Patent Publication Number: US-2015087454-A1

Title: Band Drive System

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/439,603, filed Feb. 4, 2011. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a tape drive system allowing for the tape to be pulled as well as pushed to exert force. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many applications, belts, chains or other flexible material are used to transfer energy from a drive system to another component. For example, in the personal mobility device industry (e.g., bicycles and scooters), pedals or other articles come in contact with the rider&#39;s feet to transfer power from the rider&#39;s legs to the pedals, to a chain, and ultimately to the wheels. Traditionally, a chain is used to connect a sprocket attached to the pedals to the hub of the wheel to provide a driving force. The rotation of the sprocket pulls the chain, thereby transferring power. However, energy transfer can only travel one way since chains are pulled and cannot be pushed. 
     In one type of drive system, pedals are used which move up and down in a rotary fashion, so that it would be desirable that, when a pedal is forced downward, a chain, a belt, or other flexible material could be used to drive the wheels. However, energy can only be transferred from the pedals in one direction downward, transferring energy to the wheels while the upstroke is idle in preparation of the next stroke. 
     Further, the downstroke also causes the alternating pedal upwards to prepare it for another downstroke. This configuration requires that the pedals operate in conjunction. 
     It would be advantageous for each pedal to operate independently. However, since a chain cannot be pushed, it is necessary for the pedals to work in cooperation. Additionally, chains, belts, and other such drive components tend to have fixed lengths and are not allowed to be easily shared. Further, chains are heavy and not very flexible. Additionally, belts straps while flexible, are not as strong or desirable as materials made from metal. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide for a drive component that can transfer energy by pushing and pulling the drive component. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a flexible and durable drive component that easily gathers for storage. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is more easily understood by referring to the following drawings incorporated by reference: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a bottom view of the invention; 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2A through 2C  are perspective views of the invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a cross-section of the invention; 
         FIGS. 3B and 3C  are bottom views and a cross-section of the invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is one embodiment where the invention is used; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the invention; and, 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A , a metal band  10  is provided having a generally curved shape  12  perpendicular to the metal band&#39;s long axis. A plurality of openings  14  are defined in the metal band. The openings can be in a single linear arrangement or in multiple linear arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 1B . The metal band can be used by itself or in a layered configuration, as shown in  FIG. 1C , to increase strength. It should be noted that when in a layered configuration, each band nests within the adjacent band. Further, the openings in the outer bands can have increased spacing between openings to compensate for the increased diameter of the path traveled by the outer band in comparison to the inner band when multiple bands travel around a gear, idler or guide. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , an example of the bands traveling around a gear is shown. Circular gear  16  is shown having a plurality of pins  18 . The pins are received in holes  14  and the bands travel in direction  20 . 
     When the band engages the drive, the band is forced flat as it contacts with the gear. Once the band ceases contact with the gear, it returns to its curved shape. This curved shape allows the band to extend in a direction  22  when the gear rotates in direction  24 . This allows the band to be pushed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , the present invention provides the ability for the band to be directed in directions having an angular relation that greater than 180°. Gear, idler or guide  16  in combination with the bands ability to flatten, allows the band to be redirected. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2C , band  10  is redirected by gear, idler, or guide  16   a  and  16   b.  Further, a spool  26  can gather the band, and also bias the band to wrap around the spool. Therefore, if the band is pulled in direction  22 , the bias of the spooler will pull the band in a direction  28  when the upward force on the band is sufficiently reduced. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3A , a configuration for producing the openings in the band is shown. Manufacturing tool  30  is used to create a hole in band  10 . Portions  32   a  and  32   b  are created and bend backwards to form the opening as well as used to reinforce the opening. 
     When the band is gathered around a spooler or other such component, the band can bind against the adjacent layers. To prevent the binding of the band, as well as to promote the adjacent layers of bands to slide across each other, the edges of the tape can be thinned and/or tapered. Edges  34   a  and  34   b  ( FIG. 3B ) are thinned to facilitate the band sliding along adjacent layers. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4A , a scooter with a pedal drive is shown. Pedals  40   a  and  40   b  move in direction  42 . In order to convert this energy to the wheels, the band can be directed as shown in  FIG. 4B  due to its flexibility. A first end  44  can be carried by the pedals and second end  46  is carried by the wheels. By using gears and the spooler, each pedal can be used to transfer energy from the pedal to the wheel and recover independently from the other pedal. 
     In  FIG. 4B , the band, due to its flexibility, can be directed as shown. A first end  44  can be carried by the pedals and end  46  operably associated with a drive system to wheels. By using gears and the spooler  60 , each pedal can be used to transfer energy from the pedal to the wheel, and recover independently from the other pedal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the ability of the bands to work in conjunction with pedals  40   a  and  40   b  in cooperation is shown. In one embodiment, pedal  40   a  is a first energy source and pedal  40   b  is a second energy source. The energy sources need not be pedals, but can be other reciprocating or rotary energy sources. 
     The band is attached to the pedals at attachment point  54   a  and  54   b,  respectively. The bands can be attached to the pedals through bolts, screws, or placed in a slot in the pedal to secure the bands to the pedal. When the rider presses down on pedal  40   a,  the pedal places a force  48  on the band. Due to its curved bias, the band can push the other pedal  40   b  in a direction  50  as it travels around the pulleys  52   a  through  52   d.  Pulleys  52   a  or  52   d,  or both, can be attached to a drive system which transfers energy from the pulleys to a drive shaft which in turn can rotate mechanical items such as the wheels of a scooter or a bike. Drive systems using this invention can include spiral bevel gears, differential, worm drive and the like. In one embodiment, the in FIG. 8 of United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0057411, incorporated by reference) so that energy is transferred from the rider to the rear wheel. In one embodiment, pulleys  52   a  and  52   d  can be operably associated with rear chain and gear drive system as shown in FIG. 11 of United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0057412, incorporated by reference. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , support idlers  62   a  and  62   b  can be included to assist the band from buckling under downward force. A housing defined by a first outer wall  64 , an inner member  66 , and an second outer wall  68  can define a first channel  70  and a second channel  72  in which the band may travel. These channels further assist the band from buckling under a load. The band would contact the inner walls included in the channels preventing the band from buckling. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , band  10  is attached to pedal  40   a  at one end and spooler  26  at the other end. The spooler is biased to cuase the band to wrap around the spooler when traveling downward in response to the pedal being depressed by the rider. When the pedal travel upwards, the band unwraps from the spooler and extends upward. A drive gear  80  can be operably connected to the band so that when the band travels upward or downward, the drive gear can transfer energy to a drive system connected to the drive gear. In one embodiment, the drive gear will engage in one direction to transfer energy to the drive system and will freely rotate in the other direction without transferring energy to the drive system. In this embodiment, two band system can be used, one for each pedal, so that the pedals can transfer energy to the drive system independently. In one embodiment, the pedals are biased upwards using upward biasing members  82   a  and  82   b  ( FIG. 4A ) which can be pistons, springs, or the like, to allow the pedal to return to an upward position when the pedal is no longer depressed by the rider. This allows the band to unwrap from the spooler, the pedal to travel upwards and resets the pedal for the rider to exert force downward on the pedal. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.