Patent ID: 6491599
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: B60K,B60Y,B62D,F16H,Y02T

Abstract:
A two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission that is particularly adapted for use with track-laying vehicles, said transmission and its related operating mechanism comprising:a prime mover power source in the mature of an internal combustion engine for delivering power to said transmission and its related operating mechanism; a source of electrical energy for delivering power to said transmission and its related operating mechanism; first and second motor/generator units; a steering motor; first, second and third power distributing planetary gear subsets, first and reverse mode selecting planetary gear subsets, a steering planetary gear subset and left and right output planetary gear subsets incorporated in said transmission mechanism; said left and right output planetary gear subsets presenting left and right output shafts, respectively; said first motor/generator unit directly connected to said first power distributing planetary gear subset; said second motor/generator unit directly connected to all three power distributing planetary gear subsets; separate first and reverse mode-selecting torque transfer devices for selectively grounding selected components of said compounded first and reverse mode selecting planetary gear subsets; a second mode selecting torque transfer device selectively, and simultaneously, connecting said first and second power distributing planetary gear subsets operatively to said left and right output planetary gear subsets; a steering mechanism for operating said steering motor; said source of electrical energy, said steering mechanism, said steering motor and said motor/generator units communicating with each other by virtue of an electrical control unit; said left and right output planetary gear subsets being connected to each other by a retro-rotational gear shaft assembly so that said left and right output shafts may rotate in the same or opposite directions and at the same of different speeds, one with respect to the other.