Patent ID: 7223199
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: B60K,B60L,F16H,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A transmission system including: a dual sunwheel system having a first sunwheel and a second sunwheel, the first sunwheel providing output rotary power when the transmission system is operating; a planet system including a first planet gear and a second planet gear coupled to the first planet gear, the first planet gear meshing with the first sun gear and the second planet gear meshing with the second sun gear; a cage for carrying the planet system; input means for receiving input power from an input power source and supplying the input power to the dual sunwheel system to cause the dual sunwheel system to supply rotary power at the first sunwheel; control means for controlling the dual sunwheel system so as to set the drive ratio of the transmission by causing the first sunwheel to advance or regress relative to the input means by displacing momentum back and forth between the first sunwheel which provides the output rotary power and the control means; wherein the input means comprises the planet cage of the dual sunwheel system and the control means includes a control shaft coupled to the second sunwheel for rotating the second sunwheel to cause the first sunwheel to advance or regress relative to the cage to provide for substantially continuous drive ratio change of the output relative to the cage between minimum and maximum drive ratios: wherein the cage of the sunwheel system is coupled to an epicyclic planet system, the epicyclic planet system having a first input for input of power and a second input for input of power, the epicyclic planet system being connected to the cage of the dual sunwheel system to thereby rotate the cage to provide the input rotatory power into the dual sunwheel system; and wherein the epicyclic planet system includes an epicyclic sunwheel, an orbit gear and at least one said epicyclic planet gear, the said epicyclic planet gear being carried by the cage of the dual sunwheel system, a first input shaft connected to the epicyclic sunwheel and a second input shaft connected to the orbit gear so that when either or both of the first or second input shafts is rotated the epicyclic planet gear orbits about the epicyclic sunwheel to thereby rotate the cage of the dual sunwheel system and provide input rotary power into the dual sunwheel system.