Continuously variable planetary gear set

• US 7,455,611 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enviolo BV
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Smithson, Robert A, Miller, Donald C, Allen, David J
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; Tisha D
• Application Number:
  US11/834,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20070270266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 475/5, 476 36- 46
• US Class Current: 475/5
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0409 Electric motor acting on the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0475 Controlling other elements
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/08 involving eccentrically- mounted or elliptically-shaped driving or driven wheel; with expansible driving or driven wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/52 in which a member of uniform effective diameter mounted on a shaft may co-operate with different parts of another member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/084 at least one power path being a continuously variable transmission, i.e. CVT
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6649 characterised by the means for controlling the torque transmitting capability of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19555 Varying speed ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1956 Adjustable

Abstract

A continuously variable planetary gear set is described having a generally tubular idler, a plurality of balls distributed radially about the idler, each ball having a tiltable axis about which it rotates, a rotatable input disc positioned adjacent to the balls and in contact with each of the balls, a rotatable output disc positioned adjacent to the balls opposite the input disc and in contact with each of the balls such that each of the balls makes three-point contact with the input disc, the output disc and the idler, and a rotatable cage adapted to maintain the axial and radial position of each of the balls, wherein the axes of the balls are oriented by the axial position of the idler.

Claims

1. A drive train comprising:

a combustion engine;

a first motor-generator;

a second motor-generator;

a plurality of balls, each ball having an internal, tiltable axis of rotation;

a first disc in contact with the balls, the first disc coupled to the second motor-generator;

a second disc in contact with the balls;

a rotatable cage configured to support the plurality of balls axially and radially, the rotatable cage configured to be selectively, operationally coupled or uncoupled to the combustion engine; and

an idler located radially inward of and in contact with the balls, the idler coupled to the first motor-generator.

2. The drive train of claim 1, wherein the first disc couples to a rotor of the second motor-generator.

3. The drive train of claim 1, wherein the idler couples to a rotor of the first motor-generator.

4. The drive train of claim 1, wherein the first disc couples to a rotor of the second motor-generator, and wherein the idler couples to a rotor of the first motor-generator.

5. The drive train of claim 1, wherein the rotatable cage is rigidly coupled to the combustion engine.

6. The drive train of claim 1, wherein the second disc is nonrotatable.

7. A drive train comprising:

a combustion engine;

a first motor-generator;

a second motor-generator;

a plurality of balls, each ball having an internal, tiltable axis of rotation;

a first disc in contact with the balls, the first disc configured to be selectively, operationally coupled to the second motor-generator;

a second disc in contact with the balls;

a rotatable cage configured to support the plurality of balls axially and radially, the rotatable cage configured to be selectively, operationally coupled or uncoupled to the combustion engine; and

an idler located radially inward of and in contact with the balls, the idler configured to be selectively, operationally coupled to the first motor-generator.

8. The drive train of claim 7, wherein the rotatable cage is rigidly coupled to the combustion engine.

9. The drive train of claim 7, wherein the first disc is rigidly coupled to the second motor-generator.

10. The drive train of claim 7, wherein the idler is rigidly coupled to the first motor-generator.

11. The drive train of claim 7, wherein the first disc is fixed to ground.

12. A method of controlling the drive train of claim 7, the method comprising the steps of:

actuating the first motor-generator; and

transferring power from the first motor-generator through the first disc and the rotatable cage to start the combustion engine.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising actuating one or both of the first and second motor-generators to charge a battery.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the first disc to a load.

15. A drive train comprising:

a combustion engine;

a first motor-generator;

a plurality of balls, each ball having an internal, tiltable axis of rotation;

a first disc in contact with the balls;

a second disc in contact with the balls;

a rotatable cage configured to support the plurality of balls axially and radially, the rotatable cage configured to be selectively, operationally coupled or uncoupled to the combustion engine; and

an idler located radially inward of and in contact with the balls, the idler configured to be selectively, operationally coupled to the first motor-generator,

wherein the idler is rigidly coupled to the first motor-generator.

16. The drive train of claim 15, wherein the first disc is coupled to a load.

17. The drive train of claim 15, wherein the second disc is fixed to ground.

18. The drive train of claim 15, further comprising a second motor-generator configured to be selectively, operationally coupled to the first disc.

19. The drive train of claim 15, wherein the first motor-generator is configured to facilitate starting the combustion engine.