Patent ID: 8414438

Claim:
A transmission for transferring torque from a prime mover, the transmission comprising: a first input shaft adapted to be driven by the prime mover; a second input shaft; an output shaft; a compound solar epicyclic gearset including a ring gear being driven by the first input shaft, first pinion gears being driven by the ring gear, a sun gear driven by the second input shaft and driving second pinion gears, and a carrier driving the output shaft; a reaction motor driving the second input shaft; and a controller for controlling the reaction motor to vary the speed of the second input shaft and define a gear ratio between the first input shaft and the output shaft based on the second input shaft speed wherein a vertical asymptote of a ratio of carrier speed to sun gear speed versus a ratio of sun gear speed to ring gear speed for the compound solar epicyclic gearset ranges between 5 and 28.