Variable coupler drive

• US 9,796,466 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airgenesis LLC
• Original Assignee: Airgenesis LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Danny J., Casteel, Jerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US14/770,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 440 53, 440 54
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2023/0258 comprising gearings with variable gear ratio, other than reversing drives or trolling drives
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 23/02 with mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 23/06 for transmitting drive from a single propulsion power unit
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 5/125 movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction , e.g. podded azimuthing thrustersoutboard units or Z-drives B63H20/00; movably mounted for steering purposes only, rudders carrying propellers B63H25/42
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/10 in which the axes of the two members cross or intersect

Abstract

The inventive technology described herein generally relates to the field of power transmission, more particularly power transmission through a mechanical drive system. More specifically, in certain embodiments the inventive technology includes methods and apparatus for a variable coupler drive utilizing, in one embodiment a dynamic drive-ratio gearing system to transmit a drive input for application with a variety of output uses. In a preferred embodiment, such a variable coupler drive may be used to transmit a rotational drive input to a drive shaft to power, for example, a variety of commercial and industrial applications, and may be particularity suited to power rotational propeller based propulsion systems.

Claims

1. A variable coupler lift drive comprising:

at least one rotatable cylinder responsive to a rotational drive input wherein said rotatable cylinder is supported by at least one coupler support mount through at least one rotational joint;

at least one spinner slidably coupled to said rotatable cylinder so as to be rotationally responsive to said cylinder;

at least one adaptable support bracket coupled to said spinner by at least one rotational joint;

at least one drive table mechanically coupled with at least one drive shaft and rotationally responsive to said spinner; and

at least one variable position track adjustably coupled to at least one variable position driver and said adaptable support bracket, wherein said variable position driver, in response to a control signal, adjustably positions said spinner along a variable drive ratio pathway; and

at least one variable coupler drive switch comprising;

at least one translatable drive table support mount positioned such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table; and

at least one drive table actuator secured to said translatable drive table support mount such that said drive table may be de-coupled from said spinner through operation of said actuator such that said spinner is not rotationally responsive to said drive table.

2. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said translatable drive table comprises a translatable drive table support mount positioned such that said spinner is rotationally non-responsive with said drive table.

3. The system as described in claim 2 and further comprising at least one drive table actuator secured to said translatable drive table support mount such that said drive table may be coupled to said spinner through operation of an actuator such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table.

4. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said translatable drive table support mount comprises a transverse plate.

5. The system as described in claim 3 wherein said transverse plate is secured to a rotational support base and responsive to said drive table actuator such that said drive table may couple with said spinner such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table and/or said drive table may be de-coupled from said spinner such that said spinner is not rotationally responsive to said drive table.

6. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said translatable drive table support mount comprises a translatable drive table support mount selected from the group consisting of:

a spring loaded translatable drive table support mount; and

a cam responsive translatable drive table support mount.

7. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said drive table movement actuator comprises a drive table movement actuator selected from the group consisting of:

a hydraulic movement actuator;

an electrical movement actuator;

an automatic movement actuator;

a manual movement actuator;

a lever movement actuator;

a motor movement actuator;

a gravity movement actuator;

a magnetic movement actuator;

a screw-drive movement actuator; and

a spring movement actuator.

8. A variable coupler drive lift as described in claim 5 wherein said transverse plate comprises a transverse plate selected from the group consisting of:

a spring loaded transverse plate; and

a cam responsive transverse plate.

9. The system as described in claim 1 translatable drive table support mount comprises a translatable drive table support mount tractably coupled with at least one drive base support.

10. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said translatable drive table support mount tractably coupled with at least one drive base support comprises at least one tractable interface.

11. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said translatable drive table support mount tractably coupled with at least one drive base support comprises at least one translatable attachment.

12. The system as described in claim 11 wherein said translatable attachment comprises at least one translatable attachment selected from the group consisting of:

a slide attachment;

a stack attachment;

a transient attachment;

a spring loaded attachment;

a detachable attachment;

a bearing joint attachment.

13. The system as described in claim 1 and further comprising a rotational support base.

14. The system as described in claim 2 wherein said rotational support base comprises at least one roller element secured to a roller support mount through a rotational joint.

15. The system as described in claim 1 and further comprising at least one slide bearing attached to said translatable drive table support mount.

16. The system as described in claim 15 wherein said slide bearing comprises at least one slide anchor.

17. A method of variable drive coupling comprising the steps of:

slidably securing at least one spinner to a rotatable cylinder wherein said cylinder is supported by at least one coupler support mount through at least one rotational joint;

adaptably securing said spinner to at least one adaptable support bracket through at least one rotational joint;

adjustably coupling a variable position track to at least one variable position driver and said adaptable support bracket;

generating a rotational drive input;

transferring said rotational drive input causing rotation of said rotatable cylinder;

rotating said spinner slidably secured to said rotatable cylinder;

rotating at least one drive table rotationally responsive to said spinner;

rotating at least one drive shaft mechanically coupled with said drive table; and

adjustably positioning said spinner along a variable drive ratio pathway through activation of at least one variable position driver comprising the steps of;

activating said variable position driver to which said variable position track is responsive in response to said control signal; and

adjustably positioning said adaptable support bracket to which said spinner is adaptably coupled on said drive table along a variable drive ratio pathway.

18. A method of variable drive coupling as described in claim 17 and further comprising the steps of establishing a variable coupler drive switch comprising the steps of

positioning at least one translatable drive table support mount such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table;

and

activating at least one drive table actuator secured to said translatable drive table support mount such that said drive table may be de-coupled from said spinner through operation of said actuator such that said spinner is not rotationally responsive to said drive table.

19. A variable coupler drive power generator comprising:

at least one rotatable turbine responsive to a power input;

at least one drive shaft responsive to said rotatable turbine and adaptively coupled with a drive shaft support;

at least one drive table secured to said drive shaft support and positioned on a rotational support base wherein said drive table is positioned adjacent to at least one spinner;

a rotatable cylinder supported by at least one coupler support mount through at least one rotational joint and slidably coupled to said spinner;

at least one power generator coupled to said rotatable cylinder configured to generate an electrical output in response to operation of said rotatable cylinder;

at least one adaptable support bracket coupled to said spinner by at least one rotational joint;

at least one variable position track adjustably coupled to at least one variable position driver and said adaptable support bracket, wherein said variable position driver, in response to a control signal, adjustably positions said spinner along a variable drive ratio pathway;

at least one translatable drive table support mount positioned such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table,

at least one drive table actuator secured to said translatable drive table support mount such that said drive table may be de-coupled from said spinner through operation of said actuator such that said spinner is not rotationally responsive to said drive table.

20. A method of variable coupler drive power generation comprising the steps of:

rotating at turbine in response to a power input;

rotating at least one drive shaft responsive to said turbine and adaptively coupled with a drive shaft support;

rotating at least one drive table secured to said drive shaft support and positioned on a rotational support base wherein said drive table is positioned adjacent to at least one spinner;

rotating a rotatable cylinder supported by at least one coupler support mount through at least one rotational joint and slidably coupled to said spinner;

coupling at least one power generator to said rotatable cylinder;

generating an electrical output in response to operation of said rotatable cylinder;

adaptably securing said spinner to at least one adaptable support bracket through at least one rotational joint; and

adjustably positioning said spinner along a variable drive ratio pathway through activation of at least one variable position driver comprising the steps of;

activating said variable position driver to which said variable position track is responsive in response to said control signal; and

adjustably positioning said adaptable support bracket to which said spinner is adaptably coupled on said drive table along a variable drive ratio pathway.

21. A method of variable coupler drive power generation as described in claim 20 and further comprising the steps of establishing a variable coupler drive switch comprising the steps of

positioning at least one translatable drive table support mount such that said spinner is rotationally responsive to said drive table;

and

activating at least one drive table actuator secured to said translatable drive table support mount such that said drive table may be de-coupled from said spinner through operation of said actuator such that said spinner is not rotationally responsive to said drive table.