changer 100 ' can comprise one or more clutches 123, and described clutch 123 allows the rotation of driving gear 121a-f and/or revolution at least temporarily to interrupt.This interruption can be undertaken by making clutches engaged, and this velocity ratio also can take place simultaneously changes.

For example,, in speed changer 100 ', can change velocity ratio with little increment according to a kind of illustrative embodiments, described increment little to make this change at least almost discover less than.For example, according to a kind of mode of execution, the length in the revolution path of each obtainable position can increase or reduce such amount, this amount is little of making that engaging clutch, mobile driving gear 121a-f and needed time of driven gear 132a-c are very little, so that this change is a lot/one in a second, even almost moment finishes.For the further minimizing time, can carry out this control automatically by automatical control system.Yet the disclosure herein content does not stop motion and/or the clutch 123 by operator control driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c.

According to a kind of mode of execution, various discrete tracks path can obtain, and is whole complete virtual gear at each virtual gear in discrete location place.Particularly, that is to say that the peripheral length of so virtual gear can be divided into an integer wheel tooth by the size of the wheel tooth on driving gear 121a-f or the driven gear 132a-c, does not have imperfect wheel tooth if virtual gear is circular.For instance, be that circumference is that 12 inches virtual gear is whole complete virtual gear, because its circumference can be divided into just in time 48 complete gear wheel teeth under 1/4th inches the exemplary cases in the facewidth.Therefore, for the identical facewidth, circumference is that 12 and 1/3rd inches virtual gear then is not whole complete virtual gear, adds 1/3rd the 50 wheel tooth because it can be divided into 49 complete wheel teeth.

By change the revolution path of driving gear 121a-f between discrete path, wherein the length in each discrete path can be divided exactly by the facewidth of driving gear 121a-f, can reduce extra complexity.For example, as mentioned above, if driving gear 121a-f slides into the radial position that the circumference of the virtual gear that is limited by driven gear 132a-c is not the complete virtual circle of integral body, when driving gear 121a-f carried out rotation and revolution, driving gear 121a-f just can not aim at the wheel tooth of driven gear 132a-c exactly so.In fact, the imperfect wheel tooth in the virtual gear can cause skew, and this will reduce the efficient of speed changer.

Less translation distance it is evident that for those of ordinary skills, even also can provide a lot of discrete velocity ratios.For example, should be appreciated that, in order to become next whole complete virtual circle from a complete virtual circle of integral body, the amount that circumference only needs to increase or minimizing equates with the facewidth.Because driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c radially move, and the relational equation of the radius of virtual gear and girth is: c=2 π r, thereby can derive t _wEqual the facewidth, with t _w/ change in radius that (2 π) is equal will change driving gear 121a-f the revolution path size and will become next whole complete virtual gear by the virtual gear that driven gear 132a-c limits.And, can control to guarantee that driving gear 121a-f only is the position engagement driven gear 132a-c of the complete virtual gear of integral body at the virtual gear that is limited speed changer.For control engagement by this way, can use machinery or electronic control.For example, can adopt the step mechanical gearing mechanism shift mechanism.Alternately, perhaps additionally, electronic control system can be controlled motion, engagement and the disengaging engagement of driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c.

In the less mode of execution of the size of the wheel tooth that driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c match, should be appreciated that the minimum radial translation of driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c just can realize the velocity ratio that disperses.For example, in the example shown, driving gear can have such gear-profile, and wherein the facewidth of wheel tooth is 1/2nd inches.Therefore, driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c will need radially mobile only 1/ (4 π) inch or be similar to 0.08 inch distance, thereby move between velocity ratio.Therefore, by making only two inches radial distance of driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c translation, just can obtain discrete velocity ratio more than 25.

In addition, because it is very little to move needed radial distance between velocity ratio, so it is also considerably less to make the needed time of this change.As a result, in some embodiments, be that the next one almost is instantaneous generation from a ratio changing.For example, in the example of the speed changer 100 ' of Figure 1B, engaging clutch 123, driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c are radially moved to next whole complete virtual circle and revolution path and make clutch break away from engagement subsequently only is a lot/one in a second with the rotation of resetting driving gear 121a-f and/or the required time of revolving round the sun.In fact, this control of speed changer 100 ' is by automatically control of control system, and the time of finishing this change may be equivalent to more than one percent or 1/tens the order of magnitude in a second.

Although aforementioned content is disclosed to be step change transmission, described step change transmission steps to the size of virtual gear between the discrete velocity ratio of opening with the augmental interval of a tooth, but should be appreciated that this feature is not restrictive, it is contemplated that other mode of execution.For example, as mentioned above, in such as speed changer 100 mode of executions such as (Figure 1A), speed changer fully can stepping, but can slide between velocity ratio.Yet, in the mode of execution that the step-by-step movement gear changes, can use other increment except a tooth.For example, in other embodiments, the stepping between the velocity ratio can be carried out with two, three, four or more a plurality of tooth increment.In other mode of executions, stepping between the velocity ratio can depend on the quantity of driving gear in the speed changer or driven gear, the perhaps position of driving gear and driven gear, for example, having the speed changer of five driving gears or five driving gear positions can be with five tooth increment stepping between velocity ratio.Equally, having the speed changer of three driven gears or three driven gear positions can be with three tooth increment stepping between velocity ratio.

As discussed previously, when the input part of speed changer rotates continuously, can realize ratio changing, make that speed changer is connecting power source when ratio changing.Yet, should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, when changing velocity ratio, can be connected with the power source disconnection according to speed changer of the present invention, perhaps power source can be closed.For example, in one embodiment, can be applied in the gear-box that is connected to line belt according to speed changer of the present invention.In order between velocity ratio, to change, can close the power of conveyer belt system.The user can radially move to desirable velocity ratio with driving gear and driven gear with manual, electronic or some alternate manners then, then inserts power again.In this case, be also to be understood that clutch 123 (Figure 1B) also can be unnecessary, can save.

Though some aforesaid examples have been done certain hypothesis to quantity, size, position, angular velocity and the wheel tooth of driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c, but should be appreciated that, these hypothesis are only done for above-mentioned example, and never are limitation of the present invention.As an alternative, they only regard the mode that changes for the speed changer that clearly show that the concrete illustrative embodiments according to the present invention as between velocity ratio.In fact, should be appreciated that, is that they can be upgraded and are used for various applications such as an aspect of speed changer 100 (Figure 1A), speed changer 100 ' (Figure 1B) and speed changer 600 (Figure 11 A-B) iso-variable velocity device.Therefore, expection driving gear and driven gear can be virtually any sizes, have the gear of varying number and the wheel tooth of any suitable dimension, and can be with various angular velocity runnings, as the application of speed changer is needed.For example, example speed changer of the present invention can combine and implement with airplane carrier or other large-scale seagoing vessel, and can adopt very huge driving gear and driven gear, if the diameter of described driving gear and driven gear also arrives a lot of feet less than several yards.Alternately, the exemplary speed changer of another kind of the present invention for example can be applied in the model car, can adopt very little driving gear and driven gear, and the diameter of described driving gear and driven gear is if measure also by centimetre measuring not according to millimeter.

As previous disclosed with reference to Fig. 3 A-C, when the length of lever 219a-b increased, the revolution path changing of driving gear 220a-b, driven gear 232a-c also must move so that keep engagement with driving gear 220a-b.Therefore, shown in Fig. 3 A-C, when driven gear 232a-c for example when separately path for translation 233a-c moves, the size of virtual gear 234 changes.Therefore, even do not make the entity driven tooth wheels of driving gear 220a-b engagement different size, the velocity ratio in the speed changer 200 also can change.Alternately, as disclosed herein, the size in the revolution path by changing driving gear 220a-b and change velocity ratio with the size of the virtual gear 234 of driving gear 220a-b engagement.

Make during the ratio changing that changes for size and keep constant engagement or substantially constant engagement between driving gear 220a-b and the driven gear 232a-c at virtual gear 234, driven gear 232a-c is synchronous with the length change of lever 219a-b along the translational motion meeting of path for translation 233a-c, and this correspondingly causes the radial motion of driving gear 220a-b.Particularly, when driven gear 232a-c outwards or inwardly moves, the length of lever 219a-b roughly side by side increases or reduces corresponding amount, thereby even make driven gear 232a-c and driving gear 220a-b its separately revolution and the spinning motion process in and add deduct at the length in the revolution path of driving gear 220a-b and/or increasing diameter alternatively as mentioned above and keep the constant engagement during few.So, keep the constant engagement at various velocity ratios.And, even adopt in the mode of execution of step-by-step movement ratio changing at exemplary speed changer, also can realize this change by this small motion of driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c, to such an extent as to this motion small to make driving gear 220a-b and speed changer input interface and/or external power supply disconnect the time that is connected can ignore and discover less than or almost discover less than.In this embodiment, driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c can effectively provide the Expected Results identical with the speed changer that slides between velocity ratio.Be set under the situation of multistep, step-by-step movement speed changer as described herein can thereby effectively with slide type operation, wherein speed changer is remained valid between driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c in the ratio changing process and is connected.

For example, similar same time driven gear 232a-c slips into or skids off on its corresponding path for translation 233a-c, changes the length in the revolution path of the size of virtual gear 234 and driving gear 220a-b thus, and the length of lever 219a-b is adjusted.Therefore, even at speed changer engaging clutch according to the present invention to prevent or to stop under the situation of the rotation of driving gear 220a-b and/or revolution, when clutch broke away from engagement, driving gear 220a-b and driven gear 232a-c were in place to continue with new lever length engagement.Therefore, owing to when driving gear 220a-b begins rotation and revolution once more, keep engagement, so driving gear 220a-b can drive driven gear 232a-c.In addition, as disclosed herein, when the linear velocity of the contact points on the driving gear 220a-b 235 to small part based on the length of lever 219a-b and when increasing or reducing, the homologous lines speed of the contact points 235 on the driven gear 232a-c also can increase.When driven gear 232a-c constant dimensions, and in some embodiments can be around the axis rotation at the center of aiming at driven gear 232a-c the time, the linear velocity of increase causes the angular velocity of driven gear 232a-c to increase.Therefore, the mode of the engagement between the length in the revolution path by changing driving gear 220a-b and/or diameter and/or the size by changing virtual gear 234 and the entity gear that do not change different size is carried out ratio changing.

As described here, driving gear can be positioned at the end of each entity or effective lever.In some embodiments, this driving gear can serve as the moon gear of any aspect that has in the many aspects.For example, driving gear 220a-b can with keep the constant engagement such as driven gears such as driven gear 232a-b obtain various outputs corresponding to various velocity ratios so that drive driven gear.In addition, as disclosed herein, driving gear 220a-b can around its separately the central axis rotation and further around revolving round the sun such as the outside axis such as axis that pass the center, intersection between the lever 219a-b.Thereby for example disclosed herein, driving gear 220a-b can rotate with controlled and mode that be scheduled to, and this guarantees to make the wheel tooth of driving gear and driven gear synchronous when driving gear will enter engagement with driven output gear.In addition, radially translation of driving gear 220a-b.As disclosed herein, the radial motion of moon gear makes speed changer to move with slide type or step-by-step system with very little, the infinitesimal increment of possibility along range of transmission ratio.Therefore, driving gear radially translation to produce variable output and/or rotation to obtain the synchromesh with corresponding driven gear.And, because radially translation and make speed changer between velocity ratio, slide or stepping of driving gear with non-discrete or discrete velocity ratio roughly, so speed changer can change velocity ratio not producing torque peak or only produce under the situation of insignificant torque peak, described insignificant torque peak can not damage speed changer and/or be attached to the power train of speed changer.

The various of exemplary driving gear 320a and driven gear 332 may move shown in Fig. 4.Particularly, Fig. 4 illustrates two driving gear 320a-b, and these two driving gear 320a-b are with synchronous as the driven gear 332 of for example ring gear.Yet,, can use more or less driving gear and/or driven gear according to the needs or the hope of specific application.Therefore, described two driving gear 320a-b and driven gear 332 only are used for the purpose of example.

As shown in Figure 4, with any given lever length, driving gear 320a can be around the axis of crossing point 320 ' or around the center 320 of departing from driving gear 320a " other axis revolve round the sun.Therefore, driving gear 320a can revolve round the sun along the path 325 of for example revolving round the sun and move.In some embodiments, aims at point 320 ' spool and/or support (not shown) can directly or indirectly drive driving gear 320a and revolve round the sun along clockwise direction around the axis of crossing point 320 '.When driving gear 320a revolved round the sun, driving gear 320a can also be configured to can be around its center 320 " rotation.For example, as before disclosed, can adopt dynamic transfer system, described dynamic transfer system receives the power input and changes power input into for example spinning motion and the revolution motion of each driving gear.

The rotation of driving gear 320a can make this rotation opposite with the revolution direction of driving gear 320a along counterclockwise.In addition, can adopt this rotation, thereby when driving gear 320a-b prepared with driven gear 332 engagements, the tooth of driving gear 320a-b was just in time aimed at the tooth of driven gear 332 so that driving gear 320a-b and driven gear 332 are synchronous.Subsequently when driving gear 320a and driven gear 332 enter engagement, the spinning motion of this engagement and driving gear 320a and revolution motion thereby can drive driven gear 332 around its center 332 ' rotation.

As among Fig. 4 further as can be seen, driving gear 320a-b can further be configured to can with speed changer in driven gear engagement after the translation that makes progress in the footpath of the length in the revolution path that increases or reduce driving gear institute edge.Although in described mode of execution, driving gear 320a is shown as and can should be appreciated that this motion only is an example along the 331 inside and outside translations of vertical path.Particularly, because driving gear 320a carries out revolution motion, so should be appreciated that according to content disclosed herein, no matter along the revolution orientation in path or position how it, driving gear 320a can both be along the radially inwardly 320 ' translation towards the center of the path of departing from vertical direction with any angular spacing, perhaps radially outwards away from center 320 ' translation.In addition, can be such as driven gear 332 driven gears such as grade along predetermined direction radial translation.For example, in described mode of execution, driven gear 332 can be along for example path for translation 333 inside translations and/or outwards translation, and this path for translation 333 departs from about 120 degree of vertical direction and passes center 320 '.As disclosed herein, when using a plurality of driven gear, each driven gear can move with predetermined direction along path for translation, and in some embodiments, each predetermined direction can relative to each other depart from roughly equal angles increment.

Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content rotation of driving gear 320a and the summation of revolution are being controlled the angular velocity of driving gear 320a rotation.Particularly, before disclosed as this paper, driving gear 320a-b can be along the revolution of first direction, for example clockwise direction, simultaneously they around its center separately along opposite second direction, for example rotation counterclockwise.In this layout, driving gear 320a around the clockwise revolution motion that carries out with the contact points of driven gear 332 and counterclockwise the summation of spinning motion can determine the speed of driven gear 320a.Particularly, the spinning motion of driving gear 320a and revolution motion all have contribution to the linear velocity of the contact points of driving gear 320a and driven gear 332 separately, and thereby also driven gear 332 are had contribution in the corresponding angular velocity that the linear velocity and the driven gear 332 of contact points produces this linear velocity.Therefore, the summation of the revolution motion of driving gear 320a and spinning motion is also determined the rotational speed of driven gear 332.

According to content disclosed herein, can further understand, for the specific rotational speed of speed changer input, specific lever length and driving gear size, driving gear 320a is approximately equal and direction is opposite to the contribution of the linear velocity at contact points place to the revolution motion of the summation of the contribution of the linear velocity at contact points place and driving gear 320a around the rotation of its axis.Thereby in this layout, the change of team certainly and the revolution motion of driving gear 320a of driving gear 320a are offset, and provide negligible thus or are zero clean linear velocity.Therefore, the summation of the rotation of driving gear 320 and revolution can produce zero output.

Because driving gear 320a determines the angular velocity of driven gear 332 rotation in the linear velocity at contact points place, and thereby the output of definite speed changer, will cause driven gear not have the essence rotation so the contact points place is zero clean linear velocity.Particularly, the reverse revolution of the rotation of driving gear 320a and driving gear 320a can cancel each other out.As a result, driving gear 320a can mesh with driven gear 332, and can keep its revolution motion and spinning motion, but can not provide any output to driven gear 332, even need not to use clutch continuously or bring the motion of preventing driven gear 332.Therefore, speed changer can be in neutral gear.

Therefore, can provide the engagement neutral gear, wherein carry out the driving gear and the driven gear engagement of rotation and revolution, make driving gear and driven gear all be connected to power source separately, but output is not provided according at least some mode of executions of speed changer of the present invention.In addition, in some embodiments, each gear in the system keeps engagement at the engagement idle period, but speed changer provides zero output.Therefore, different with some automatic transmission, driving gear of the present invention and driven gear keep engagement during ratio changing, be in neutral gear simultaneously, need not to use the equipment that external force moves with the constraint gear that applies.

For speed changer being moved apart the neutral state of engagement, can change velocity ratio.For example, can reduce velocity ratio by increasing lever length, thereby also increased the value of the linear velocity relevant greater than the relevant linear velocity of the rotation of given driving gear or a plurality of driving gears with the revolution of driving gear, this value can be constant, thereby speed changer is converted to the forward gears velocity ratio, then can be a plurality of and may be to change between unlimited a plurality of forward gears velocity ratio, described forward gears velocity ratio may comprise the overdrive ratio of output speed than high input speed.On the contrary, if thereby the lever shortening makes revolution speed less than speed of autorotation, speed changer moves into reverse gear ratio so, and can change between an any number reverse gear ratio.

Below with reference to Fig. 5 and 6, a kind of explanation that is used for moving the input driving gear and exports the exemplary mechanisms of driven gear is disclosed.Particularly, Fig. 5 illustrate a kind of when driving gear 121a-f and one or more driven gear keep engagement the exemplary mechanisms of radially mobile driving gear 121a-f.Thereby Fig. 6 illustrates and a kind ofly moves driven gear 132a-c along predetermined direction and make driven gear 132a-c and one or more driving gear keep the illustrative embodiments of the mechanism of engagement.

Figure 5 illustrates support 111, it comprises the support arm 112 that is connected to speed changer input interface 105 and two speed change master gears 114.Disclosed as Figure 1A, when 105 rotations of speed changer input interface, support arm 112 also can rotate.In addition, the rotation of support arm 112 can further drive speed change master gear 114 around master gear 116 rotation, this so that can drive one or more groups driving gear rotation and/or carry out revolution motion.

In some embodiments, support 111 is configured to help the driving gear 121a-f (motion radially of Figure 1A-B).For example, as shown in Figure 5, support 111 can comprise the transmission gear 118d that is connected to drive link 124a-b, and described drive link 124a-b makes driving tooth wheels 120a-b (Figure 1A) rotation.Transmission gear 118d matches with transmission gear 118c, and described transmission gear 118c can move along transmission shaft 122.When transmission gear 118c and transmission gear 118d jointly when transmission shaft 122 moves, as can be seen, the distance between drive link 124a-b and the speed changer input interface 105 can increase or reduce.For example, in the mode of execution of driving gear around the axis revolution at the center of aiming at speed changer input interface 105, for example, when drive link 124a-b and transmission gear 118c-d outwards move and during near transmission gear 118a-b along transmission shaft 122, revolution path that drive link 124a-b advances and the length and the diameter in corresponding revolution path that is attached to the driving gear of drive link 124a-b increase.In addition, in some illustrative embodiments, transmission gear 118c can move to any position along each half transmission shaft 122, thereby makes the length in the revolution path that drive link 124a-b advances change with very little and the infinitesimal increment of possibility.Therefore, transmission gear 118c can along transmission shaft 122 move be implemented between the velocity ratio slide or the speed changer of stepping in velocity ratio change.

In order to drive the motion of drive link 124a-b and attached driving gear, and thereby change the lever distance of driving gear, in some embodiments, support 111 can comprise and tooth bar 126a-b planet gear meshed 125.Planetary pinion 125 can be fixing vertically with respect to support arm 112, can be configured to and can move with respect to support arm 112 with hour rack 126a-b.For example, when planetary pinion 125 during around the rotation of its center, the tooth of tooth on the planetary pinion 125 on can engage teeth 126a-b, thus in the present embodiment, drive tooth bar 126a-b and move vertically with respect to tooth bar 126a-b and radially move with respect to the center of planetary pinion 125.Particularly, when planetary pinion 125 when first direction rotates, tooth bar 126a-b can radially outwards move with respect to the center of planetary pinion 125 separately, radially moves inward with respect to planetary pinion 125 respectively but planetary pinion 125 can drive tooth bar 126a-b along the rotation of opposite second direction.

Tooth bar 126a-b can also be attached to transmission gear 118c-d, makes when tooth bar 126a-b moves, and transmission gear 118c-d moves corresponding distance and/or moves along corresponding direction.For example, in the embodiment shown, transmission gear 118c-d is connected to bearing 127 respectively, and bearing 127 is connected to one of tooth bar 126a-b respectively.So, when tooth bar 126a-b moved, it is corresponding with transmission gear 118c-d mobile that tooth bar 126a-b drives bearing 127.In some embodiments, drive link 124a-b can be connected directly to bearing 127.For example, drive link 124a-b can be connected directly to bearing 127, make when planetary pinion 125 during along a direction mobile rack 126a-b, tooth bar 126a with respect to the center of planetary pinion 125 along corresponding direction outwards or move inward drives drive link 124a, and tooth bar 126b drive drive link 124b along with the corresponding direction of the movement direction of tooth bar 126b outwards or move inward, thereby any driving gear on the drive link 124a-b can radially be moved in or out with respect to the center of drive link 124a-b, so that keep synchronously with the output driven gear, described output driven gear moves radially corresponding distance.Therefore, the support 111 that includes planetary pinion 125, tooth bar 126a-b, bearing 127, transmission gear 118c-d and transmission shaft 122 is to make the synchronized movementization of driving gear and driven gear so that make the example of the structural design of the device that keeps the constant engagement between driving gear and the driven gear in gear range.

Although drive link 124a-b is connected to bearing 127 and tooth bar 126a-b in the embodiment shown, should be appreciated that in other embodiments, drive link 124a-b can not be connected directly to bearing 127 or tooth bar 126a-b.For example, drive link 124a-b can be connected directly to transmission gear 118d, makes that drive link 124a-b moves along corresponding outward direction or inward direction when transmission gear 118d moves in or out.Therefore, in the mode of execution of the driving gear that conllinear is installed on drive link 124a-b in mode shown in the example of Figure 1A-B etc., drive link 124a-b outwards or move inward thereby drive driving gear and radially move with respect to the axis of driving gear around its revolution makes the corresponding increase in revolution path or the minimizing of driving gear.

As discussed previously, when planetary pinion 125 rotations, planetary pinion 125 can drive tooth bar 126a-b and move.Can make planetary pinion 125 rotations in every way.For example, in described mode of execution, axle 128 is connected to planetary pinion 125 so that rotation planetary pinion 125.Although in some embodiments, axle 128 extends through speed changer input interface 105, can adopt 125 rotations of control planetary pinion or drive driving gear 121a-f (other any suitable mode that Figure 1A-B) is radially mobile.

Fig. 6 shows the exemplary mechanisms that is used to make driven gear according to certain embodiments of the present invention to move.In the mode of execution that illustrates, illustrated and made such as driven gear 132a such as ring gears along mechanism that predetermined direction moves.The diagram that single driven gear 132a is provided is for the sake of clarity, should be appreciated that, can adopt similar device and mechanism to move along other predetermined direction to drive other driven gear as required.

As shown in Figure 6, the driven gear 132a in the speed changer can mesh linked system 136, and this linked system 136 comprises the output moon gear 138 that is connected to output sun gear 140.In order to make driven gear 132a rotation, driven gear 132a can have the inside flank profil that optionally meshes with one or more driving gears.In addition, as described in content disclosed herein, driven gear 132a can comprise flank profil on its outer surface, and described flank profil is configured to be meshed with the flank profil of exporting moon gear 138.Output moon gear 138 further is connected to output sun gear 140, and this output sun gear 140 is connected to couple axle 142 and connects with other driven gear and/or speed changer output interface with the rotation with driven gear 132a.

In some embodiments, output sun gear 140 is fixed at heart place therein, feasible not radially translation when these output sun gear 140 rotations.In addition, in some embodiments, output moon gear 138 can be configured to revolve round the sun at least in part around output sun gear 140.In the embodiment shown, for example, STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 is connected to each of output moon gear 138 and output sun gear 140, if make output moon gear 138 around 140 rotations of output sun gear, then export the distance that is maintained fixed between moon gear 138 and the output sun gear 140, keep the constant engagement thereby make between output moon gear 138 and the output sun gear 140.

Should be appreciated that if output moon gear 138 rotates around exporting sun gear 140, driven gear 132a also can move to keep engagement with output moon gear 138 so here according to the content of being instructed.In some embodiments, when STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 rotations, roll around output sun gear 140 thereby drive output moon gear 138, the tooth of the tooth engagement driven gear 132a of output moon gear 138 also thereby promotes or pulling driven gear 132a thereby mobile driven gear 132a.In other embodiments, driven gear 132a can be partially enclosed at least in the housing that is connected to STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147.In this embodiment, when STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 rotations, STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 drives center on the housing of driven gear 132a to promote or pulling housing and driven gear 132a along gear track 143.In another alternative scheme, can be formed with one or more grooves around the periphery of driven gear 132a, and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 is connected to described groove, make that when STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 rotations, STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 engagement grooves also thereby along predetermined pathway promote or spur driven gear 132a to keep engagement with driving gear.Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, can during ratio changing or only, keep this engagement at discrete velocity ratio place.

In some embodiments, driven gear 132a is further surrounded in the gear track 143, the circuit that moves that this gear track 143 limits along predetermined direction, and driven gear 132a can move along this circuit that moves.Therefore, when STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 drive driven gear 132a moved, gear track 143 limited path for translation.In some embodiments, such as disclosed example among Fig. 6 etc., gear track 143 limits driven gear 132a along its substantial linear path for translation of moving.Yet in other embodiments, gear track 143 limits the path of driven gear 132a along its crooked or other type of moving.Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, in some embodiments, the motion of gear track 143 constraint driven gear 132a, although make driven gear 132a radially move, driven gear 132a can not move substantially vertically.Therefore, driven gear 132a-c can be along moving such as gear track 143 gear tracks such as grade, and substantially can be along drive link 124a, b (Figure 1A-B) axial motion.In addition, should be appreciated that according to content disclosed herein, can radially move and in the mode of execution that can not move vertically at driven gear 132a-c, driving gear 121a-f also can be configured to radially move and not move vertically, so that keep the constant engagement with driven gear 132a-c.

As further disclosed here, speed changer can comprise the supporting element 148 that limits crooked route 149.Although in some illustrative embodiments, crooked route 149 is semicircle or other parts that radius approximates the ring track of output moon gear 138 and the radius sum of exporting solar orbit 140 greatly, but also can expect other crooked route or non-crooked route.When output moon gear 138 revolves round the sun around output sun gear 140, crooked route 149 can be generally corresponding to the part revolution path of output moon gear 138.In some embodiments, the crooked route 149 in axle (not shown) extend past supporting element 148, and through exporting the center of moon gear 138, be connected with STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 at this place's axle.So, axle can move along crooked route 149, makes STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 move and drive the path movement that driven gear 132a limits along gear track 143 thus.Yet STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 can also otherwise move.For example, in some embodiments, corresponding STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 is formed on the opposition side of output moon gear 138 and is connected to and exports the coaxillay aligned running shaft in center of sun gear 140.When running shaft rotates, thereby running shaft drives STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 rotations and drives output moon gear 138 along revolving round the sun such as paths such as crooked routes 149.

As disclosed herein, can synchronizing according to the motion of input driving gear in the speed changer of at least some illustrative embodiments of the present invention and output driven gear so that keep constant to mesh between input driving gear and the output driven gear, described input driving gear is along moving radially arbitrarily, and described output driven gear also moves radially along one or more predetermined pathway.Can use the synchro system of any amount.For example, in one embodiment, make axle 128 (Fig. 5) of planetary pinion 125 (Fig. 5) rotation and the axle of STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 rotations can separately be controlled.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, can use according to speed changer of the present invention and a kind ofly to control each running shaft respectively such as electromechanical controlling devices such as servomotors.Include in the mode of execution of a plurality of driven gears of radially translation at speed changer, should be appreciated that according to the instruction here, each driven gear can have STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED independently and/or be used to control the gear track of the radial motion of each driven gear.In this case, each driven gear also can be to control respectively or unit as a whole.

In another illustrative embodiments, can make planetary pinion 125 and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 mechanical synchronizationization.For example, as disclosed herein, planetary pinion 125 and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 separately can be along clockwise direction with the counter clockwise direction partial rotation so that drive driving gear respectively and driven gear is done corresponding radial motion.When running shaft can be controlled in planetary pinion and the STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 each, can use suitable gearing that the rotation of planetary pinion 125 is associated with the rotation of STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147, thereby obtain the synchronous radial motion of driving gear and driven gear.

Should also be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, by such as the operation of the caused speed changer of radial motion of driven gear 132a-c and moon driving gear 121a-f can by manually, use automatic control system or manually carry out with combining of automatic control system, thereby only recently keep meshing and/or alternatively in the engagement that keeps during the ratio changing between driving gear and the driven gear with the transmission of expecting.For example, shift level or other mechanism can be to be connected to planetary pinion 125 and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 such as above-mentioned mode mechanical type, so that the operator can the manual tune velocity ratio.Yet, in other embodiments, use automatic control system to come the mechanism of control connection to planetary pinion 125 and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147, perhaps automatic control system is controlled planetary pinion 125 and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 respectively, and wherein said automatic control system can be an electronics.

Automatic control system can be programmed for and help to realize effective use of power source and power is imported in the speed changer 100 or 100 '.For example, automatic control system can comprise artificial intelligence system, this artificial intelligence system during ratio changing, roughly keep desirable moment of torsion or torque range and with desirable, may best efficient make the motor operation that is connected.For example, when vehicle begin move to go up a slope and need underneath drive than the time, artificial intelligence system can be confirmed position that driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c should radially be moved to so that moment of torsion, angular velocity or efficient are increased or maximize to automatic control system.For example in this embodiment, automatic control system can send to instruct planetary pinion 125 is rotated to change and the relevant lever length of moon driving gear 121a-f subsequently, and STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 147 is moved, thereby driven gear 132a-c is moved by this way along driven gear 132a-c track 143 separately, this mode is providing the position engagement of desirable velocity ratio for making driven gear 132a-f and moon gear 121a-f.As previously pointed out, it is very little and may be infinitesimal move and when between velocity ratio, changing between speed changer according to the present invention is by driving gear and driven gear, needed institute can ignore if having time from a gear ratio conversion to next velocity ratio, thereby speed changer keeps constant engagement during ratio changing as can be seen.

Thereby should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, can design various automatic control systems and these automatic control systems and be suitable for in embodiments of the present invention.For example, in Fig. 7, schematically show a kind of illustrative embodiments of suitable electronic control system 180, described electronic control system 180 comprises one or more input interface 162a-c of the input part 165a-c that receives self-monitoring device 172,182 and 192, and these supervisory devices 172,182 and 192 are sensors and relate to the parameter relevant with speed changer 180, power source 171 and/or load 190 for example.For example, one or more speed changer supervisory devices 182 be connected to speed changer 180 with determine and send the moment of torsion of power of current location such as driving gear and/or driven gear, input speed changer 180 and/or angular velocity to input interface 162a, from moment of torsion and/or angular velocity or any other desirable information of the power of speed changer 180 outputs about speed changer 180 relevant parameters.Equally, one or more load monitoring apparatus 192 can be connected to load 190 to determine and to send load and/or any other information about load parameter to input interface 162c.

In addition, power source supervisory device 172 can be connected to power source 171 obtaining engine RPM s or any other information about the power source parameter, such as but be not limited to manifold pressure.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, power source supervisory device 172 can be connected to the other parts of manifold and/or power source to determine mainfold presure or other this parameter.Usually, the mainfold presure measurement result represents to be applied to the load on the motor.Therefore, can change reducing the load on the motor velocity ratio, and therefore change mainfold presure.

Usually, the MANUFACTURER of manifold can be indicated the maximum and/or minimum mainfold presure of manifold work.Therefore, utilization is sent to the input part 165a-c of automatic control system 160 with information from supervisory device 172,182 and/or 192, and what kind of described automatic control system 160 can be determined to carry out based on the information that is provided and change mainfold presure is remained in the necessary tolerance limit.

Yet, in other embodiments, keeping off or surpassing under the situation of maximum or minimum mainfold presure, in speed changer 180, change to adjust velocity ratio.For example, for any specific RPM of power source 171 outputs, working engine or other power source only can turn round with optimum efficiency in certain loads or in narrow loading range.Therefore, automatic control system 160 according to the present invention can use input part 165a-c to determine the work at present parameter of speed changer 180, load 190 and/or power source 171, and in some illustrative embodiments, this automatic control system 160 comprises that artificial intelligence system 164 and/or processor 166 are to determine that what kind of change is the parameter of speed changer 180, power source 171 and/or load 190 carried out just can make power source 171 keep with desirable efficient work.For example, when by input part 165b when automatic control system 160 provides present engine RPMs and mainfold presure, if mainfold presure is not to be in the determined effective pressure scope of artificial intelligence system, automatic control system 160 can send electronic signal to cause the change that mainfold presure, RPMs, moment of torsion or other parameter are regulated by one or more carry-out part 168a-c so.

For example, by interface 162a-c, automatic control system 160 can send the control output signal along control wiring 168a-c, described control wiring 168a-c will control output signal and be sent to power source 171, speed changer 180 and/or load 190, and described control output signal is deciphered by control interface 174,184 and 194 immediately and is used to change running parameter in one or more power sources 171, speed changer 180 and/or the load 190 to realize desirable change.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, automatic control system 160 can be sent to output 168a speed changer control interface 184 changes speed changer 180 inner pinion gears and/or driven gear with indication speed changer control interface 184 radial position.Thereby speed changer control interface 184 can comprise control gear electronics, machinery or dynamo-electric, and described control gear then causes desirable change.For example, in one embodiment, speed changer control interface 184 comprises the servomotor that makes one or more rotations, the radial position of one or more driving gears and/or one or more driven gears in described axle and then the adjusting speed changer 180.Regulating radial position by this way can for example change to desirable scope with the mainfold presure in the power source 171, may be best scope.

Although mainfold presure is represented the load that applies on the power source, but in some embodiments, can be connected directly to load measuring device 192 and be connected to automatic control system 160 such as input part 165 input parts such as grade, make automatic control system 160 can directly receive information, rather than derive described information by mainfold presure about load.For example, in elevator system, motor can moving elevator, makes the input that enters automatic control system can comprise for example in the cage of pound and passenger's load.In this embodiment, automatic control system can also determine that speed changer output should be which type of speed could possess best delivery efficiency under given input power.In this example, automatic control system can for example comprise by artificial intelligence system 164 maybe can use storage or other storage medium, described storage or other storage medium comprise form, algorithm or out of Memory, described data, algorithm or out of Memory allow the location of automatic control system 160 identification velocity ratios or driving gear and driven gear, and this can obtain effective use of motor.Therefore, processor 166 in the automatic control system can be visited artificial intelligence system 164, thereby can take out and handle memory in the automatic control system 160 or the information in the storage, thereby the position that regains desirable driving gear and driven gear maybe will obtain the change that this position institute necessity is carried out.For example electronic control signal can be sent as output 168a then, so that described electronic control signal is received in the speed changer control interface 184, described speed changer control interface 184 realizes that subsequently change in this speed changer 180 is to obtain different velocity ratios and/or output speed.

Although content disclosed herein relates to automatic control system and partly relate to the maximizing efficiency that makes power source, it should be understood that automatic control system can otherwise move.For example, in some embodiments, automatic control system is programmed so that power and/or moment of torsion output maximize or minimizes.In other other mode of executions, automatic control system is further programmed with the control power source, thereby obtain various output speeds.In going back some other mode of executions, automatic control system can optionally change between various mode of operations.For example, when control system is programmed for when working under any mode, the operator can select whether to make efficient or power maximization.

In addition, although disclosed illustrative embodiments illustrates centralized automatic control system 160 among Fig. 7, one or more in these centralized automatic control system 160 monitoring and/or control power source 171, speed changer 180 and the load 190, but should be appreciated that this only is to example of the present invention and unrestricted.For example, in some embodiments, supervisory device 172,182,192 and/or control interface 174,184,194 include circuit or the program that makes it be independent of Centralized Control System and work.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, feeder loop 191 connects power source 171, speed changer 180 and/or load 190, thereby makes supervisory device 172,182,192 or control interface 174,184,194 can obtain to control from the information of other element of system and/or to other element of system.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, speed changer control interface 184 can receive the indicating value of mainfold presure in the power source 171 of self-monitoring device 172 by feeder loop 191, perhaps from the indicating value of the load of load monitoring apparatus 192.By using special use or programmed logic, speed changer control interface 184 can produce control signal subsequently or otherwise control speed changer 180 so that change the velocity ratio of speed changer 180, thereby for example makes efficient, power, moment of torsion or the maximization of other parameter of power source 171.

By using control signal or otherwise controlling the motion and the parameter of speed changer 180, can make driving gear and driven gear synchronizing.For example, when the motion of driving gear and driven gear be synchronized with allow between driving gear and the driven gear along driving gear very a plurality of, may unlimited a plurality of different revolution paths during engagement, the tooth of driving gear also should be synchronous with the tooth of driven gear, thereby keep engagement to drive driving gear effectively, and guarantee when engagement takes place, the tooth of driving gear can with the gear teeth tooth root place of driven gear or tooth root near suitably cooperate.Below with reference to Fig. 8, description be a kind of exemplary approach, wherein the wheel tooth of driving gear can be synchronous with the wheel tooth of driven output gear.

Disclosed as Fig. 8, for example, speed changer can comprise master gear 416.Master gear 416 can but be not must be corresponding to the master gear shown in Figure 1A 116.In some embodiments, master gear 416 is fixed as not can translation or rotation, therefore provides stably reference point so that driving gear and driven gear are synchronous.Yet in other embodiments, master gear 416 is movably so that driving gear and driven gear are synchronous.

Master gear 416 can be used to make the engagement of tooth of the tooth of moon driving gear and driven torus generating gear or driven spur wheel synchronous.For example, as shown in the figure, virtual benchmark angle line 445 can extend indefinite length from each tooth of master gear 416.Therefore, angle line 445 separates with angular spacing about equally, and represents the quantity of the separated angle of tooth of master gear 416.Therefore, though the camber line between the angle line 445 apart from increase, such as increase when lever and driving gear 420 radially outside when mobile, the angle of radial separation also remains unchanged.

In the present embodiment, corresponding driving gear 420 is attached to master gear 416 with man-to-man velocity ratio.As a result, the rotation of driving gear 420 and revolution are controlled as and make that the wheel tooth of driving gear 420 is always aimed at the wheel tooth of master gear 416 when driving gear 420 revolves round the sun around master gear 416.For example, as shown in Figure 8, when driving gear 420 is the center with benchmark angle line 445, the direct alignment fiducials angle line 445 of the tooth of driving gear 420.And when driving gear 420 rotations and when revolving round the sun position to driving gear 420 ', revolution and rotation have been controlled as and have made the also alignment angle line 445 of tooth of driving gear 420 ' as can be seen.

Further, no matter the radial position of driving gear 420 how, the rotation of controlling driving gear 420 by this way can make driving gear 420 aim at master gear 416.Particularly, driving gear 420 can radially inside and outside translation.Yet no matter how many radial distances between master gear 416 and the driving gear 420 is, the wheel tooth of driving gear 420 keeps aiming at along angle line 445 wheel tooth of corresponding master gear 416.Therefore, master gear 416 is used for providing the synchronous of wheel tooth according to angle of swing rather than camber line distance, thereby therefore is driving gear and driven gear to be made synchronously keep the exemplary configurations of the device of constant engagement to design between one or more driving gears and the driven gear in range of transmission ratio.Other example that makes the synchronous device of driving gear and driven gear is local open at other of this paper, such as Figure 1A-B, 6 and 11A-B.

Although Fig. 8 discloses the tooth that driving gear 420 and master gear 416 have equal number respectively, make that tooth is man-to-man relation, should be appreciated that this configuration not necessarily can be used other relation.For example, in some other mode of executions, the gear number of teeth that master gear has is different with driving gear.In this embodiment, for example, the wheel tooth quantity that master gear and driving gear have can be relevant with common divisor.For example, this common divisor can be the number of positions of driven gear in system or the quantity of driven gear.In a kind of illustrative embodiments, for example have 90 wheel teeth such as master gear 116 master gears such as (Figure 1A), driving gear has 6 wheel teeth.In this case, as can be seen, the number of teeth amount of each gear can be divided exactly by 3 and 6.Therefore, be in the mode of execution of wheel tooth divisor in the quantity of driven gear, this mode of execution can have three or six driven gears.

In some mode of executions the disclosed mode of execution such as Figure 1A-B, for example the number of teeth on speed change master gear 114 and/or the driven gear also can be relevant with identical or different common factor.For example, speed change master gear 114 can have 30 teeth, and driven gear 132a-c can have 36 teeth on the gear tooth profile within it, makes that the number of teeth on speed change master gear 114 and the driven gear 132a-c can both be divided exactly by 3 and 6.Should be appreciated that the configuration of tooth disclosed herein and quantity only are exemplary, can use other number of teeth amount and/or common divisor.For example, in some embodiments, master gear 116, speed change master gear 114, driving gear 121a-f and driven gear 132a-c can have can be by 3,6 or the different wheel tooth quantity that divides exactly of other common divisor.For example, in one embodiment, master gear and speed change master gear can have 96 teeth respectively, and each driving gear has 18 teeth, and each driven gear has 72 teeth.Therefore, as can be seen, the number of teeth on master gear, speed change master gear, driving gear and the driven gear can both be divided exactly by 3 and 6 respectively.In addition, in the illustrative embodiments that 3 or 6 driven gears are arranged, the number of teeth of master gear, speed change master gear, driving gear and driven gear also can be divided exactly by the quantity of driven gear respectively.

In some other mode of executions also, the number of teeth of various gears is divided exactly such as other divisors such as 2,4,5,7,8, and these divisors can equate with the quantity of driven gear or driven gear position or not wait.In other other mode of execution, the number of teeth only can be divided exactly by common divisor 1, and it is synchronous that tooth can keep by the constant engagement between driving gear and the driven gear.For example, in a kind of illustrative embodiments, master gear can have 60 teeth, and the speed change master gear has 15 teeth, and driving gear has 20 teeth, and driven gear has 16 teeth.Therefore, as can be seen, unique common divisor of each gear is 1.

In addition, shown in further among Figure 1A-B, driving gear 121a-f can be connected to master gear 116 by the element that comprises speed change master gear 114, and described speed change master gear 114 has 30 teeth or the tooth of some other quantity that also can be divided exactly by identical or different divisor.As discussed previously, speed change master gear 114 can mesh master gear 116 and rotate around master gear 116, thereby gives driving gear 121a-f rotation and/or revolution motion.Particularly, because driving gear 121a-f is connected with master gear 116 via speed change master gear 114, so driving gear 121a-f separately around its corresponding central axis rotation and as one group around the revolution of outside axis, in the embodiment shown should the outside axis and the centrally aligned of master gear 116.So, no matter how are radial position relevant with driving gear 121a-f and lever length, the combination of speed change master gear 114 and master gear 116 makes driving gear 121a-f rotate predictable angular metric, make that the wheel tooth of driving gear 121a-f can always be aimed at the wheel tooth of driven gear 132a-c when entering engagement.Therefore, thus speed change master gear 114 and master gear 116 are the example that one or more driving gears and driven gear is made keep between one or more driving gears and the one or more driven gear structural design of the device that constant meshes synchronously in gear range jointly and respectively.And, because support 111 (Fig. 5) can be configured to radially mobile drive link 124a-b, thereby driving driving gear 121a-f radially moves in or out, and with also radially inwardly and the output gear 132a-c that outwards moves keep engagement, thereby change the velocity ratio between speed changer input interface 105 and the speed changer output interface 170, thereby support 111 also is to make driving gear and driven gear make between one or more driving gears and the driven gear example in the structural design of the device that keeps constant to mesh during the ratio changing and in gear range synchronously.

In order between the tooth of driving gear and driven gear, to keep constant synchronization, the involute gear teeth that driving gear and driven output gear can have roughly the same diametral pitch.The result of this configuration is that when being in the dead point engagement and other meshes the stage arbitrarily, the tooth of driving gear can suitably cooperate with the tooth of driven gear, and all provides constant output to driving gear no matter be in which type of engagement stage.Equally, the tooth of driving gear and driven gear also weares and teares slowlyer than the tooth that does not all have in all engagement stages to aim at.And, as before disclosed, driving gear and master gear can have the tooth of equal number, or the tooth of other compatible quantity, when making angle reference line when driving gear alignment fiducials gear, the tooth of driving gear also is that line with master gear is the center at upper dead center.In some embodiments, for example, the number that the number of teeth on master gear, speed change master gear, driving gear and/or the driven gear can be greater than or less than driven gear quantity is divided exactly.In other embodiments, although divisor can equal the quantity of driven gear, this feature is not a limitation of the present invention.

For various reasons, the quantity with driving gear may be useful as common divisor.For example, this method is used to guarantee that the center of each driving gear all drops on reference line.And as previously pointed out, the number of teeth of driving gear can be divided exactly by identical divisor.When the tooth of a driving gear during at top dead center engagement driven gear, this method also is that useful, all driven gear all has the groove of aiming at the radial angle line of master gear at upper dead center.In some embodiments, the combination of these velocity ratios and feature is tied the rotation of driving tooth wheel tooth and the rotation and the position of tooth on the driven gear and groove, make no matter the radial position of lever length and driving gear and driven gear how, the wheel tooth of driving gear and driven gear can both synchronizing when driving gear and driven gear enter and break away from engagement.Therefore, thus driving gear can be radially outwards translation produce variable output with little increment and/or rotate to and driven gear synchromesh.

As mentioned above, if the tooth of the tooth of all driving gears and all driven gears breaks away from engagement, make and do not mesh between input driving gear and the output driven gear, if perhaps driven gear otherwise is not connected to the speed changer input interface, the load that drives of speed changer disconnects effectively with power source and being connected so, and load inertia moves up to speed changer driving gear and driven gear and/or driven gear and speed changer input interface are meshed again.Thereby keep the constant power source that is connected to keep power to flow to the environment and application of load consistently from motor in hope, therefore wishing to guarantee has constant engagement or constant engagement at least between the wheel tooth of driving gear that transmission ratio is played a decisive role and driven gear, and the described engagement of constant at least provides the Expected Results roughly the same with constant engagement.As discussed previously, this can be by for example along realizing around the revolution path movement driving gear of outside axis, described outside axis in the reference gear in the heart.When keeping engagement, driven gear rotates around its center separately jointly, and power output is provided.In addition, when driven output gear departed from the revolution axis of driving gear, driving gear can alternately mesh output gear, make out-of-gear driving gear near and always prepare to align when intersecting with synchromesh with the line of master gear.In addition, provide the constant engagement of constant engagement Expected Results recently to keep by a plurality of transmissions are provided, make that very little translational motion just can change velocity ratio, described very little translational motion all is to finish in the very little time each time.

Although relate in general to the mode of execution of such speed changer by the disclosed mode of execution of example, promptly, two groups of driving gear engagements are wherein arranged and drive three driven gears, but should be appreciated that, this configuration only is example rather than limitation of the present invention, can use various other configurations of driving gear, driving tooth wheels and driven gear with varying number.And driving gear needs not to be moon gear or spur wheel, and driven gear needs not to be ring gear.In fact, because transmission components synchronous operation, so no matter retreat, forward mode or neutral mode, power also can reverse flow be crossed speed changer.For example, thus the moment of torsion flow path can be oppositely be created in the desired different moment of torsion flow path in some applications through speed changer.For example, the reactive torque flow path of some mode of executions makes speed changer to turn round with higher speed, lower moment of torsion.

In addition, the reactive torque flow path can be so that ring gear turns round as driving gear, and moon gear or spur wheel turn round as driven gear.In this embodiment, be also to be understood that driven gear thereby can carry out revolution motion and spinning motion that then along the radially inside and outside translation of predetermined pathway, these predetermined pathway are offset with angular spacing driving gear each other.Yet, in the illustrative embodiments that dynamic flow is reversed, reverse power flow can eliminate the engagement neutral gear feature of speed changer and/or eliminate advance, neutral gear and retreat between easy transformation.In this illustrative embodiments, the engagement neutral gear and forward, retreat and optional neutral gear between change and can realize such as the output planetary gear trains such as planetary gear set 104 of Fig. 9 by using.Although planetary gear set 104 shows the ring gear 108 that is driven by the single sun gear 106 that abuts against three planetary pinions 107 rotation, this only is an example of the planetary gear set that is used in combination with some embodiments of the present invention.For example, in other embodiments, more or less planetary pinion 107 can be around sun gear 106 rotation and engagement ring generating gears 108.

In a kind of illustrative embodiments, wherein be arranged in a kind of reverse configuration of moment of torsion flow path that makes such as the speed changer 100 of Figure 1A or speed changer 100 ' the iso-variable velocity device of Figure 1B, speed changer input interface 105 serves as the speed changer output interface, and speed changer output interface 170 serves as the speed changer input interface.In this case, as disclosed among Fig. 9, speed changer input interface 170 can extend past speed changer 100 and is connected to the input sun gear 106 of planetary gear set 104, and speed changer output interface 105 can be connected to planetary pinion 107, and described planetary pinion 107 abuts against sun gear 106 rotations.Speed changer output interface 105 can be connected to planetary pinion 107 by using planetary carrier (not shown), and this planetary carrier can drive each planetary pinion 107 and do identical rotation.

Each planetary pinion 107 is engagement ring generating gear 108 also.Further, sun gear 106 and planetary pinion 107 be constant engagement each other also, and the RPMS of the output of the RPMs of input of the speed changer input interface 170 of making a fresh start and new speed changer output interface 105 is offseted.Therefore, when speed changer 100 flows the size of running and sun gear 106 and planetary pinion 107 when equating with reverse moment of torsion, as can be seen, when the RPMs of the input of sun gear 106 equates with the amount of the RPMs of the output of planetary pinion 107, sun gear 106 and planetary pinion 107 will provide to ring gear 108 and can ignore and may be zero clean output, thereby make speed changer be in neutral state, make between the sun gear 106 of planetary gear set 104 and the planetary pinion 107 simultaneously and keep engagement between driving gear 121a-f and the driven gear 132a-c.The neutral gear output state for speed changer is changed then, the position that can regulate driving gear and/or driven gear is to change the RPMs of input and output.So, the angular velocity of speed changer output interface 105 and planetary pinion 106 can change, thereby speed changer is converted to forward gears or retreats shelves.

For example, if speed changer input interface 170 keeps constant angular velocity, so by increasing the angular velocity of planetary pinion 107, the angular velocity of planetary pinion 107 is become greater than the angular velocity of sun gear 106, thereby drive ring gear 108 along for example clockwise direction rotation of first direction, make speed changer be converted to forward gears.On the contrary, if reduce the angular velocity of planetary pinion 107, the angular velocity of planetary pinion 107 becomes less than the angular velocity of sun gear 106 so, then make ring gear 108 along for example rotation counterclockwise of second direction, thus speed changer is converted to and retreats shelves.Therefore, by only regulating the rotational speed of planetary pinion 107 and/or sun gear 106, planetary gear set 104 can provide neutral gear, forward gears or retreat shelves, comes one or more rotation in confinement ring generating gear 108, planetary pinion 107 or the sun gear 106 and need not to add external force by for example clutch disk or band application.

Although shown illustrative embodiments discloses speed changer input interface 170 and has been attached to sun gear 106, and speed changer output interface 105 is attached to planetary pinion 107, but should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, this relation can change, make input interface be attached to sun gear 106, output interface is attached to planetary pinion 107.Further, although can comprise measure-alike sun gear 106 and planetary pinion 107 in the illustrative embodiments, in other embodiments, sun gear 106 can have different separately sizes with planetary pinion 107.For example, although sun gear 106 can be greater than one or more planetary pinions 107, in other embodiments, sun gear 106 can be less than planetary pinion 107.Should also be appreciated that, even under sun gear 106 situation different with planetary pinion 107 sizes, planetary gear set 104 can produce as neutral gear output state disclosed herein, because the linear velocity at the contact points place between the angular velocity of sun gear 106 and planetary pinion 107 and sun gear 106 and the planetary pinion 107 is relevant, but these two linear velocity energy equate but direction is opposite.

Although the disclosed example of mode of execution is described as spur wheel and ring gear respectively with driving gear and driven gear, should be appreciated that in other embodiments, driving gear and/or driven gear need not to be spur wheel or ring gear.For example, in one embodiment, driven gear is spur wheel rather than ring gear.In this embodiment, driven spur wheel can radially move to keep engagement with the active spur wheel that can move radially, and driven spur wheel moves along predetermined axis alternatively, these axis around public central axis with about equally angular spacing skew.For example, three driven spur wheels can be offset about 120 degree angular spacings respectively and along the path for translation translation, described path for translation is offset about 120 degree angular spacings with respect to the path for translation of other driven spur wheel.And, in this illustrative embodiments, wherein driving gear and driven gear are respectively spur wheel and helical gear, driving gear can revolve round the sun around the outer periphery of driven gear, make the periphery of driven gear limit virtual gear, this virtual gear and driving gear keep the constant engagement.In other illustrative embodiments, driving gear revolves round the sun in the inside of the periphery that is formed by driven gear, makes the inner periphery of driven gear limit virtual gear, and this virtual gear and driving gear keep the constant engagement.

A kind of indicative icon of illustrative embodiments is provided among Figure 10 A, and wherein driving gear meshes a plurality of driven gears, and described a plurality of driven gears comprise for example spur wheel or helical gear.In the embodiment shown, an angle of 90 degrees spacing bias of four driven gear 532a-d to equate.In addition, it also is four driving gear 520a-d that are offset with the angular spacing that equates that shown mode of execution discloses, and described four driving gear 520a-d are in place, dead point and driven gear 532a-d engagement.Therefore, in the present embodiment, driving gear 520a-d is at the top dead center engagement driven gear 532a-d of each 90 degree.In some embodiments, and as disclosed herein, driving gear 520a-d and driven gear 532a-d can be configured to radially inwardly and/or outwards move.For example, driving gear 520a-d can move in or out, make the lever length that is associated with driving gear 520a-d to increase or to reduce, and make that the revolution path that driving gear 520a-d advances correspondingly increases or reduces when driving gear 520a-d revolves round the sun around the intersection of its lever.Equally, driven gear 532a-d can inwardly and/or outwards move along path for translation, and described path for translation is passed the intersection of lever and the center of each driven gear 532a-d.Therefore, in described mode of execution, driven gear 532a-d can be along being offset 90 degree path for translation translations at interval each other.So, as driving gear 520a-d also radially during translation, driven gear 532a-d radially translation to keep engagement with driving gear 520a-d.It should be noted that in some embodiments only driving gear 520a-d revolves round the sun and translation, and driven gear 532a-d translation but do not revolve round the sun around outside central axis.

As mentioned above, under the situation of four driven gear 532a-d of four driving gear 520a-d engagements, along with each driving gear 520a-d and one of corresponding driven gear 532a-d enter engagement, the dead point engagement takes place at each 90 degree place.In the mode of execution shown in Fig. 2 A-G, as can be seen, in mode of execution with three driven gears and two driving gears, at each 60 degree place rather than each 90 degree place the upper dead center engagement takes place.Therefore, when reducing about 37 percent gear, the frequency of dead point engagement will increase one of percentage 150.

Similar legend has been shown among Figure 10 B, has wherein driven four driven gear 532a-d with three driving gear 520a-c.Shown in the mode of execution as shown, therefore the sum of gear is reduced about 1 12 and the quantity of driving gear reduced 25 percent by from the mode of execution shown in Figure 10 A, removing a driving gear, meshing frequency can increase to per 30 degree, increases to 300 percent of the mode of execution shown in Figure 10 A.

The gained that is caused meshing frequency by the quantity that changes driving gear and driven gear changes and can also make an explanation with the difference of cursor principle, and this cursor principle is used for such as measuring devices such as clamp.With regard to clamp, cursor principle is the fundamental measurement principle, and it adopts the equidistant from distance such as 1/10th inches, and is divided into the odd number incremental raio as for example 24 of 25 and even number increments.Based on the aligning of increment, can measuring distance.For example, for every mil-inch, the line of 24 increments is aimed at the line of 25 increments.

In an identical manner, illustrative embodiments of the present invention can be used for by making the input dirivig member change the quantity that makes driving gear and driven gear maintenance constant mesh required part with the output driven member with different angular spacing skews and/or by dirivig member and the driven member that uses varying number.Yet, need not the single velocity ratio of dirivig member, and specific velocity ratio is the problem by the design alternative that requirement determined of any application-specific to driven member.However, as can be seen, the quantity of dirivig member and driven member can influence the meshing frequency between dirivig member and the driven member.

For example, table 1 provides a kind of exemplary indicating value of mode, and wherein the quantity of dirivig member and driven member can influence meshing frequency.Particularly, table 1 provides in the frequency that is used to change each other with the situation lower dead centre engagement of the quantity of the dirivig member of uniformly-spaced skew and driven member.Although table 1 has been quoted the dead point meshing frequency according to the quantity of driving gear and driven gear, but should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, meshing frequency can be by the quantity decision of the diverse location of driving gear and driven gear, and not only by the sum decision of gear.For example, although it is as above described with reference to Figure 1A-B, speed changer such as speed changer 100 or 100 ' and so on comprises three driven gears and six driving gears, but driving gear is positioned on two axles, makes driving gear along circumference two different positions, angle only be arranged.As mentioned above, per 60 degree places take place in the dead point engagement in this example.As shown in table 1, this result and speed changer or to have a speed changer of three driven gears and six driving gears consistent with three driven gears and two driving gears.

In another example, as shown in table 1 and as disclosed herein, three driving gears can mesh at per 30 degree places with four driven gears.Yet this engagement can increase by the quantity that changes driving gear and driven gear.For example, if five driving gears are used to mesh six driven gears, a driving gear will enter the dead point engagement with driven gear at per 12 degree places so.In the meantime, other driving gear also will be in engagement and out-of-gear various other stage with other driven gear.In addition, as shown in table 1, only increase a more dirivig member and in fact can reduce meshing frequency, make only per 60 degree of engagement take place once.

As in the table 1 further shown in, generally speaking, when the velocity ratio between driving gear and the driven gear is an odd number during than even number, perhaps when velocity ratio can become odd number approximately than the velocity ratio of even number, the engagement of maximum frequencies will take place between the two.For example, for the quantity that provides in the table 1, when nine driving gears, eight driven gears are per 5 degree engagements at top dead center with the highest frequency, when seven driving gears, eight driven gears are per 6.5 degree engagements at top dead center with much the same frequency.Yet the highest meshing frequency is per 15 degree for even number driving gear and eight driven gears, when this occurs in six driving gears.Yet only the dirivig member of three driving gears or half quantity just can obtain identical frequency.

Table 1

Referring now to Figure 11 A-B, the All aspects of of the speed changer 600 of another kind of illustrative embodiments are disclosed.As other mode of execution disclosed herein, the disclosed mode of execution of Figure 11 A-B comprises that gear or other are arranged so that the member that keeps the constant engagement between driving gear and the driven gear, and driving gear and driven gear are determined and caused that the velocity ratio of speed changer 600 changes.And, keep by making between driving gear and the driven gear that constant engagement, speed changer 600 can make between driving gear and the driven gear, between driven gear and the power source and keep being connected of constant between the power source.Although in some embodiments, even without the rotation of external force prevention gear, the connection that also can keep constant, some mode of executions can comprise the mechanism that clutch or other prevent driving gear and/or driven gear to rotate.Yet in any example, speed changer can use as running disclosed herein and synchronized total principle.

In the embodiment shown, speed changer 600 comprises input shaft 601, and described input shaft 601 is connected to power source and thereby serves as interface between power source and the speed changer 600.For example, power source can be motor or motor.In fact this motor or motor can or interrelate with any other system or equipment that the motor or the motor of some types are connected work with Motor Vehicle, elevator, conveyer belt system, sports equipment, lathe.Therefore, should be appreciated that speed changer 600 is not limited to the power source that is used for moving vehicle or any other particular type, but can substitute the power source of any kind that is used in multiple application.More particularly, speed changer 600 can be used for any application of a plurality of velocity ratios of needs.

In the embodiment shown, when input shaft 601 received power from power source, input shaft 601 was around the axis rotation of self.For the ease of this rotation, can utilize 602 pairs of input shafts of input bearing 601 to carry out bearing and connect to be rotated.In some embodiments, input bearing 602 can be by for example being fixed to gearbox case and/or other structure fixes in place.

Be adjacent to input bearing 602, speed changer 600 can comprise reference rings 603, and this reference rings 603 can comprise the opening of input shaft 601 extend pasts.In some embodiments, reference rings 603 is master gears as shown here, and this reference rings 603 is fixed as and makes that this reference rings 603 can not rotated when input shaft 601 rotates.Reference rings 603 also can be fixed to gearbox case (not shown), input shell 610 or otherwise be supported.For example reference rings 603 can directly be fixed to gearbox case.In other embodiments, reference rings 603 can be by for example being connected to the input bearing 602 that is fixed to gearbox case and indirect securement to gearbox case.

Alternatively, input shell 610 can be set.In some illustrative embodiments, input shell 610 is fixed to input shaft 601 and is suitable for rotating and drives driving gear rotation in the speed changer 600 simultaneously.Input shell 610 can be fixed to input shaft 601 by for example welding, mechanical type fastener or some other suitable attachment arrangements.Therefore, when input shaft 601 rotations, attached power source also drives 610 rotations of input shell.In the embodiment shown, input shell 610 may further include a plurality of openings near the outer periphery, is inserted with bearing in described a plurality of openings and receives one or more rotating drive shafts therein 604.Described opening can be arranged in the input shell 610 in any suitable manner.For example, the hole can be formed by boring or fraising, casting or molded or any other suitable manner.

Further disclosed as Figure 11 A, timing gear 605 can be attached to transmission shaft 604, but also can cooperate with reference rings 603.Timing gear 605 can comprise for example spur wheel or helical gear, described timing gear engagement reference rings 603, and can comprise the involute gear teeth that matches with involute gear teeth on the reference rings 603.Therefore, when for example making 610 rotations of input shell by rotation input shaft 601, input shell 610 can drive timing gear 605 rotations and revolve round the sun around reference rings 603, thereby makes transmission shaft 604 rotations.In this, timing gear 605 can be with the drive manner running of the speed change master gear 114 that is similar to Figure 1A at least.

Pivot driving gear 611 (overview diagram is " A " gear in the illustrative embodiments of Figure 11 B) also can be fixed to transmission shaft 604.Therefore, when transmission shaft 604 rotations, pivot driving gear 611 also rotates.For the ease of transmission shaft 604 rotation, input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 can be positioned to pivot driving gear 611 each side and can comprise opening and corresponding bearing can support and/or make transmission shaft 604 rotations.Further, pivot driving gear 611 can match with driving gear 612 (overview diagram is " B " gear in the illustrative embodiments of Figure 11 B), when 611 rotations of pivot driving gear, and driving gear 612 rotations.Input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 may further include opening and the corresponding bearing that receives moon axle (not shown), and this moon axle rotates around inner axis.

In the embodiment shown, input interlock control gear 606 can be installed on the corresponding transmission shaft 604 and at the input shell 610 and first input and control between the STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613.Therefore input interlock control gear 606 can be by for example using the wheel tooth that matches to mesh first tube gear 637 and rotating around first tube gear 637, and the described wheel tooth that matches can be the involute gear teeth in some mode of executions.As disclosed herein, when the control valve 634 that connects rotated, tube gear 637 can rotate, control gear 606 rotations thereby the drive input links.In some illustrative embodiments, input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 is attached to axle (not shown), when 606 rotations of input interlock control gear, this axle rotation, make because 606 rotations of input interlock control gear, so 613 rotations of input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED further drive driving gear 612 proceeds to small part around pivot driving gear 611 revolution.Therefore, driving gear 612 is moved to making them around 611 translations of pivot driving gear.Therefore, driving gear 612 is along around the inside and/or outside translation of the crooked route of pivot driving gear 611, thereby radially moves with respect to the axis at the center of aiming at input shell 610.When timing gear 605 drive driving gears 612 revolved round the sun, this of driving gear 612 can also change the revolution path that driving gear 612 is moved around 611 inside or outside the moving of pivot driving gear.Therefore, driving gear 612 and driving gear 612 lever length and the length in the revolution path of driving gear 612 between its axis that revolves round the sun also increases or reduces.

As disclosed herein, input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 could be attached to the axle (not shown) that makes 613 rotations of input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED.In some illustrative embodiments, the center that this departs from input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 makes that the position that is connected to the driving gear 612 of input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 changes when STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 is controlled in input around this axle rotation.In the exemplary configuration shown in Figure 11 A, for example, input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 is arranged in the internal structure, makes driving gear 612 be in interior location, is in the radial position of pivot driving gear 611 in the radial position of this interior location place driving gear 612.More particularly, position externally, driving gear 612 and driving gear 612 are around the distance between its axis that revolves round the sun---being lever length---less than the distance between same axis and the pivot driving gear 611.When driving gear 612 during around corresponding pivot driving gear 611 translations, the position of driving gear 612 can change.For example, in one embodiment, radially translation of driving gear 612 make that lever length changes when it moves to outer position along the crooked route around pivot driving gear 611, thereby the radial position of driving gear 612 is in beyond the radial position of pivot driving gear 611.More particularly, position externally, driving gear 612 and driving gear 612 are around the distance between its axis that revolves round the sun---being lever length---greater than the distance between same axis and the pivot driving gear 611.For example, in the exemplary configuration of Figure 11 A-B, when making driving gear 612 when pivot driving gear 611 makes progress translation, driving gear 612 position internally moves to outer position.The exemplary external position of moon driving gear 612 as moon driving gear 617 shown in broken lines among Figure 11 A-B.

Although illustrate the single outer position of moon driving gear 617, each moon driving gear 612 in the speed changer 600 can move to corresponding outer position, makes that moon driving gear 617 is the examples to the outer position of each driving gear 612.And although Figure 11 A-B only illustrates two positions of driving gear 612, this configuration only is exemplary.In fact, in some illustrative embodiments, driving gear 612 can move to any position around pivot driving gear 611, make that when driving gear 612 revolves round the sun around the axis of aiming at input shaft 601 length in the revolution path that driving gear 612 is advanced can change between very a plurality of, possible unlimited a plurality of length.As discussed herein, in some embodiments, itself and driven gear 614 keeps engagement in the whole process that the revolution path of driving gear 612 changes.In other embodiments, driving gear 612 only meshes at discrete place, revolution path with driven gear 614, thereby provides discrete velocity ratio in speed changer 600.Yet as previously pointed out, embodiments of the present invention make discrete velocity ratio to have very little corresponding change and kept with the revolution path.For example, each velocity ratio can be kept with the increment of a complete tooth.Therefore, need very little translational motion to realize ratio changing.As a result, driven gear 614 for example can provide 10,20,30 or even more different discrete velocity ratio around the translation of pivot driving gear 611.

Driving gear 612 can also match with driven output moon gear 614 (overview diagram is " D " gear among Figure 11 B) and merge engagement.As a result, when moon gear 612 rotation, when for example rotating owing to the rotation of pivot driving gear 611, shown in illustrative embodiments in, export moon gear 614 and also can rotate.Though under input driving gear 612 situation identical with the radius of output driven gear 614, make driving gear 612 rotation meetings thus make driven gear 614 with the angular velocity unequal angular velocity rotation of input moon gear 612 rotations, but the radius of driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 needn't be necessarily identical.Under any situation, when the driven output moon gear 614 of driving gear 612 engagement, output moon gear 614 is also around its corresponding central axis rotation.In some embodiments, when driving gear 612 is advanced along the revolution path, alternately mesh between driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614.For example, can make amendment to driven gear 614 not to revolve round the sun it jointly around outside axis, and driving gear 612 revolves round the sun around outside axis.In this example, when driving gear 612 revolved round the sun around outside axis, each driving gear 612 can enter engagement and break away from engagement with each moon driven gear 614.Therefore, each driven gear 614 alternately with 612 engagements of different driving gear.And in some embodiments, driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 were configured so that in any stage of the revolution motion of driving gear 612, at least one engagement at least one in the driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614.So, driving gear 612 can keep the constant engagement with driven gear 614.

In this illustrative embodiments, driven gear 614 also can be connected to output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615.Output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 can further be connected to the output interlock control gear 640 around 636 rotations of second tube gear, and the rotation of described second tube gear 636 is controlled the control of pipe 681.Therefore, when 636 rotations of second tube gear, output interlock control gear 640 can be by tube gear 636 driven rotary.Further, output interlock control gear 640 can connect with output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615, makes that output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 is also rotated when 640 rotations of output control linkage gear.Output gear 614 can further be attached to output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 by axle, and this for example departs from the center of output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615.In one example, when 615 rotations of output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED, output is controlled STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 thereby is driven driven gear 614 along the crooked route translation around output pivot gear 607 (overview diagram is " C " gear among Figure 11 B).

In some embodiments, and as disclosed herein, the rotation of control valve 634 drives first tube gear 637 and rotates with respect to the rotation of input shaft 601, and the rotation of control valve 681 drives 636 rotations of second tube gear.As a result, when control valve 634,681 rotations, driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 separately can be at least in part around corresponding pivot gear 607,611 rotations.Therefore, driving gear 612 and/or driven gear 614 can radially inwardly and outwards move around its axis that revolves round the sun with respect to driving gear 612, the all axis of aiming at input shaft 601 in this way of this axis make lever length between driving gear 612 and the output shaft 601 increase or reduce.If the rotation of control valve 634,681 is synchronous, make they at one time or about same time take place, the rotation of controlling STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613,615 so also thereby synchronously, thereby also make the radial translation of driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 synchronous.Particularly, exporting control linkage gear 640 and import control linkage gear 606 can be respectively by second tube gear 636 and first tube gear, 637 driven rotary, and feasible radial location with driven gear 614 is controlled to be with the radial location of driving gear 612 to be carried out approximately simultaneously.Therefore, when the central axis of input shaft 601 and the distance between driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614 changed, driving gear 612 can keep aiming at constant with driven gear 614 and meshes.In other words, when the length of the revolution path of input shaft 601---for example around---changed when the lever length of driving gear 612 changes and the revolution path of driving gear 612, driving gear 612 for example kept the constants engagement around its corresponding central axis rotation and with the driven gear 614 that has also moved corresponding radial distance.As before discussing about exemplary speed changer 100 and 100 ', for example in the ratio changing process in the speed changer of sliding type ratio changing, the perhaps discrete velocity ratio place in the speed changer of step-by-step movement ratio changing for example, this engagement can be kept.With respect to the speed changer 600 of Figure 11 A-B, in both cases, shown in the dotted line among Figure 11 B,---to be centre distance farthest the part of driven gear 614 from control valve 634---limit virtual gear 651 to the outermost portion of driven gear 614.

As clear illustrating in the illustrative embodiments of Figure 11 B, when 610 rotations of input shell, driving gear 612 also can revolve round the sun around the center of input shell 610, in some instances, and the centrally aligned input shaft 601 of this input shell 610 and/or the center of control valve 634,681.Although therefore driving gear 612 is advanced along the revolution path, extend around the outer periphery of driven gear 614 and along the distance edge farthest from the center of input shell 610 of driven gear in this revolution path, but in other embodiments, driving gear can be advanced along the revolution path, this revolution path is around the inside of driven gear, for example along the edge at the center of the most close input shell 610 of driven gear 614.Therefore, driven gear 614 radially outwards moves, thereby increase they outward edge and the input shell 610 the center between distance, initiatively moon gear 612 can synchronously or almost synchronously radially move, thereby makes that the maintenance constant meshes between driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614.In other words, when driven gear 614 radially outwards during translation, the size of virtual gear 651 increases, driving gear 612 can be almost simultaneously correspondingly radially outwards translation to keep the constants engagement with virtual gear 651.Such as when driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 radially inwardly or outwards slide, making in the speed changer that keeps constant engagement between driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614, in the ratio changing process, can keep this engagement always.Alternately, in the speed changer such as stepping between by the velocity ratio that discrete location limited of driving gear 612 and driven gear 614, when ratio changing, the engagement between driving gear 612 and the driven gear 614 can temporarily be interrupted.

As disclosed herein, no matter speed changer is to slide or stepping between velocity ratio, speed changer can provide essentially identical result.For example, the loss of momentum or torque peak can be ignored in sliding type speed changer or step-by-step movement speed changer, and described speed changer produces ratio changing by changing driving gear 612 and the radial distance of driving gear 612 between its axis that revolves round the sun.In the embodiment shown, for example, driving gear 612 rotations are also revolved round the sun around the axis at the center of aiming at input shell 610.Therefore, control valve 613,615 and pivot gear the 607, the 611st make driving gear and driven gear synchronously so that keep the whole example and the example separately of structural design of the device of constant engagement between driving gear and the driven gear when driving gear and driven gear radially move very a plurality of arbitrarily to produce, may be unlimited a plurality of velocity ratio.

In the exemplary configuration that includes five driven gears 614, the shape of virtual gear 651 is pentagons roughly, and has the fillet of aiming at driven gear 614.Yet,, should be appreciated that the shape of virtual gear 651 can change according to disclosed herein.Generally speaking, for example, when increasing many more driven gears, the approaching more picture circle of the shape of virtual gear 651.In another embodiment, the shape of virtual gear always can be considered as circle, driven gear is positioned at the place, polygonal summit that is limited by the virtual gear of circle.For example, in the embodiment shown, virtual gear 651 can be circular, and each driving gear 618 is positioned at the place, summit of the regular pentagonal that is limited by virtual gear 651.And, when driven gear 614 radially outwards or when moving inward, the corresponding increase of the size of virtual gear 651 or reduce.Therefore, driven gear 614 can be positioned at the arbitrary position in each radial position so that limit virtual gear 651 much individual, the unlimited a plurality of different sizes of possibility.

As before disclosed, when driving gear 612 moved to the position of outer position such as transmission moon gear 617, the length in the revolution path of driving gear 612 increased.So, driving constant rotation input that driving gear 612 revolves round the sun with Constant Angular Velocity around outside axis and will thereby make in the linear velocity of the driving gear 617 of position shown in Figure 11 A-B linear velocity greater than driving gear 612, wherein should the outside axis be the axis such as the center of aiming at input shell 610.This be because driving gear 617 along advancing than driving gear 612 longer revolution paths, so revolution longer arc length of must advancing.When driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 matched merging thereby driving driven gear 614, the linear velocity of this increase was enjoyed in contact points punishment by driven gear 614.As a result, can be around the rotation of its center but the driven gear 614 that does not revolve round the sun has the linear velocity and the angular velocity of increase.Therefore, realize the increase of velocity ratio.Be also to be understood that by translation driving gear 612 between any two positions on the path of radially outwards moving and to realize ratio changing at driving gear 612.For example, mobile driving gear 612 can make the corresponding increase of velocity ratio or reduce between any 2 on the path 660.And, because discrete point or non-discrete point that path 660 can have any number, wherein driving gear 612 can be in described discrete point or the rotation of non-discrete point place, so driving gear 612 can along arbitrarily a plurality of, may advance in unlimited a plurality of different revolution paths, make it possible to realize very a plurality of, may unlimited a plurality of velocity ratios.

Relation between the quantity of driving gear and the quantity of driven gear can change in any suitable manner.For example, in one embodiment, the quantity of driving gear and driven gear is identical.In other embodiments, the quantity of driving gear and driven gear is different.As further example, can expect and use even number input moon gear and odd number output moon gear, perhaps opposite.For example, as discussed previously, can use three output driven gears and two driving gears.In another embodiment, such as disclosed among Figure 11 B, be used in combination five driven gears and eight driving gears.

More particularly, Figure 11 B illustrates the partial cross-section of speed changer 600 shown in Figure 11 A, wherein eight driving gears 612 (integral body is designated as " B " gear) engagement, five driven gears 614 (integral body is designated as " D " gear).Although in the embodiment shown, initiatively moon gear 612 and driven moon gear 614 are located with the equally spaced angular spacing of 45 degree and 72 degree respectively, but also can use the driving gear and/or the driven gear of any other specific quantity, and the interval of corresponding moon driving gear and moon driven gear can change equally.Driving gear 612 carries out various rotations, comprises rotation of carrying out around the axis that passes its corresponding center and the common revolution of carrying out around the axis that passes the center of importing shell 610.Because the revolution motion of driving gear 612, so in the various stages of the revolution motion of driving gear 612, driving gear 612 constantly enters engagement in various degree with driven gear 614 and breaks away from various degree engagement.For example, in the embodiment shown and as reflecting in the table 1, in eight driving gears 612 one with five driven gears 614 in one whenever revolve at input shaft 601 and to enter the dead point engagement when turning 90 degrees.Disclosed as Figure 11 B, when one or more in the one or more engagement driven gears 614 in the driving gear 612, other driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 also can the ingear various stages.

In the mode of execution shown in Figure 11 A, driven gear 614 also meshes output pivot gear 607 (integral body is designated as " C " gear among Figure 11 B).Therefore, when driven gear 614 during with driving gear 612 engagements and by driving gear 612 driven rotary, driven gear 614 drives the corresponding axis rotation of output pivot gear 607 around output pivot gear 607.Each pivot driven gear 607 can further be attached to pivotal axis 620.Alternatively, pivotal axis 620 for example passes output shell 616 by hole and the bearing that utilization is arranged in the output shell 616 from output pivot gear 607.In some embodiments, output shell 616 can also be connected to gearbox case (not shown).

Shown in Figure 11 A, pivotal axis 620 can extend to output gear 621 and be connected with output gear 621, and in this illustrative embodiments, described output gear 621 is spider gears.Therefore, when any output pivot gear 607 during by moon driven gear 614 driven rotary, pivotal axis 620 drives corresponding output gear 621 rotations.Output gear 621 and then can mesh output planetary ring gear 622.When each output gear 621 can mesh output planetary ring gear 622, the rotation of each output gear 621 was connect, and made each output gear 621 around the identical rotation of himself corresponding center maintenance.The output gear 621 of interlock thereby also connect the rotation of pivotal axis 620, pivot gear 607 and moon driven gear 614, make no matter moon driven gear 614 whether with the degree of 612 engagements of moon driving gear and engagement how, each moon driven gear 614 keeps identical rotation around its corresponding central axis.

In this embodiment, planet ring gear 622 comprises the inside flank profil of meshing planetary gear 623.As a result, the energy of rotation of output spider gear 621 makes planet ring gear 622 rotate and thereby engagement and rotation planetary pinion 623.Planetary pinion 623 can be for example by using extension piece 625 further to be connected to rotatable output shift fork 630.When extension piece 625 during by planetary pinion 623 driven rotary, output shift fork 630 also rotates.This configuration makes power from speed changer 600 outputs.And speed changer 600 can be connected to load or dynamic dissipation device in any suitable manner, the interface that makes output shift fork 630 also can serve as to be used to power output that speed changer 600 is provided.

Alternatively, can be that the input gear 624 of for example sun gear can be fixed to input shaft 601 and meshing planetary gear 623.In this configuration, output planetary ring gear 622 can connect the power input that enters speed changer 600 with the rotation of exporting spider gear 621, and the rotation of described output spider gear 621 is the middle output of speed changer 600.Particularly, when the measure-alike and planetary pinion 623 of spider gear 623 and input sun gear 624 under the effect of ring gear 622 so that the star gear 623 corresponding central axis that detour rotate with the rotation unequal angular velocity of input sun gear 624, planetary pinion 623 directly offsets with input sun gear 624, ignores or almost nil output thereby cause exporting shift fork 630 places.In other words, although driving gear 612 keeps engagement with driven gear 614, speed changer 600 is in the neutral gear output state.So, although driving gear and driven gear keep engagement and continue their rotation and revolution separately, realize the neutral state of engagement.Therefore, speed changer 600 can be in the neutral gear output state and need not to make power source and load disconnection to be connected, and need not to force driving gear and driven gear to disconnect to be connected, need not to reduce or prevent the mechanism of the rotation of interior any driving gear of speed changer 600 or driven gear simultaneously.In this sense, output gear 621 drives planetary pinion 623 and rotates more quickly than input sun gear 624, output shift fork 630 produces the output of advancing that is used for speed changer 600, and the rotation of the speed ratio of planetary pinion 623 input sun gear 624 is slower, can cause retreating output.Although in a kind of exemplary mode of execution, separately measure-alike of input spider gear 621 and output planetary gear 623, this technical characteristics is not necessarily.In other illustrative embodiments, for example, the corresponding size of input spider gear 621 and output planetary gear 623 can change.Under input spider gear 621 situation different with the size of output planetary gear 623, although output planetary gear 623 is different with the angular velocity of input spider gear 621, speed changer 600 can place the neutral gear output state.

As discussed herein, speed changer 600 may further include between velocity ratio with discrete or non-substantially mechanism discrete, that the infinitesimal increment of possibility changes.Therefore, speed changer 600 can stepping or slip between velocity ratio, thereby provide a kind of speed changer, this speed changer does not rely on and only uses the discrete velocity ratio of group, and changes velocity ratio under can be even as big as the situation of damaging speed changer or relevant power train torque peak or torque peak can not occurring.In the embodiment shown, shift level 631 is hinged on the pivot 632.When shift level 631 during around pivot 632 rotation, the rotation of shift level 631 is subjected to displacement gear shift control bearing 633, this gear shift control bearing 633 is located around control valve 634, that is to say in the present embodiment, and described gear shift control bearing 633 is coaxial with input shaft 601.

In the exemplary embodiment, control valve 634 is suitable for the rotation that keeps consistent with the rotation of input shaft 601 substantially.Thereby guide bearing (not shown) can be fixed to the inside of gear shift control bearing 633, and is fixed to control valve 634 and input shaft 601, makes guide bearing with control valve 634 and input shaft 601 rotations.Guide bearing can be suitable for advancing along the control groove 635 that is formed in the control valve 634, and is fixed on groove (not shown) inside in the input shaft 601.In a kind of illustrative embodiments, control groove 635 can have different paths with groove in the input shaft 601.As a result, the forward and backward motion of gear shift control bearing 633 is advanced and is driven control valve 634 along the path that is formed by control groove 635 and carries out the rotation different with the rotation of input shaft 601.Therefore, control valve 634 is with respect to the rotation of input shaft 601 and rotate.Control groove 635 can comprise the path of any appropriate.Although for example in the embodiment shown, control groove 635 has spirality, is stretched as the configuration of " S ", and this is a kind of possible configuration.Groove in the input shaft 601 also can have the path of any appropriate.For example, in a kind of example, the groove in the input shaft 601 is straight.

In a kind of illustrative embodiments, shift level 631 can be attached to the outside of gear shift control bearing 630 at second pivot, 680 places.Therefore, when shift level 631 during around pivot 632 rotation and 633 displacements of gear shift control bearing, the rotation of shift level 631 drives second pivot 680 and also moves vertically with respect to control valve 634.In some illustrative embodiments, second control valve 681 also can be located around gear shift control bearing 633, and alternatively around control valve 634 location.Second pivot 680 can be positioned at and be formed in the control of second in second control valve 681 groove 682, makes when second pivot 680 is mobile vertically with respect to control valve 634, and second pivot 680 is advanced along the second control groove 682.As a result, moving forward and backward of gear shift control bearing 633 also drives second pivot 680 and advances along the path that the second control groove 682 is limited.The second control groove 682 can also comprise any suitable path.For example, in one embodiment, the structure of the second control groove 682 is similar to the structure of control groove 635.For example, if control groove 635 is spiral structures, the second control groove 682 also can be the spiral structure that directly is positioned at control groove 635 tops or is offset with control groove 635 so.

The gear shift control bearing 633 and second pivot 680 can further link to input interlock control gear 606 and output interlock control gear 640 respectively.Therefore, moving forward and backward of the gear shift control bearing 633 and second pivot 680 can drive control valve 634,681 rotations, perhaps with respect to input shaft 601 rotations, thereby drives input interlock control gear 606 and 640 rotations of output interlock control gear.Particularly, move axially when making control valve 634 control valve 634 rotations along control valve 634 when control gear 633 with respect to input shaft 601 rotation.Equally, when second pivot 680 when second control valve 681 moves axially, 681 rotations of second control valve.Control valve 634 also could be attached to tube gear 636,637.As a result, when control valve 634 rotated with respect to input shaft 601, tube gear 636,637 also can rotate, thereby also drove input interlock control gear 606 and export 640 rotations of interlock control gear.When 606 rotations of input interlock control gear, 613 whiles of input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED and 606 rotations of input interlock control gear, also drive the driving gear 612 be installed on the input control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613 simultaneously around pivot driving gear 611 for example along translation track 660 translations, thereby the lever that is associated with driving gear 612 is changed.In the same way, second control valve 681 could be attached to tube gear 636, makes that tube gear 636 also can rotate when 681 rotations of second control valve, thereby drives 640 rotations of output interlock control gear.When 640 rotations of output interlock control gear, output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 also thereby rotation.Output control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 615 can further be attached to driven gear 614, so thereby described driven gear 614 is also driven around output pivot gear 607 for example along path for translation 661 translations.Therefore, control valve 634,681, tube gear 636,637, interlock control gear 606,640 and control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED the 613, the 615th make driving gear and driven gear synchronously so that move the whole example and the independent example of the structural design that keeps the device that constant meshes when producing arbitrarily a lot of non-discrete velocity ratios between the driving gear and driven gear vertically when driving gear and driven gear.

Although by using control valve 634,681, tube gear 636,637, control STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED 613,615 and/or interlock control gear 606,640 or any other equivalent structure, thereby make that driving gear 612 and driven gear 614 can be along with respect to the one or more radially same moved further of driving gear 612 around its axis that revolves round the sun, but should be appreciated that, in other embodiments,

control valve

634 and 681 rotates independently of one another.This relation can further increase or reduce the arc length that must advance when driving gear 612 revolves round the sun.As disclosed herein, the arc length of this increase or minimizing increases or has reduced the linear velocity relevant with driving gear 612, thereby also increase or reduced to have the output of the driven gear 614 of corresponding linear velocity, thereby and driven gear 614 is rotated with corresponding angular velocity at the contact points place.And, when driving gear 612 can move to any position around pivot driving gear 611, their can positioned alternate at a lot of discrete locations, may be positioned at unlimited a plurality of non-discrete locations, thereby also provide a lot of, may unlimited a plurality of arc length and velocity ratios of revolving round the sun as disclosed herein.

In addition, the input interlock control gear 606 that is caused by shift level 631, pivot 632, second pivot 680 and control bearing 633 makes input moon gear 612 and output moon gear 614 keep engagement with being synchronized with the movement of output interlock control gear 640, thereby keeps the constant engagement when the arc length of input moon gear 612 changes.Particularly, when lever length changes, keep the constant engagement, make that camber line is exported moon gear 614 with bigger angular velocity rotation apart from increase thereby cause when lever length increases.Equally, if lever length changes, make lever length reduce, the arc length in the path of revolving round the sun so also reduces, thereby causes output moon gear 614 with littler angular velocity rotation.

According to a kind of mode of execution, during velocity ratio changed, speed changer 600 made driving gear 612 keep being connected with input shaft 601.Yet according to a kind of alternative mode of execution, when velocity ratio changed, the spinning motion of driving gear 612 and/or revolution motion can break away from the rotation of input shaft 601 and connect the short time at least.For example, similar to the speed changer 100 ' among Figure 1B, speed changer 600 can comprise one or more clutches (not shown), when clutches engaged, can make the revolution motion of driving gear 612 and/or spinning motion stop.For example, clutch can be arranged between input shaft 601 and the input shell 610.Therefore, when input shaft 601 rotations, input shell 610 does not rotate under the situation of clutches engaged.As a result, when input shell 610 did not rotate, driving gear 612 did not carry out rotation or revolution yet.

According to content disclosed herein, should be appreciated that this location of clutch only is exemplary.In other embodiments, for example, clutch (not shown) can be additionally or replacedly is arranged between input shell 610 and the driving gear 612.In this embodiment, when the rotation of input shell 610, the engagement of clutch thereby the rotation of driving gear 612 is stopped to continue to make driving gear 612 to revolve round the sun jointly simultaneously.

As formerly disclosed among Figure 1A, in some applications, also can wish to make the moment of torsion flow inversion through speed changer 600 about speed changer 100.For example, in one embodiment, when speed changer 600 shifts out the engagement neutral gear and when entering forward gears, can wish to have low moment of torsion output.Therefore, in other embodiments, make the low moment of torsion of disengaging neutral gear or the moment of torsion flow performance of other hope be achieved through mobile being reversed of the moment of torsion of speed changer 700.For example, in this embodiment, power is by shift fork 630 inputs, and shift fork 630 serves as the speed changer input interface.Moment of torsion flow be reversed make that output moon gear 614 serves as subsequently that driving gear and engagement become driven gear initiatively import moon gear 612.Thereby when moon gear 614 time rotationals, moon gear 614 also revolves round the sun, thereby drives input shaft 601 rotations and input shaft 601 is served as the interface that is used to provide power output.

In some cases, making torque-flow cross reverse process speed changer 600 may need to adjust to help optionally meshing the neutral gear feature.Therefore, as about formerly disclosed among Fig. 9, can realize meshing neutral gear by using planetary gear set.Particularly, can be undertaken and be connected to the sun gear that rotates against each moon gear by speed changer 600 in the input at shift fork 630 places, these moon gears be connected to the power output of axle 601.So, the RPMs of input and output is in the counteracting state.As a result, when sun gear and planetary pinion when the amount of the linear velocity at contact points place equates, sun gear and planetary pinion do not provide output to ring gear on the whole.Therefore, speed changer 600 ingear neutral states.Yet,, can obtain and may perhaps can obtain retreating output with the output of advancing of low moment of torsion running if the PRMs that inputs or outputs increases to above another person.

Therefore as can be seen, can use various arbitrarily dissimilar and driving gear, driven gear and gear trains quantity to change gear meshing frequency and quantity according to the needs of various application.In fact, can expect that every kind of application can have not requirement on the same group, and the advantage of the gear of all kinds and quantity and feature must be weighed with decision with which and with how many driving gears and driven gear.For example, in some embodiments, as above-mentioned disclosed about Figure 1A-B, driven gear can be the ring gear that is driven by the input spur wheel.In other embodiments, moment of torsion flows can oppositely pass through speed changer, makes driven gear become driving gear.In this embodiment, ring gear has inner arc separately, thereby described inner arc revolves round the sun spur wheel and make driving gear and driven gear keep engagement on the corresponding longer arc path than the curved path that spur wheel or helical gear allowed.Therefore, wish to adopt ring gear so that keep more constant engagement with still less total parts.

Yet ring gear can be greater than the outside driven spur wheel shown in Figure 11 A-B.Opposite with ring gear, the curvature of outside driven gear is compared with the bending of driving gear revolution path, makes to keep engagement on the corresponding arc path shorter than the arc path that ring gear kept.Therefore, if what use in a kind of example is driven spur wheel, can use more driven gear to increase overall engagement between driving gear and the driven gear so.

In addition, in the application that the size and/or the weight of speed changer is important design parameter, can wish to make the quantity and/or the minimized in size of the gear in the speed changer.On the contrary, if power source is supported bulk loads, then can wish to have more multi-gear.For instance, the quantity of driving gear and driven gear increases to respectively under eight and five s' the situation, and the dead points engagement takes place approximately per 90 degree along the revolution path of driving gear between possible driving gear and the driven gear.In the configuration that the angular velocity of the rotation of the revolution of this driving gear and input shaft equates, driving gear and driven gear thereby approximately enter the dead point engagement in per 90 degree places in the input shaft rotation.In this embodiment, when the engagement of the dead point of a driving gear and a driven gear, other driving gear and driven gear may be in engagement and out-of-gear changes phase.For example, five engagements that may be in some degree in the driving gear, and only have three driving gears not mesh (seeing Figure 11 B) with driven gear.Therefore, five driving gears load sharing in its wheel tooth.On the contrary, in the mode of execution shown in Fig. 2 A-G, wherein two driving tooth wheels mesh three driven gears, when meshing at the dead point, a driving gear and driven gear engagement are arbitrarily only arranged, make the driving gear of single engagement this moment must support whole loads.

Turn to Figure 12 below, the schematic representation of also a kind of mode of execution of the dynamic transfer system 735 that can be used in the speed changer disclosed herein is shown.Dynamic transfer system 735 comprises a plurality of driving gears 712 and the driven gear 714 that can turn round as discussing about Figure 1A-B and Figure 11 A-B.In the embodiment shown, driving gear 712 is connected to corresponding lever arm 716a-b.Yet, should be appreciated that lever arm 716 can be entity lever or a virtual lever discussed herein.For example, except other factors, driving gear 712 can connect via virtual arm, for example be connected to support or make driving gear 712 can be radially inwardly and/or other mechanism that outwards moves.Equally, driven gear 714 can be configured to radially translation.As top disclosed, driving gear 712 and/or driven gear 714 can be configured to around its corresponding center rotation and be configured to alternatively and can revolve round the sun around the outside axis of central authorities.For example, in the embodiment shown, driving gear 712 can also can revolve round the sun around the axis that passes this circle center around the peripheral angled skew of a circle.

The speed changer of some aspects can be included in single plane, promptly aim at single axial position according to the present invention a plurality of driving gears 612 and driven gear 614 are discussed about speed changer 600 (Figure 11 A-B) as above-mentioned.According to the disclosure herein content, should be appreciated that this only is exemplary.For example, Figure 12 shows exemplary dynamic transfer system 735, wherein a plurality of transmission moon gears 712 can mesh a plurality of driven sun gears 714 and drive described a plurality of driven sun gear 714 rotations, and driving gear 712 and driven gear 714 are arranged in a plurality of isolated vertically planes in this case.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, dynamic transfer system 735 has stacked structure, and wherein driving gear 712 and driven gear 714 are arranged among two corresponding plane 708a-b.Should be appreciated that this mode of execution only is as example, and unrestricted, other configuration also is possible and can expects.For example, in some embodiments, driving gear 712 and driven gear 714 can be stacked for making driving gear 712 and driven gear 714 according to desirable or suitable being arranged in three, four, five or the more a plurality of plane in concrete application.

Arranged stacked especially is of value to various application.For example, in modified model was used, speed changer may need to be assembled in the specific casing.In some cases, casing allows the axial length of speed changer only to allow limited width than length.In this case, the additional stacked length that can increase speed changer of driving gear and driven gear, this speed changer can be assembled in the length range of available floor space like a cork, can easily satisfy width requirement simultaneously.

Also, for using, some wish to increase the frequency of dead point engagement between driving gear 712 and the driven gear 714 as disclosed herein.As previously pointed out, a kind of mode of this engagement that increases is for utilizing the vernier relation.As reflecting in the table 1, not every vernier relation equates that all meshing frequency can further increase by the quantity that changes driving gear and driven gear.For example, one that alternately meshes in four driving gears of three driven gears will run into the dead point engagement when revolution path per 30 is spent.Yet this engagement can obtain by the quantity that increases driving gear and/or driven gear increasing.Further, direct in five driven gears of engagement when per 18 spend of a meeting in four driving gears.Further, direct in eight driven gears of engagement when per 5 spend of a meeting in nine driving gears.

When can keeping vernier (Vernier) relation, when the quantity of gear increased, the size of speed changer and behavior characteristics may be affected.For example, suppose a simple example, wherein determined the estimated performance that will obtain, speed changer can utilize four driving gears, and the diameter of each driving gear all is two inches.In addition, in order to meet width limitations and to obtain desirable gear range, the diameter in revolution path should change between four and 1/2nd inches and ten inches.

Be arranged in the single plane mode of execution of driven gear inside at driving gear, should be appreciated that, four driving gears possibly can't turning round than small end in desirable revolution path.For example, thus when the inside translation of driving gear limited diameter and respectively does for oneself about five inches virtual gear and revolution path, four driving gears of revolution inside, path began to collide.Driving gear begins against meshing each other, thereby disturbs motion each other.Therefore, speed changer may be a revolution path place use driving gear between four and 1/2nd inches and five inches at diameter.Therefore, speed changer possibly can't provide desirable gear range.

A kind of possible solution of problem is to reduce the quantity of driving gear or use less driving gear hereto, thereby increases the free space of revolution inside, path.Every kind of alternative solution all is useful and feasible in some applications.Yet as previously pointed out, the quantity that reduces driving gear can influence the frequency of dead point engagement, and the size of minimizing driving gear can make its easier inefficacy when transmitting torque.Therefore, in some applications, can need other solution.Another kind of possible solution is to regulate power train, makes driving gear to provide desirable velocity ratio at bigger place, revolution path.Although this also is feasible, this replacement scheme need increase speed changer size and may more inapplicable application.

Mode of execution shown in Figure 12 shows the alternative solution that another kind has been considered these situations.For example, shown in the mode of execution as shown in the figure, dynamic transfer system 735 can be used four driving gears 712 of wishing size, even the diameter in revolution path reduces to some extent.This realizes by driving gear 712 is divided into a plurality of laminations.In the embodiment shown, for example, driving gear 712 is divided into two laminations.Particularly, two driving gear 712a-b are arranged in the first plane 708a, and remaining two driving gear 712c-d are axially offset to one another and are positioned at the second plane 708b.

In the first plane 708a, driving gear 712a separates along circumference.In the embodiment shown, driving gear 712a is separated from each other at interval with 180 degree.In addition, driving gear 712b separates in the second plane 708b in the same way.In the embodiment shown, the group of driving gear 712 is relative to each other rotated.Particularly, driving gear 712c-d revolves with respect to driving gear 712a-b and turn 90 degrees.As a result, as shown in Figure 12, four driving gears 712 separate and are separated from each other at interval with 90 degree along circumference, make driving gear 712 that position, four angles be arranged.

In order to keep engagement between driving gear 712 and driven gear 714, driven gear 714 also can be arranged to stepped construction.In the embodiment shown, for example, five driven gears aim at each first plane 708a and the second plane 708b with driving gear 712 engagements, five driven gear 714a among the plane 708a that wins and five driven gear 714b among the second plane 708b can be offset vertically.

As further shown, in some mode of executions of bilayer or multilayer speed changer, the driven gear 714 in every layer can be arranged along common axis.For example, each in five driven gears 714 among each plane 708a-b all separates with 72 degree at interval along circumference.Every layer driven gear 714 also can be with respect to the driven gear rotation in other one or more layers.Yet in other embodiments, one or more layers driven gear 714 can not other layer rotation with respect to each.In the mode of execution shown in Figure 12, for example, each among five driven gear 714b among the first plane 708a is the driven gear 714b that is meshed of the coaxial alignment second plane 708b all.Therefore, in this embodiment, ten driven gears 714 may have only position, five angles.

Be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, owing to use double-deck driving gear 712 and driven gear 714, so the diameter in the revolution path of the driving gear 712 that is limited by the inner periphery of driven gear 714 and the diameter of virtual gear all reduce, thereby make the width of speed changer or diameter reduce.Particularly, because the driven gear in each plane still less, the driving gear 712 of revolution in the path crowded, disturb and tilt all to be minimized or to eliminate, thereby for the speed changer of single plane, permission is arranged on more driving gear 712 in the same area.

Further, shown mode of execution keeps the vernier between driving gear 712 and the driven gear 714 to concern.Particularly, shown mode of execution uses four driving gears and ten driven gears to obtain four to ten velocity ratio.Yet, because the driven gear 714 in each plane is all coaxial, institute is so that driven gear 714 only has position, five angles, vernier between driving gear and driven gear relation also can show as four to five velocity ratio, and mesh at per 18 dead points of generation when spending between driving gear 712 and the driven gear 714.

Should be appreciated that the rotation of driving gear 712a and 712b and revolution can link together, the rotation of driven gear 714a and 714b also can link together.This interlock can keep in any suitable manner, comprises that those are specifically with reference to Figure 1A-B and the disclosed mode of Figure 11 A-B here.In some embodiments, the driving gear 712 in each plane thereby can carry out rotation and revolution along same direction.For example, only for example, driving gear 712 rotation along clockwise direction in each plane is revolved round the sun in the counterclockwise direction.Therefore, thus driving gear 712 also can drive two driven gears 714 among the 708a-b of plane along same direction---for example rotation counterclockwise.

Therefore, the size and Orientation that rotatablely moves of the revolution motion of driving gear 712 and the size and Orientation of spinning motion and driven gear 714 can be fixed, and is irrelevant with the plane that driving gear 712 or driven gear 714 are set.Yet, should be appreciated that this only is an example.In other embodiments, for example, driving gear 712a can carry out rotation and revolution along the direction opposite with driving gear 712b, and driven gear 714a can be rotated along the direction opposite with driven gear 714b.For example, box of tricks can connect driving gear and the driven gear in each plane, thereby makes that the motion of driving gear in the plane and driven gear is opposite with respect to the motion equal and opposite in direction and the direction of driving gear that is arranged in second plane and driven gear.Particularly, but the driving gear 712 of plane 708a-b among separately can carry out size and opposite spinning motion and the revolution motion of the identical direction of size.Equally, but the driven gear 714 in each plane thereby also can carry out size identical direction opposite rotatablely moving.

Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content mode of execution shown in Figure 12 is an example only, can implement plane, lamination or the gear of any various varying numbers according to the present invention.In addition, in some embodiments, needn't use the driving gear 712 of rotation.Particularly,, can fix, make them can revolve round the sun but can not rotation driving gear 712 according to a kind of mode of execution.As a result, the speed that is passed to driven gear 714 only is the function of the revolution motion of driving gear 712, rather than the function of revolution motion and spinning motion.And, owing to driving gear 712 needn't necessarily rotate, so they also can be substituted by other dirivig member.For example, according to a kind of mode of execution, driving gear 712 can substitute with the transmission fork of not rotation.Particularly, transmission fork can be only has tooth in the outer circumference of transmission fork engagement driven gear 714, thereby drives driven gear 714 rotations.

Therefore, the speed changer of the basic principle of the invention is suitable for being used in the various application, and the present invention is not limited to customized configuration or application.For example, can be used in the motor vehicle, be used in other application of using speed changer according to the speed changer of constant engagement of the present invention, or even with other application of formerly not adopting speed changer.

Figure 13 provides a kind of schematic representation that can implement according to the mode of speed changer of the present invention.Particularly, in the embodiment shown, speed changer 700 is arranged between power source 702 and the load 704.So, speed changer 700 power transmission that is configured to power source 702 is provided is to driven loads 704.And when speed changer 700 was according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention speed changer, it can provide very a plurality of in gear range and may unlimited a plurality of velocity ratios, and/or was provided for the engagement neutral gear of load 704.

In addition, as further shown in Figure 13, power train can be used for operationally power source 702 being connected to load 704 by speed changer 700.As shown in the figure, for example, exemplary power train comprises first dirivig member 701 that operationally power source 702 is connected to speed changer 700.In one embodiment, for example, dirivig member 701 can be will come from the moment of torsion output of power source 702 transfer to the rotary input shaft of the input interface of speed changer 700.Although in some embodiments, torque input shaft is the single shaft that directly power source 702 is connected to speed changer 700, but should be appreciated that, especially should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content, in other embodiments, dirivig member 701 can also comprise axle, gear, band, chain that connects mutually more than or other member that transmits power between power source 702 and speed changer 700.

In addition, as disclosed herein, speed changer 700 can receive power or the moment of torsion that power source 702 provides, and the output of variable speed is provided.For example, be connected to by one or more torque input shafts under the situation of speed changer 700 at power source 702, power source 702 can provide power to speed changer 700, and speed changer 700 changes the speed of importing then provides any various output speed and/or outbound course.As disclosed herein, speed changer 700 can be in gear range, provide a lot of and may unlimited a plurality of velocity ratios so that the speed changer of different output speed to be provided.And in some embodiments, speed changer 700 can be configured to advancing output and retreat between the output and change.In some embodiments, can substantively break away from engagement and/or the output and retreating between the output of need not advancing under the substantive out-of-gear situation between one or more groups driving gear and driven gear in the speed changer 700 changes need not to make between power source 702 and the load 704.Further, in some embodiments, speed changer 700 further limits the neutral gear output state, and this moment, speed changer 700 did not have the power of outputting power or output to ignore.Yet, in one embodiment, keep the neutral gear output state by still roughly keeping being connected---for example meshing neutral gear---between power source 702 and the load 704 by maintenance in the speed changer 700.

When from speed changer 700 outputting powers, this power can transfer to load by at least one second dirivig member 703 immediately.For example, dirivig member 703 can be that speed changer 700 provides the output shaft that rotates when exporting.Should be appreciated that when dirivig member 703 received output torques, the moment of torsion flow path was limited between the moment of torsion input that enters speed changer 700 exports with the moment of torsion of speed changer 700.

In some embodiments, speed changer 700 comprises single speed changer or a plurality of speed changer.For example, can expect that the single speed changer of use provides large-scale velocity ratio.In other embodiments, can use a plurality of speed changers to obtain final ratio changing.

In the stacked mode of execution of a plurality of speed changers, each speed changer can provide variable gear ratio more among a small circle, but when combining, can obtain velocity ratio in a big way.For example, the power of importing first speed changer can be with the output of first velocity ratio, and second speed changer of second velocity ratio is used in its input then.As a result, the velocity ratio that can provide separately greater than any speed changer of the final velocity ratio between the output of the input of first speed changer and second speed changer.

Therefore, it is little to use an aspect of stacked by this way a plurality of speed changers to be that each speed changer obtains the needed speed changer of final velocity ratio script than in single speed changer.It is little but in the application that length available is bigger, a plurality of speed changers can join end to end " stacked " so that wider velocity ratio to be provided that the result can be arranged on external diameter at speed changer.This is removing traditional speed changer and is using that to carry out under the improved situation according to speed changer of the present invention be additionally useful.For example, under the situation of removing traditional speed changer, new speed changer must be installed in the casing that the speed changer removed stays.Width is less if the length of that speed changer is big, can carry out stacked so that gear range to be provided so to speed changer.Yet, should be appreciated that, not necessarily to carry out stacked to a plurality of speed changers to obtain the gear range of traditional speed changer.In fact, in some embodiments of the present invention, can provide traditional normally used whole gear ranges of speed changer less than three inches, and much more discrete or non-discrete velocity ratio may be provided in that scope the lever length change.Therefore, can be configured to pack in the casing of traditional speed changer according to the speed changer of embodiment of the present invention, and identical or bigger gear range can be provided.

As disclosed herein, can be applied in any various application according to speed changer of the present invention.About that, so power source 702 expression is used in any various power source in any various application, and any various load of load 704 expressions, these loads are moved by power source 702 or are related with power source 702 and turn round.Although in one embodiment, for example and not limitation, power source 702 can be motor and/or internal-combustion engine, can expect any other suitable power source.This motor can be used for the motoring vehicle of passenger vehicle for example or other type, for example, and passenger vehicle, tractor/trailers, military vehicle, boats and ships, aircraft, helicopter, all-terrain vehicle, construction equipment or the like.Under any these situations, load 704 can comprise any weight that supports or hold in vehicle itself and the vehicle.For example, this vehicle can comprise a plurality of wheels that are used for moving load.In this embodiment, speed changer 700 can rely on the power train by dirivig member 701 expressions to be connected to wheel.Therefore, output is passed to wheel from dirivig member 701 from the power of speed changer 700, and described wheel carries and transmit other weight by load 704 expressions in the vehicle at this moment.

Particular aspects according to speed changer of the present invention is to use speed changer in the various application that require low moment of torsion or high moment of torsion.For example, the moment of torsion of asking possibly such as vehicles such as oversnow vehicles is lower, and this makes oversnow vehicle to turn round by enough CVT or IVT speed changers based on friction.Yet any application that towed vehicle or related load are big all requires than high pulling torque, and this makes that this speed changer is inapplicable.Yet, can not take place easily and this relevant the burning out or the frictional heat problem of system owing to rely on friction based on friction according to speed changer of the present invention.And, because the velocity ratio increment is less and along direction of advance and direction of retreat and increase progressively when neutral state begins, so the load in this application can start under the situation that need not the wedging clutch or otherwise create friction, this friction even can in the system of steel to steel, cause sintering.In fact, as disclosed above, speed changer according to certain embodiments of the present invention can be implemented under the situation that does not have clutch or clutch disk, thus the heat that the formula clutch of also reducing friction is produced.Further again because no longer need this clutch disk, so the hydraulic control system of the relevant clutch of control can simplify or remove, thereby alleviated the loads that power source 702 must drive, and allow littler, the power source more efficiently of use

Although motor vehicle are a kind of application that can use according to speed changer of the present invention, should be appreciated that speed changer 700 can the power source 702 and the load 704 of various other application be used in combination arbitrarily with representative.For example, in one embodiment, power source 702 and load 704 expression conveyer belt systems.In this embodiment, motor or other motor can drive the driving belt of carrying raw material, completed knocked down products or other material or product along conveyor track.Therefore, the material of track and transmission constitutes load 704, and motor is by power source 702 expressions.

In the mode of execution of conveyer belt system as described herein, when drive belt system is used according to the embodiment of the present invention speed changer 700, tangible as can be seen benefit.For example, speed changer 700 can recently turn round with any a plurality of transmissions, and these velocity ratios can change with very little and the infinitesimal increment of possibility.Therefore, when conveyer belt system starts, can transfer to line belt than with power from power source 702 with underneath drive, this line belt is with low speed start.When drive belt system forms momentum, can control speed changer 700 with the increase velocity ratio, thereby change velocity ratio.And, when being necessary to brake conveyer belt system, can when keeping power source 702 and load 702 is connected, control speed changer 700 so that neutral gear to be provided.As a result, when line belt begins to retreat, needn't mesh power again, can control speed changer 700 and slowly become operating rate again.Further again, in some embodiments, power source 702 can be with constant speed operation speed changer 700 can follow sliding type or the step-by-step movement gear range provides a lot of velocity ratios.As a result, can produce be used for the single motor of working under a plurality of speed, this motor is less than legacy system, thereby also improved the efficient of system.

In yet another aspect, speed changer 700 can be used for elevator, cableway, flatboat or other human system.For example, in this embodiment, speed changer 700 can be connected to motor, combustion machine or serve as the motor of power source 702 with some other types of driving load 704, and this load 704 comprises cage, lifting chair, flatboat, at the people of transportation and equipment or the like.In this application, generally need not to use speed changer, because its expression power source disconnects the Security that is connected with carrying people's load.Yet,, should be appreciated that speed changer 700 can provide constant connection the between load and the power source if used according to speed changer of the present invention, various velocity ratios also are provided simultaneously.And, in this system, when load increases, do not need motor that more power are provided, but can control speed changer 700, thereby make identical, littler motor can move bigger load with the change velocity ratio.

Aspect going back one, speed changer 700 according to the present invention can be applied in the power generation system.For example, in one embodiment, power source 702 comprises wind-force source or hydraulic power or by wind-force source or hydraulic power and obtain.Therefore, only for example, speed changer 700 can be used in windmill application or the hydroelectric dam.For example, the water of wind and motion has can be by the kinetic energy of turbine blade seizure, and this kinetic energy transfers to speed changer 700 by dirivig member 701.For example, dirivig member 701 can be an axle, after the kinetic energy of wind-force or waterpower is captured, and this axle rotation.In addition, dirivig member 701 can comprise turbine blade, make to import dirivig member 701 by the dynamic formula power source, and dirivig member 701 can be changed into the rotary power source with in the input speed changer 700 by the dynamic formula power source subsequently.

When running shaft is imported speed changer 700 with power, the moment of torsion of being supplied with can flow through speed changer 700, with any various speed output and rely on second dirivig member 703 to be connected to generator by load 704 expressions, this generator will rotate and can change electric energy at speed changer 700 medium powers.Yet some generators needed the rotation energy of threshold amount before can generating electricity.Therefore, in this embodiment, speed changer 700 can be used between generator and the turbine blade, makes to utilize very little wind-force or current, and dirivig member 703 just can obtain bigger rotational speed.And when flow increasing and bigger moment of torsion is provided, the various velocity ratios of speed changer 700 can be used for increasing generating, thereby make generator obtain more power output.So, wider wind-force and current can be used for generating, and extensive flowing can obtain more benefit.

In other other mode of execution, speed changer 700 also is used for the system that the mankind or animal are started, and makes the mankind or animal that power is provided and serves as power source 702.For example, according to a kind of illustrative embodiments, speed changer 700 can be used for bicycle, and wherein human user provides the power input, and load 704 is served as in the load on bicycle and the bicycle.So, when the human operator who of bicycle when speed changer 700 provides power, for example by dirivig member 703, speed changer 700 can be implemented needed any various velocity ratios to provide power transmission to load 704.

Should be appreciated that according to the disclosure herein content speed changer aspect is that speed changer can be used for various application in accordance with the principles of the present invention.Although described various exemplary application here, should be appreciated that speed changer of the present invention is not limited.In fact, can expect, can be used to wish any application of various transmission speeds according to speed changer of the present invention, and no matter the current speed changer that whether uses of this application.And, can be not limited to the power source of any particular type with the power source type that speed changer according to the present invention uses.For example, as before disclosed, power source can be the combination in motor, human operator who or natural source or these or other type power source.

Claims

1. speed changer comprises:

The speed changer input interface, it comprises rotatable input shaft;

2. speed changer according to claim 1, the path of wherein revolving round the sun can optionally change, make the length in described revolution path optionally to increase between a plurality of discrete revolution paths or to reduce, described one or more driving gears mesh with described one or more driven gears on described discrete revolution path.

3. speed changer according to claim 2, it is the complete number of teeth that wherein said a plurality of discrete revolution path sizes separately are set at corresponding length.

4. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 3, wherein said one or more driving gear comprises a plurality of driving gears that separate with fixing angular spacing along circumference, and described one or more driven gears comprise a plurality of driven gears that separate with fixing angular spacing along circumference.

5. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 4, wherein said one or more driving gear comprises a plurality of driving gears, described one or more driven gear comprises a plurality of driven gears, described one or more driving gear is arranged to revolve round the sun along the revolution path, and this makes described a plurality of driving gear alternately mesh described a plurality of driven gear.

6. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 5, wherein said one or more driving gears and described one or more driven gear are fixing vertically.

7. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 6, wherein said speed changer input interface further comprises:

One or more synchromesh gears, it links to described rotatable input shaft, makes that described one or more synchromesh gear is set to be rotated when described rotatable input shaft rotates; And

Master gear, itself and described one or more synchromesh gear mesh, wherein said one or more synchromesh gear is configured to revolve round the sun around described master gear when described speed changer input interface receives input torque, and described one or more synchromesh gear is configured to drive described one or more driving gear and carries out described spinning motion and described revolution motion.

8. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 7, wherein said one or more driving gear comprises one or more driving gears that are arranged in first plane and the one or more driving gears that are arranged in second plane, described first plane is departed from described second plane, and wherein said one or more driven gears comprise one or more driven gears that are arranged in described first plane and the one or more driven gears that are arranged in described second plane.

9. speed changer according to claim 8, wherein be arranged in a plurality of driving gears configuration on each described first plane and described second plane and be set to revolve round the sun along corresponding revolution path, be arranged in each described first plane and described second plane each described a plurality of driving gears corresponding revolution path size about equally and roughly coaxial.

10. according to Claim 8 or 9 described speed changers, the described one or more driving gears that wherein are arranged in described first plane dispose and are set to advances on first direction along the revolution path, described one or more driving gears in described second plane dispose and are set to and advance on second direction along the revolution path, and described first direction is opposite with described second direction.

11. each described speed changer in 10 according to Claim 8, the described one or more driving gears and the described one or more driven gear that wherein are arranged in described one or more driving gears and described one or more driven gear on described first plane and are arranged in described second plane are configured to radially translation separately to change the velocity ratio of described speed changer.

12. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 11, further comprise at least one clutch that links to described one or more driving gears, wherein said clutch is configured at least temporarily stop the described spinning motion of described one or more driving gears when described one or more driving gears are between first radial position and second radial position, described second radial position corresponding to the different velocity ratio of described first radial position.

13. speed changer according to claim 12, wherein said clutch further are configured at least temporarily stop the described revolution motion of described one or more driving gears when described one or more driving gears are between described first radial position and described second radial position.

14. according to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 13, wherein said one or more driving gears dispose and are arranged so that described spinning motion departs from described revolution motion at least in part.

15. speed changer according to claim 14, wherein said one or more driving gear disposes and is set to remain on the neutral gear radial position, state in this neutral gear radial position place spinning motion and described revolution motion about equally and direction opposite, make that stating one or more driving gears in described neutral gear radial position place is set to can not drive substantially described one or more driven gear rotation.

16. a transmission system comprises:

Power source;

According to each described speed changer in the claim 1 to 20;

Power Train, it is attached to the speed changer output interface of described speed changer; And

Load, it is attached to described Power Train.

17. a speed changer comprises:

The first speed changer interface;

18. speed changer according to claim 17, wherein said first group of one or more side power transmission member are set to receive from the moment of torsion input of the described first speed changer interface and with described input torque and transfer to described second group of one or more side power transmission member, and described second group of one or more side power transmission member are set to moment of torsion output is transferred to the described second speed changer interface.

19. speed changer according to claim 18, wherein said first group of one or more side power transmission member further are configured in response to receiving from the described moment of torsion input of input interface and rotating, make each described first group of one or more side power transmission member be set to carry out revolution motion and spinning motion the two.

20. being set to receive from the input torque of the described second speed changer interface and with described input torque, speed changer according to claim 17, wherein said second group of one or more side power transmission member transfer to described first group of one or more side power transmission member.

21. according to each described speed changer in the claim 17 to 19, wherein said first group of one or more side power transmission member comprise first group of coaxial driving gear, described second group of one or more side power transmission member comprise first group of driven gear that axially departs from each other, and described first group of coaxial driving gear roughly aimed at first group of driven gear that axially departs from vertically.

22. speed changer according to claim 21 further comprises second group of coaxial driving gear, described second group of coaxial driving gear roughly aimed at first group of driven gear that axially departs from vertically.

23. speed changer according to claim 22, wherein said first group of coaxial driving gear and described second group of coaxial driving gear are set to revolve round the sun along corresponding revolution with one heart path, described first group of driven gear is set to around the spin axis rotation that departs from accordingly, and the described spin axis that departs from departs from respect to passing the axis of described first group of coaxial driving gear with the center in the described concentric revolution path of described second group of coaxial driving gear angledly.

24. according to each described speed changer in claim 17 to 19 and 21 to 23, wherein said first group of one or more side power transmission member comprise a plurality of roughly axially aligned driving gears, described a plurality of roughly axially aligned driving gear is set to revolve round the sun along total revolution path, described second group of one or more side power transmission member comprise a plurality of roughly axially aligned driven gears, when described a plurality of roughly axially aligned driving gears when revolve round the sun in described total revolution path, described a plurality of roughly axially aligned driven gears and each described a plurality of roughly axially aligned driving gears alternately mesh.

25. speed changer according to claim 24, the length in wherein said total revolution path can optionally change, it only is that a plurality of discrete length place is engaged with each other in the revolution path that can optionally change that described a plurality of driving gear and described a plurality of driven gear are configured to, and optionally breaks away from engagement when the described length in described total revolution path is not substantially equal to described discrete length.

26. speed changer according to claim 25, described a plurality of discrete length in wherein said total revolution path can be divided into the complete number of teeth separately.

27. a speed changer comprises:

28. speed changer according to claim 27, wherein said one or more driven members are configured to keep engagement with described one or more dirivig members by radial translation.

29. according to claim 27 or 28 described speed changers, further comprise and be used to make described one or more dirivig member and the synchronous device of described one or more driven member, although make velocity ratio generation one or many change, roughly keep meshing at a plurality of discrete velocity ratios place between described dirivig member and the described driven member.

30. speed changer according to claim 29 wherein is used to make described one or more dirivig member and the synchronous described device of described one or more driven member to comprise:

The speed change reference feature, it links to described one or more dirivig member, and described speed change reference feature is configured to make described one or more dirivig member to rotate in response to receiving described rotary power input; And

Master gear, itself and described speed change master gear mesh.

31. speed changer according to claim 29 wherein is used to make described one or more dirivig member and the synchronous described device of described one or more driven member to comprise:

A plurality of pivot members, described one or more dirivig members and described one or more driven member are configured to roll around described a plurality of pivot members; And

One or more STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED, it is connected to described one or more dirivig member and described one or more driven member, and described one or more STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED are configured to make described one or more dirivig member and described one or more driven member to roll around described a plurality of pivot members.

32. according to each described speed changer in the claim 27 to 31, wherein said one or more dirivig member is configured to revolve round the sun around the axis of the respective center that departs from each described one or more dirivig members, and the radial translation of described one or more dirivig members is corresponding to the change of the length in the revolution path of described one or more dirivig members.

33. speed changer according to claim 32, the change of the described length in wherein said revolution path are corresponding to the change of velocity ratio, the described length in described revolution path can change with discrete increment, and each increment is the complete number of teeth.

34. according to each described speed changer in the claim 27 to 33, wherein said one or more driven member comprises one or more ring gears, and the inside flank profil of described ring gear is meshed with the outside flank profil of the dirivig member of one or more radial translation.

35. according to each described speed changer in the claim 27 to 33, wherein said one or more driven member comprises one or more sun gears, and the outside flank profil of described sun gear is meshed with the outside flank profil of the dirivig member of one or more radial translation.

36. a speed changer comprises:

37. speed changer according to claim 36, wherein said a plurality of dirivig member is fixed as the axial motion that prevents essence, described a plurality of dirivig member is aimed at described a plurality of driven member vertically, and described a plurality of dirivig member is configured to radially translation to keep engagement with described a plurality of driven members.

38. according to claim 36 or 37 described speed changers, wherein said a plurality of dirivig member configuration and be set to around corresponding central axis rotation and advance around total axis jointly, described a plurality of driven members along one or more revolution path be set to around corresponding central axis from then do not revolve round the sun around total axis.

39. according to each described speed changer in the claim 36 to 38, wherein said a plurality of dirivig member and described a plurality of driven member have the vernier relation, and this vernier relation limits described a plurality of dirivig members carry out the dead point engagement generally with described a plurality of driven members frequency.

40. according to the described speed changer of claim 39, wherein said a plurality of dirivig members and described a plurality of driven member are defined as the velocity ratio of even-even odd number or the velocity ratio of odd number dual numbers.

41. according to claim 39 or 40 described speed changers, velocity ratio or reduction speed ratio that the quantity of wherein said a plurality of dirivig members and the quantity of described a plurality of driven members limit are selected from following group, this group comprises: 2:3,3:2,3:4,3:6,4:3,5:6,5:8,5:9,6:3,6:5,6:7,7:6,8:5,8:9,9:5 and 9:8.

42. according to each described speed changer in the claim 36 to 41, wherein said a plurality of dirivig member comprises one group of driving gear, the size of each driving gear in described one group of driving gear is approximately identical with flank profil, described a plurality of driven gear comprises one group of driven gear, and the size and the flank profil of each driven gear in described one group of driven gear are roughly the same.

43. according to each described speed changer in the claim 36 to 42, wherein said a plurality of dirivig members are configured to advance along the revolution path around outside axis jointly, the length in described revolution path can optionally change.

44. according to the described speed changer of claim 43, wherein with specific velocity ratio, described a plurality of dirivig member disposes and is set to keep constant engagement on the whole with described a plurality of driven members, and each described a plurality of dirivig members are configured to mesh with described a plurality of driven members engagements and disengaging individually when advance in described revolution path at described a plurality of dirivig members.

45., further comprise according to any described speed changer in the claim 36 to 44:

One or more STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED, it is configured to make described a plurality of driven member to keep the constant angular velocity rotation around its corresponding central axis.

46. a speed changer comprises:

47. according to the described speed changer of claim 46, wherein said one or more driving gear is configured to advance jointly along the revolution path that can optionally change around outside axis in response to receiving described input torque, and described revolution path configurations is varying sized when described virtual gear is varying sized.

48. according to the described speed changer of claim 46, the center of wherein said virtual gear is fixed, described outside axis passes the described center of described virtual gear.

49. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 48, wherein said a plurality of driven gear comprises a plurality of ring gears, described a plurality of ring gear separates along circumference, the inner periphery in the total zone that the size of described virtual gear is roughly shared corresponding to each described a plurality of ring gears.

50. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 46, wherein said a plurality of driven gear comprises a plurality of sun gears, described a plurality of sun gear separates along circumference, and the size of described virtual gear is roughly corresponding to the outer periphery of described a plurality of sun gears.

51. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 48, wherein said a plurality of driven gear comprises a plurality of sun gears, described a plurality of sun gear separates along circumference, and the size of described virtual gear is roughly corresponding to the inner periphery of described a plurality of sun gears.

52. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 51, wherein each described one or more driving gears are configured to rotate around corresponding central axis when receiving described input torque, and the engagement of described one or more driving gears and described one or more driven gears is configured to drive described one or more driven gear around its corresponding center rotation.

53. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 52, wherein, with each discrete velocity ratio, the whole constant engagement that keeps of described one or more driving gears and described virtual gear.

54. according to the described speed changer of claim 46, wherein said one or more driving gear and described virtual gear be the whole constant engagement that keeps at a plurality of discrete size place of described virtual gear, and the described a plurality of discrete size of each of described virtual gear are complete numbers of teeth.

55. according to each described speed changer in the claim 46 to 54, wherein:

Described one or more driving gear comprises and being configured to around its corresponding central axis rotation and a plurality of driving gears of revolving round the sun jointly along the revolution path that with total axis is the center;

Described a plurality of driven gear is configured to around its corresponding central axis rotation and along corresponding predetermined path for translation radial translation, and described predetermined path for translation is to fix around the angular spacing at total center; And

Described a plurality of dirivig member and described a plurality of driven member be in each place's constant engagement of a plurality of discrete radial positions place, thereby keep constants engagement at a plurality of each place with described revolution path of discrete length.