VARIABLE TRANSMISSION

Abstract: A variable transmission that is small in size, light in weight, simple in construction, secure in operation, long service life and capable of high-output speed changes. An input shaft crank (3) and an input side member (4) are mounted on an input shaft (1) and an output shaft (2) via a one-way clutch mechanism (100), respectively, and the respective members are coupled to each other by means of an input connecting rod (5) and an output connecting rod (6). Also, a speed-change link (7) is coupled to a junction point (B) of these links at one end thereof, and the other end thereof (Q) is allowed to move to any position within a certain range and to be fixed at that point. Also, the one-way clutch is a rolling bearing clutch. Variable speed change can securely be obtained with a simple mechanism. In a case where a rolling bearing clutch is used, high-output speed change is possible with a transmission that is small in size and light in weight.

Description: The present invention relates to a stepless speed change transmission using one or more one-way clutches, according to the preambles of claims 1, 2 and 3. From GB-A 326 297 a stepless speed change transmission of this kind is known, including a speed change link which by means of a screw can be moved to and fro along a guide. By adjusting the position of the movable speed change link the inclination of the input rod is altered, and consequently the angular movement of the input side member connected to the output connecting part is changed. As a result of this configuration, the speed change ratio varies largely with small movements of the speed change link, and therefore fine adjustment of the speed change ratio becomes difficult. In a stepless speed change gear according to another prior art and shown in Figs. 12, a speed change link 7' having a movable support point Q ' is connected to a transmission link 5 ' which is connected to an input shaft 3 ' and an input side member 4' which rotates about a center P' of an output shaft of a one-way clutch. However, such a stepless speed change gear is insufficient in link mechanism and can be used only for transmission of small power. It is an object of the invention to provide a stepless speed change transmission of simple construction with reliable action, small size and light weight and suitable for transmitting even large power. The above object is achieved according to the invention by the features of the characterizing parts of claims 1, 2 or 3. With the stepless speed change transmission according to the first embodiment of the invention, the rotation of the input shaft is transmitted to the input shaft crank, the other end of which is connected to the speed change link which is positioned by the fixing means at one end and is adapted to move about the axis of the input shaft. This movement of the other end of the input connecting rod is transmitted to the input side member of the one-way clutch via the output connecting rod, which swings the input side member about the output shaft as its center. As a result, the output shaft is rotated intermittently under the function of the one-way clutch mechanism. In this case, by transferring the position of the fixed point of the speed change link, the direction of the swing motion is changed,which changes the width of swing of the input side member. Thus, the speed change ratio is altered. And, as the speed change link can be fixed at the optional point of given movable range by the fixing means, the speed transmission is stepless. Further, although the rotation of the output shaft transmitted via the input side member and the one way clutch mechanism is intermittent, it can be smoothed by using a plurality of one-way clutches or by installing a flywheel. Furthermore, one or more transmissions for increasing or decreasing speed may be installed additionally to obtain the desired maximum or minimum speed change ratio. With the stepless speed change transmission according to the second embodiment of the invention, since the speed change link is provided with the second connecting part at its one end, and the one end of the output connecting rod is connected to the second connecting part, while the other end of the input connecting rod is connected to a different point of the speed change link excepting the second connecting part, different displacement is transmitted to the output connecting rod than that of the input connecting rod. With the stepless speed change transmission according to the third embodiment of the invention, since the rotating member is supported rotatably on the circumferential surface of the disk-like member, the center of the rotating member moves like a crank pin when the input shaft is rotated. As a result. the other end of the rotating member swings the speed change link, whereby the output connecting rod makes reciprocating motion. This motion is transmitted to the one-way clutch which rotates the output shaft at a changed speed in the same manner as the first embodiment. When the other end of the speed change link is positioned where the output connecting rod becomes orthogonal to both the speed change link and the input side member, the swing width of them become maximum, which gives the maximum speed of the output shaft. On the other hand, when the other end of the speed change link is positioned where the output connecting rod and the speed change link line up in a straight line, the axial movement of the output connecting rod becomes minimum, which gives the minimum speed of the output shaft. In this case, when the length of the speed change link and the output connecting rod are the same. the swing amount of the input side member becomes 0 and stopping condition of the output shaft can be realized. Since the other end of the speed change link is moved in the range as mentioned above, the speed of the output shaft from maximum to minimum can be obtained effectively. Some embodiments of the invention will be now described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an explanatory drawing of a stepless speed change transmission according to the invention; Fig. 2(a), (b) are explanatory drawings of the relation of changing speed of the stepless speed change transmission; Fig.3 and Fig.4 are explanatory drawings to get conditions for stable operation of the stepless speed change transmission; Fig. 5 is an explanatory drawing to calculite an error δ at u≠t in the stepless speed change gear; Fig.6 is a sectional view showing an example of construction of the stepless speed change transmission; Fig.7 is a sectional view along X-X of Fig. 6; Fig.8 is a sectional view showing a connecting part between an output connecting rod and a rolling bearing clutch; Fig.9 is a sectional view showing a detail of a fitting part of a speed change link of the stepless speed change transmission; Fig. 10 is an explanatory drawing of the stepless speed change transmission of another illustrative embodiment; Fig. 11 is an explanatory drawing of a method to direct force acting on a supporting point for speed change to an input shaft; Fig. 12 is an explanatory drawing of the stepless speed change transmission of one-way clutch type in the prior art. Fig. 1 shows the mechanism of a stepless speed change transmission of one preferable embodiment. An input shaft crank 3 and an input side member 4 via a one-way clutch 100 are fitted respectively at an input shaft 1 and an output shaft 2 which are at right angle to this sheet. and also they are connected to each other by an input connecting rod 5 and an output connecting rod 6. A speed change link 7 which is positioned at an optional position Q in a given moving range is connected to the connecting point B of the input and output connecting rods 5 and 6. The connecting parts of the connecting points A, B, C of the crank and links are pin joints by which the input shaft crank 3, the input side member 4, the input connecting rod 5, the output connecting rod 6 and the speed change link 7 are rotatable or swingable in the same direction plane which is at right angle to the input shaft 1 and the output shaft 2. In this mechanism, when the input shaft 1 is rotated, the point B swings to the direction shown by the arrow in the figure about the point Q as the center by the movement of the input connecting rod 5 and the speed change link 7. The swing of the point B is transmitted to the point C via the output connecting rod 6, which swings the input side member 4 about the point P as the center and rotates the output shaft 2 intermittently under the function of the one-way clutch 100. In the drawing, since the output connecting rod 6 is at right angle to both the input side member 4 and the speed change link 7, the rotating speed of the output shaft 2 becomes maximum, giving maximum transmission ratio. To change the transmission ratio, the point Q is moved and stopped again at another position. The moving range for transmission may be the range in which such mechanism can be operated. Accordingly, the locus of the moving range may be a curve such as a circular arc, a straight line etc.. In the embodiment, the point Q is moved on the circular arc having the center 0 from a view point as easiness of manufacturing. When getting the minimum transmission ratio, the swing center point Q of the speed change link 7 is turned around the center 0 of the input shaft crank 3 until it reaches to the point Q' finally. Although width or speed of swing of the point B does not change in the movement, the component to swing the point C in the swing width of the point B changes corresponding to the movement of the point Q. And finally. when each point Q, B and C reaches to each point Q', B', and C ' where the point B' , C' and Q' line up in a straight line, the rotating speed of the output shaft 2 becomes minimum. In this case, the swing width of the outer circumference C' of one-way clutch 100 which is swinged by the swing of the point B' via the output connecting rod 6 is δ as shown in Fig.1. This δ is produced by the difference of the radius of curvature between the speed change link 7 and the output connecting rod 6. However, as this δ is of very small value, the minimum transmitted speed becomes almost 0. Therefore. by adopting the output connecting rod δ and the speed change link 7 having the same length, the complete 0 transmission in which δ and the movement of the point C become 0 can be attained. By this transmission mechanism, changed speed from 0 to a predetermined value can be obtained without any step. Further, the transmitted speed from 0 to the desired speed can freely obtained by installing, for example, one or more transmissions for increasing or decreasing speed. Furthermore, although the output rotation using one way clutch 100 is intermittent. there is no problem for practical use, because. such method as to make the device multi-stage by providing a plurality of one way clutches or installing a inertia equipment such as a flywheel may be adopted. Fig.2(a), (b) are explanatory drawings of relation of changing speed. If the rotating speed of the input shaft crank 3 is constant, circumferential speed V 1 of the point A is constant. Both figure (a),(b) show positions of the point A and A' of the input shaft crank 3 wherein the speed of the point B and B' becomes maximum. And (a) shows the condition of the speed change when each point O, B, and C lines up in a straight line and the point Q and P are both on the perpendicular of the straight line OBC, resulting in the maximum speed of the output shaft 2. On the other hand, (b) shows the condition of the speed change when each point B ' , Q' and C ' lines up in a straight line and the point Q' corresponds to the point C. in which the speed of the output shaft 2 becomes 0. In the figures, rotation method is used for speed conversion of the circumferential speed V 1 of the point A. In fig.2 (a), the circumferential speed V 1 is converted from the point A to point B as follows; get V 1 =V 1 ' by turning V 1 to the direction AO; get cross point R on the segment BQ by drawing the parallel line to the line AB which starts from the extremity of the vector V 1 ' ; get cross point S by turning the vector V 2 ' 90° and get the segment BS as the vector V 2 of the point B. Further, since the segment BC and PC cross at a right angle, circumferential speed of the point C is the same to that of the point B in the direction and dimensions, which gives the speed vector V 3 =V 2 . As a result. if there is no energy loss in the output side including the one way clutch 100, the output shaft 2 will rotate with the maximum circumferential speed V 3 at the point C by the given input speed V 1 . In fig.2 (b), also the vector speed V 2 of the point B' is obtained by rotation and conversion of V 1 → V 1 ' → V 2 ' → V 2 similarly as mentioned above. In the point C' , as the vector V 2 is directing to the straight line B' C' at a right angle, the vector V 3 ' corresponding to the vector V 3 does not exist. Accordingly, there is no input to the one-way clutch, making the rotation of the output shaft 0. As described above, when the point Q is transferred to the point Q' by rotation, the circumferential speed of the input side member 4 of the one-way clutch changes from V 3 to 0. Therefore, the speed of the output shaft 2 can be changed steplessly from V 3 to 0 by making available to stop the point Q of the speed change link 7 at any point in its movable range. Now. conditions are derived so that the link mechanism work stably. As shown in figure 3, notations are given as follows: r as the radius of the input shaft crank 3; s as the distance between the shaft center of the input shaft 1 and the swing center B of the speed change link 7; t as the length of the output connecting rod 6; u as the length of the speed change link 7; and R as the radius of rotation of the input side member 4. And, the point Q or Q' shows the position when the output shaft 2 reaches maximum speed or minimum speed ( changed speed 0 ) respectively. The conditions to get maximum speed are that both the angle OBQ and OCP become right angles. And, in the changed speed 0, the following equation is derived to avoid unstable operation when the angle B' Q' P is nearly 180° ; OP ≦ OQ ' +R and, from the triangle OPQ and OB' Q' ; then, from the equation (1) and (2), as the relations between s, t, u, R; can be introduced. Therefore, if these relations are satisfied, the operation of the stepless speed change transmission is stabilized. Fig. shows a case when u≠t. Although it is preferable to be u=t in principle, there will be the case that the dimentional difference must be provided between u and t for the convenience of the design and manufacture. In this case, as shown in Fig.4, the error δ comes out due to the radial difference of the rotation between u and t, which causes the problem that the rotating speed of the output shaft 2 does not become completely 0. Fig.5 is a drawing to calculate the error δ. In the drawing, notation w means the distance from the swing center Q' of the speed change link 7 to the connecting point C' of the input side member 4 and the output connecting rod 6, that is, the difference of the radius of rotation between the output connecting rod 6 and the speed change link 7, and, notation δu or δt means the axial displacement of the point where is in the distance r from the swing center B' . Then δ is calculated as follows; δu=u- u 2 -r 2 δt=t- t 2 -r 2 δ=δu-δ t=u-t- u 2 -r 2 + t 2 -r 2 = (w+u) 2 -r 2 - (w+ u 2 -r 2 ) The value of δ obtained by the equation (4) is very small when w is small. Accordingly, when rolling bearing clutch is used as the one way clutch 100, since the clutch has characteristics as torsion spring for transmition torque the error δ is absorbed by the torsional angle produced between the input side member 4 and the output shaft 2, achieving the stepless speed change up to 0 without rotating the output shaft 2 substantially. Fig.6 and 7 show an example of the construction of the embodiment of the stepless speed change transmission, wherein Fig. 6 is a sectional view and Fig. 7 is a side view. The transmission in this example is a type wherein two raws of rolling bearing clutches are arranged. Each of input shaft crank 3, 3 is provided with a crank pin 31, 31 and is fixed at each left and right side on an input shaft 1 which is supported by a body frame 10 via bearings. Each input connecting rod 5, 5 is connected to each crank pin 31, 31 via each bearing at one end, and connected to each one end of each output connecting rod 6, 6 via each crank pin 51, 51 and each bearing at the other end. These rods are able to move freely in planes the directions of which are the same as the rotation plane of the input shaft cranks 3, 3. The other end of each output connecting rod 6, 6 is connected to each input side member 4, 4 of each rolling bearing clutch 100. 100. An output shaft 2 operated as a common shaft of each clutch is rotated in one direction only when each input side member 4, 4 is swinged. Fig.8 shows a detail of the connection part to connect the output connecting rod 6 to the rolling bearing clutch 100 through the input side member 4. Each speed change link 7, 7 the swing center of which is each crank pin 71, 71 (the point Q in Fig.7) is connected to each crank pin 51, 51. The crank pin 71 is connected to a ring 11 which is fitted to the body frame 10 rotatably about the input shaft 1 as the center and can be fixed at any optional point by being rotated on the body frame 10 through bearings, thus making available the stepless speed change. Further, as shown in the figure, since the ball bearings are used at main parts of the construction, the variable transmission is free from maintenance as for lubrication. And also, problems of backlash do not arise because gear mechanism is not used. Fig.9 shows a detail construction of a fitting portion of the crank pin 71 of the speed change link 7 to the ring 11. By connecting the speed change link 7 and the ring 11 as shown in the figure, the support point Q for transmission can be shifted by rotating the ring 11. The shifting and fixing of the ring 11 is carried out by turning a lever 12 as shown in Fig.6 and 7. That is, the lever 12 is fixed at any point, by rotating a handle 13 to one direction to loose a friction member 14 from contacting to the body frame 10 with pressure, then by rotating the handle 13 to the other direction to push the friction member 14 to the body frame 10 with pressure. By such a method, the support point for speed change can be fixed at any point between Q and Q' (transmission range 70° ). Accordingly, the ring 11 and the lever 12 are examples of the fixing means. However, other suitable methods may be adopted as fixing means, for example, a worm gear being engaged with a worm wheel which is provided at the circumference of the ring 11 except the above method as utilizing friction. Further, the fixing means may be operated remotely or automatically in order to control transmission ratio. Furthermore, although the above embodiment has two sets of the rolling bearing clutches, the stepless speed change transmission may be formed as multi-stage unit having more than 3 clutches. With a multi-stage unit, the output rotation is smoothed more. Fig. 10 shows another embodiment of the stepless speed change transmission. To the input shaft 1, a disk-like member 200 which has a center A' is fixed at an eccentric position with a distance r from the center 0 of the input shaft 1. A cam-like rotating member 400 is supported by bearings 300 rotatably at the circumferential surface of the disk-like member 200. The other end side connecting part of the rotating member 400 is rotatably connected to the other end of a speed change link 7 at a point B. On the other hand, one end of an output connecting rod 6 is connected to a second connecting part at a point B 1 which is in a different position from the point B. From the above configuration, when the input shaft 1 is rotated, the disk-like member 200 rotates eccentrically. By this motion, the rotating member 400 is moved like a link connected to a crank having a radius r (corresponds to the input connecting rod 5 in Fig.1), swinging the speed change link 7 for speed change around the support point Q as the center. In this case, since the output connecting rod 6 is connected at point B 1 as the second connecting part of the speed change link 7 in this embodiment, the displacement of the output connecting rod 6 becomes large with the ratio QB 1 /QB, which changes the rotating speed of the output shaft 2 with the same ratio. Point B 1 may exist either at the inside or the outside of the point B in the line QB. The rotating speed of the output shaft 2 can be adjusted corresponding to that of the input shaft 1 by selecting the position of the second connecting part in the above arrangement. Further, as the disk-like member 200 and the rotating member 400 are adopted in the above stepless speed change transmission, the crank and the link mechanism are composed in one unit of rotation body, and simplified. Here in the Fig.10, each notation Q, B, C, or B 1 shows the position of the support point of the speed change lever or each connecting part respectively at the maximum speed change and Q', B' , C' or B 1 ' show the same position at the minimum speed change. As described above in detail, in the first embodiment of the invention, since the input shaft and the output shaft are connected through the input shaft crank, the input connecting rod, the output connecting rod, the input side member, and the one way clutch in turn, and the other end of the speed change link of which one end is fixed at an optional position in the given moving range is connected to the same connecting part of the input connecting rod and the output connecting rod, the stepless speed change transmission is securely operable with simple construction. In the second embodiment, since the displacement of the output connecting rod differs from that of the input connecting rod by connecting the input connecting rod and the output connecting rod at different points on the speed change link, the rotational speed of the output shaft can be adjusted. In the third embodiment, by adopting the disk-like member and the rotating member, the crank and the link are composed in one unit as the rotation body. which can simplify the mechanism. Since the other end of the speed change link is moved in the range from where the movement of the input side member becomes maximum to where it becomes minimum, the speed change ratio from maximum to minimum can be obtained effectively. There is no need for installing additional bearings in the shaft because the clutch itself can be used as a bearing. Furthermore, the clutch can be operated not only under free rotation but also under frequent repetition between the free rotation and the reverse rotation with clutching operation by providing the annular members at both sides in the axis which stop the movement of the intermediate rotation bodies in the axis direction. As a result, the stepless speed change transmission can be constructed in small size and light weight and to have long service life under transmitting large power. Fig. 11 shows a method to direct force acting on the supporting point for speed change Q to the input shaft 1. By using this method, the force which is generated at the torque transmission and directing to the direction of the movement of the support point becomes small. This arrangement facilitates the movement of the support point. For this purpose, the relations of the positions of the center 0 of the input shaft, the support point of the speed change Q, the input point B from the crank, the driving point B 1 to move the output connecting rod 6 and the input point C to the one-way clutch 100 are decided to satisfy the equation; ∠QOB=∠B 1 OB and also the condition that the point C situate on the extended line of the line B 1 . The support point Q is moved keeping the above relations. Further. the center point P of the one-way clutch 100 is decided to realize the above relation and also to be able to input the torque always from one direction. By this configuration, the force applied to the support point of speed change Q always directs to the point 0 from the balance of the vectors of the force applied to the speed change link 7 as shown in the figure, resulting in an extreme decrease of the force which directs to the moving direction of the support point. As mentioned above in detail, the invention provides the stepless speed change transmission of small size, light weight and simple construction which attain stepless speed change from 0 to maximum with smooth action. and has very high industrial applicability.

Claims: A stepless speed change transmission comprising: an input shaft (1); a crank (3) fitted to said input shaft at a right angle direction; an input rod (5) connected to said crank at one end; an output rod (6) connected to said input rod at one end and provided with an output connecting part (C) at its other end; a one-way clutch (100) provided with an output shaft (2) disposed in the same direction to said input shaft (1), and an input side member (4) swingably mounted about a center of said output shaft and connected to said output connecting part (C); a speed change link (7) connected to said input rod (5) and said output rod (6) at one end, the other end of said speed change link (7) being movable into a position within a given moving range; fixing means (11 - 14) to fix said speed change link in a selected position; said input rod, said output rod, said input side member and said speed change link being movable each in a plane which is in parallel with the plane of movement of said crank (3), characterised in that the other end of said speed change link (7) is adapted to move a given locus range about the axis of said input shaft from a first position where said input side member (4) and said speed change link (7) extend substantially orthogonal to said output rod (6), into a second position where said output rod (6) and said speed change link become substantially aligned in a straight line. A stepless speed change transmission comprising: an input shaft (1); a crank (3) fitted to said input shaft at a right angle direction; an input rod (5) connected to said crank at one end; an output rod (6) connected to a speed change link (7) and provided with an output connecting part (C) at its end; a one-way clutch (100) provided with an output shaft (2) disposed in the same direction to said input shaft (1), and an input side member (4) swingably mounted about a center of said output shaft and connected to said output connecting part (C); one end of said speed change link (7) being movable into a position within a given moving range; fixing means (11 - 14) to fix said speed change link in a selected position; said input rod, said output rod, said input side member and said speed change link being movable each in a plane which is in parallel with the plane of movement of said crank (3), characterised in that said input rod (5) is connected to an intermediate connecting point of said speed change link (7), said one end of said speed change link (7) is adapted to move a given locus range about the axis of said input shaft from a first position where said input side member (4) and said speed change link (7) extend substantially orthogonal to said output rod (6), into a second position where said output rod (6) and said speed change link become substantially aligned in a straight line. A stepless speed change transmission comprising: an input shaft (1); a disk-like member (200) fixed to said input shaft at an eccentric position; a rotating member (400) supported on a circumferential surface of said disk-like member; an output rod (6) connected to a speed change link (7) and provided with an output connecting part (C) at its end; a one-way clutch (100) provided with an output shaft (2) disposed in the same direction to said input shaft (1), and an input side member (4) swingably mounted about a center of said output shaft and connected to said output connecting part (C); one end of said speed change link (7) being movable into a position within a given moving range; fixing means (11 - 14) to fix said speed change link in a selected position; said rotating member, said output rod, said input side member and said speed change link being movable each in a plane which is in parallel with the plane of movement of said disk-like member (200), characterised in that said rotating member (400) is connected to an intermediate connecting point of said speed change link (7), said one end of said speed change link (7) is adapted to move a given locus range about the axis of said input shaft from a first position where said speed change link (7) extends substantially orthogonal to said output rod (6), into a second position where said output rod (6) and said speed change link become substantially aligned in a straight line.

Inventors: TAKATA NOBUO, TAKATA, NOBUO
Applicants: THK MENT RESEARCH CO LTD, THK MENT RESEARCH CO., LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: F16H29
IPC codes: F16H29