Patent ID: 6641497
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: B62D,F16H

Abstract:
An epicyclic transmission for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of a vehicle wheel, comprising:a drive shaft having an axis of rotation; a drive gear joined to the drive shaft for imparting rotation to the drive shaft about said axis; a gear arrangement mounted on the drive shaft, said gear arrangement including at least one pinion gear rotatable about both the axis of rotation of the drive shaft and about its own rotational axis; a driven gear mounted on the drive shaft between said drive gear and the gear arrangement in operative relationship with the gear arrangement, said driven gear being rotatable about said axis of rotation of the drive shaft independently of rotation of the drive shaft, said drive and driven gears having surfaces facing one another provided with respective concavities therein; a pivotally adjustable disk having an edge contacting the drive and driven gears within the concavities for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of the driven gear in accordance with the position of the disk; an additional gear joined to the drive shaft for rotation therewith, said additional gear being positioned in operational relationship with the gear arrangement on an opposite side of the gear arrangement from the driven gear; and a connector element associated with said gear arrangement, said connector element comprising a pin having a shaft positioned along the rotational axis of the pinion gear and about which shaft the pinion gear rotates, said pin being joined to the wheel-driving output element to translate rotation of the gear arrangement about the axis of rotation of the drive shaft to rotation of the wheel-driving output element.