ELECTROMOTIVE DRIVES

• US 20080146403A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Donald C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 476/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/72 Continous variable transmissions [CVT]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/73 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/65 with axle and driving shaft arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/40 in which two members co-operative by means of balls, or rollers of uniform effective diameter, not mounted on shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/503 in which two members co-operate by means of balls or rollers of uniform effective diameter, not mounted on shafts
• 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 2061/6644 dependent on control input parameters other than ambient conditions or driver's choice
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6649 characterised by the means for controlling the torque transmitting capability of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/10 Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/06 Control effected upon clutch or other mechanical power transmission means and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• 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

Abstract

A transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The transmission provides multiple powerpaths and can be combined with electrical components to provide motor/generator functionality, which reduces the overall size and complexity of the motor and transmission compared to when they are constructed separately. In one embodiment, rotatable components of a continuously variable transmission are coupled separately to an electrical rotor and to an electrical stator so that the rotor and stator rotate simultaneously in opposite directions relative to one another. In other embodiments, an electrical rotor is configured to transfer torque to or from a disc that is in contact with a plurality of speed adjusters, while an electrical stator is configured to transfer torque to a shaft that is operationally coupled to the speed adjusters via an idler.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting power in an electromechanical device, the method comprising:

mounting an electrical stator on a rotatable shaft;

mounting an electrical rotor on a first rotatable disc;

transmitting torque from the rotatable shaft to the electrical stator; and

transmitting torque from the first rotatable disc to the electrical rotor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting torque to the first rotatable disc from a second rotatable disc via a plurality of speed adjusters coupled to the first and second discs.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising tilting an axis of rotation of the speed adjusters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein tilting an axis of rotation comprises axially translating the rotatable shaft.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising coupling an idler to the shaft and to the speed adjusters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting an electrical rotor on a first rotatable disc comprises mounting the electrical rotor on a rotatable disc having a plurality of magnets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting an electrical stator comprises mounting the electrical stator on a rotatable disc having a plurality of electrical conductors.

8. A method of transmitting electromechanical power, the method comprising:

providing rotatable shaft;

coupling the rotatable shaft to an electrical stator;

providing a rotatable cage, wherein the rotatable cage is adapted to radially and axially support a plurality of speed adjusters; and

coupling the rotatable cage to an electrical rotor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the rotatable shaft to the electrical stator comprises providing a stator mount with a first plurality of axial grooves adapted to receive a plurality of bearings, and wherein the rotatable shaft has a second plurality of axial grooves configured to cooperate with the plurality of bearings and the first plurality of axial grooves.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling the rotatable shaft to an idler.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the speed adjusters angularly about an axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft, and positioning the idler inward of the speed adjusters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing first and second discs in contact with the speed adjusters, wherein torque can be transferred from the first disc to the second disc via the speed adjusters.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a means for transferring torque from an external source to the first disc.

14. A method of providing a transmission with electrical functionality, the method comprising:

providing plurality of magnetized speed adjusters, the speed adjusters positioned angularly about an axis; and

providing a plurality of electrical conductors positioned between individual speed adjusters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing a plurality of magnetized speed adjusters comprises providing spherical speed adjusters.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing a plurality of electrical conductors comprises providing a plurality of peripheral conductors positioned at least partly radially outward of the speed adjusters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a plurality of electrical conductors comprises providing a plurality of inside conductors positioned at least partly radially inward of the speed adjusters.

18. A method of power transmission, the method comprising:

providing continuously variable transmission (CVT);

coupling an electrical stator to a first rotatable component of the CVT; and

coupling an electrical rotor to a second rotatable component of the CVT.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing a CVT comprises providing a CVT having a plurality of tiltable speed adjusters that are arranged angularly about an axis.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the electrical stator and the electrical rotor to rotate in opposite directions relative to one another.