Orbital transmission with geared overdrive

Abstract

The transmission includes an orbital gear complex in combination with a variable hydraulic pump and motor. The input to the transmission is increased in speed by the orbital gearing such that, when the pump and motor are not operating, the orbiter is stationary, and the orbital gearing produces an overdrive condition. A gear reduction is accomplished by rotating the web with the web-rotating device, providing a high gear reduction. The pump and motor are preferably long-piston hydraulic machines with infinitely variable swash plates. The hydraulic machines preferably have wobblers stabilized by full gimbals and hold-down plates with elongated holes for the long pistons to eliminate possible impacts between the hold-down plates and the head ends of the long pistons when the swash-plates are at or near their maximum angle of inclination.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method of infinitely varying the speed and torque of a transmission of a vehicle from a drive shaft of a primary engine to an output shaft comprising the steps of:
 a) providing gearing to produce a predetermined overdrive of the output shaft relative to the drive shaft;   b) rotating an orbiter web in a first direction at a predetermined speed to produce no rotation of the output shaft; and   c) increasing the speed of the output shaft relative to the drive shaft by decreasing the speed of rotation of the web.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of rotating the web in a second direction opposite the first direction to increase the speed of rotation of the output shaft relative to the input shaft beyond the predetermined overdrive. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of rotating the web faster than the predetermined speed to reverse the direction of rotation of the output shaft. 
   
   
       16 . A hydromechanical transmission for a primary engine, the transmission comprising:
 a variable hydraulic component driven by a drive shaft of said engine and producing a hydraulic output; and   a mechanical component driven by said drive shaft and producing a mechanical output;   wherein said hydraulic output and said mechanical output are combined to drive an output shaft for driving a vehicle such that increasing the speed of the hydraulic component decreases the ratio of the speed of said output shaft with respect to the speed of said drive shaft.   
   
   
       17 . The transmission of  claim 16 , wherein said transmission provides power to said output shaft with the engine running at a speed well below a conventional optimal efficiency engine speed. 
   
   
       18 . A hydromechanical transmission for a primary engine having a primary drive shaft and an auxiliary drive shaft, the transmission comprising:
 a variable hydraulic component driven by the auxiliary drive shaft and producing a hydraulic output; and   a mechanical component driven by the primary drive shaft and producing a mechanical output;   wherein the hydraulic output and the mechanical output are combined to drive an output shaft for driving a vehicle;   wherein the transmission provides power to the drive shaft with the engine running at a speed below a conventional optimal efficiency engine speed.   
   
   
       19 - 35 . (canceled) 
   
   
       36 . The transmission of  claim 16 , wherein said transmission provides power to said output shaft with the engine running at an idling speed. 
   
   
       37 . The transmission of  claim 16 , wherein said variable hydraulic component comprises a variable hydraulic motor driven by a variable hydraulic pump that is driven by said engine. 
   
   
       38 . The transmission of  claim 16 , wherein said mechanical component comprises an orbiter comprising:
 an input gear mounted on a first axis and responsive to an input drive provided by the primary engine;   an output gear mounted on said first axis; and   at least one cluster gear meshed with only said input and output gears and mounted for rotation on an orbit shaft positioned parallel with said first axis.   
   
   
       39 . The transmission of  claim 38 , wherein said mechanical component further comprises an orbiter web supporting said orbit shaft and mounted for rotation about said first axis to permit the orbit shaft and the cluster gear to orbit, respectively, said first axis and said input and output gears. 
   
   
       40 . The transmission of  claim 39 , wherein the gear tooth ratios between said cluster gear and said input and output gears are selected such that, when rotation of the web is prevented, rotation of said input gear produces rotation of said output gear at a predetermined overdrive of the input drive. 
   
   
       41 . The transmission of  claim 18 , wherein said transmission provides power to said output shaft with the engine running at an idling speed. 
   
   
       42 . The transmission of  claim 18 , wherein said variable hydraulic component comprises a variable hydraulic motor driven by a variable hydraulic pump that is driven by said engine. 
   
   
       43 . The transmission of  claim 18 , wherein said mechanical component comprises an orbiter comprising:
 an input gear mounted on a first axis and responsive to an input drive provided by the primary engine;   an output gear mounted on said first axis; and   at least one cluster gear meshed with only said input and output gears and mounted for rotation on an orbit shaft positioned parallel with said first axis.   
   
   
       44 . The transmission of  claim 43 , wherein said mechanical component further comprises an orbiter web supporting said orbit shaft and mounted for rotation about said first axis to permit the orbit shaft and the cluster gear to orbit, respectively, said first axis and said input and output gears. 
   
   
       45 . The transmission of  claim 44 , wherein the gear tooth ratios between said cluster gear and said input and output gears are selected such that, when rotation of the web is prevented, rotation of said input gear produces rotation of said output gear at a predetermined overdrive of the input drive.