FR3057044A1 - VARIABLE DIAMETER GEAR - Google Patents

Abstract

The variable diameter gear has a plurality of teeth 301 and 302 of total length equal to or greater than its smallest possible circumference. Each is fixed at a point to a variable diameter wheel 2 around which it winds. The teeth are shifted laterally so as not to be superimposed when the diameter is as small as possible and the total length of the teeth is greater than the circumference of the variable diameter wheel. Advantageously, synchronizing teeth 3021 3022 and following of the toothing 302 whose front is in approach of the toothing 301 cooperate with synchronizing teeth 3011 3012 and following of the toothing 301, by pushing the toothing forward approaching position in which it remains because each toothing is connected to the variable diameter wheel by a freewheel.

Description

® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY © Publication number: 3,057,044 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 16 70602

COURBEVOIE © IntCI ⁸ : F16 H 55/17 (2017.01), F 16 H 3/42

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 13.10.16. (© Priority: © Applicant (s): GUIGAN FRANCK— FR. @ Inventor (s): GUIGAN FRANCK. ©) Date of availability of the request: 06.04.18 Bulletin 18/14. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): GUIGAN FRANCK. ©) Extension request (s): © Agent (s): GUIGAN FRANCK.

(04) VARIABLE DIAMETER GEAR.

FR 3 057 044 - A1 _ The variable diameter gear has several teeth 301 and 302 of total length equal to or greater than its smallest possible circumference. Each is fixed at one point to a variable diameter wheel 2 around which it is wound. The teeth are offset laterally so as not to overlap when the diameter is as small as possible and the total length of the teeth is greater than the circumference of the variable diameter wheel. Advantageously, synchronization teeth 3021 3022 and following of the teeth 302 whose front is approaching the teeth 301 cooperate with synchronization teeth 3011 3012 and following of the teeth 301, pushing the approach teeth forward , position in which it remains because each toothing is connected to the variable diameter wheel by a free wheel.

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Variable diameter gear

Application domain

The invention is a gear whose diameter is variable. It is also a transmission with variable gear ratio or a machine fitted with such a gear.

Problem

The objective pursued by the present invention is:

- firstly to simplify the work of people using gears, by allowing them to create many gears of different diameter and number of teeth from the same product,

- and secondly to allow the transmission of transmissions with variable gear ratio.

Prior art

Several methods are known for producing gears with variable diameter and transmissions with variable reduction ratio such as for example W02014068202 Al, by Franck Guigan [FR] and Janick Simmeray [FR] May 8, 2014, and WO / 2014/125177 by Franck Guigan [FR] 21.08.2014, as well as all the documents cited in these documents and their research reports.

None of the solutions proposed in these documents makes it possible to produce gears which are still in engagement and do not cause any acyclism.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be clearly understood, and other objects, advantages and characteristics thereof will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, which is illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 12 which all represent devices or parts of devices according to the invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a variable diameter wheel in two configurations. The top one has a smaller diameter than the bottom one.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of another type of variable diameter wheel, having vanes which deviate more or less from the axis of rotation 1. From top to bottom, the diameter of each of the three wheels is smaller and smaller because the blades are more and more folded. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a variable diameter wheel according to the invention, comprising teeth supports 21 22 and following, and a teeth 3 fixed by one of its ends to the teeth support 21, before qu '' it is not wrapped around the variable diameter wheel 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 3, the toothing 3 here being wound around the variable diameter wheel 2.

FIG. 5 is a series of two perspective views of a toothing 3 according to the invention, in two configurations corresponding to different diameters. On the left, the diameter is as small as possible, and on the right it is too large for the gear to be complete.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a toothing 3 in another embodiment.

Figures 7 shows a variant in which a toothing is made up of links, cooperating means of drive which is here a set of three plates each made to cooperate with a chain. Figure 8 shows details of this variant: the link of a first toothing driving the drive means through its center, and that of a second toothing driving the drive means by its two side plates.

FIG. 9 shows a variant in which the teeth cooperate with a drive means which is here a set of two paired toothed belts. The assembly shown rotates counterclockwise. FIG. 10 shows the front part of the second toothing 302, which is pushed forward by its synchronization teeth 3021 3022 and following, that is to say to the left of the figure, when it comes to cooperate with the first toothing 301 shown in FIG. 11, which is provided with synchronization teeth 3011 3012 and following. Figure 12 shows the set of two twin toothed belts, which are integral with each other.

Statement of the invention

The invention is a variable diameter gear comprising:

- a drive shaft 1,

- A plurality of teeth 301, 302 and following if appropriate, each composed of a set of elements called drive teeth 31, 32 and following connected together by links allowing rotation of one of these element relative to the along an axis substantially parallel to said drive shaft 1 characterized by the fact:

- that it comprises a so-called variable diameter wheel assembly 2 composed of elements known as toothing supports 21, 22 and following located at a substantially constant distance from said drive shaft 1,

- that a toothing 301, or 302 or following is maintained in a substantially circular shape around said drive shaft 1 by contact with said variable diameter wheel 2

- that a toothing 301, or 302 or following is driven in rotation by said drive shaft 1 about its axis,

- that one set of teeth 301 is offset from another set of teeth 302 so that two sets of teeth 301 and 302 can be juxtaposed.

According to other characteristics

- A toothing 301 has means for synchronizing its drive teeth with another toothing 302;

- a toothing is connected to the drive shaft 1 by a freewheel;

- said freewheel allows a toothing 302 approaching its point of contact with another gear means with which it cooperates to rotate faster than another toothing 301 already engaged with said other gear

- Two teeth 301 and another teeth 302 are offset from one another in a direction parallel to said drive shaft 1;

- the variable diameter gear comprises a mechanical means making it possible to determine the circumference of the gear so that it is equal to the sum of the pitch of the teeth of the different teeth constituting a complete revolution;

- when a toothing 301 cooperates in a synchronized manner with a part of another drive means, another toothing 302 cooperates in a synchronized manner with another part of said other drive means. ;

- the variable diameter gear comprises mechanical means separating a toothing of said other drive means when it cannot cooperate with the latter, that is to say when a rotational offset of said drive teeth from the teeth considered do not allow them to fit into the spaces between the teeth of said other drive means;

- one or more teeth of said first toothing are pointed to fit more easily between the teeth of another means of engagement with which it cooperates;

- The pitch between one or more teeth of said first toothing is slightly different from the pitch of the rest of this toothing. ;

- The variable diameter gear comprises a means of cooperation by friction with a friction surface 53 of another means of drive;

- two transmissions are assembled in parallel and are both fitted with free wheels in opposite directions of rotation;

- a machine is provided with a variable diameter gear the present invention;

- A transmission or other device comprises a variable diameter gear according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Like all gears, the one according to the invention comprises a drive shaft 1, and a toothing 3 composed of a set of drive teeth 31, 32 and following. So that the diameter of the gear can vary, these teeth must be connected together by links allowing a rotation of one tooth relative to the next about an axis substantially parallel to the drive shaft 1 .

This toothing can be either a toothed belt or a chain or a chain sprocket as well as any type of classic straight gear (with straight, helical or chevron teeth), or bevel or worm. It is recommended, however, to favor a drive device whose pitch does not vary with the diameter of the gear, such as a transmission chain for example.

The device comprises a variable diameter wheel 3 maintaining the toothing 2 in a substantially circular shape around said drive shaft 1 by contact with said variable diameter wheel 2. Various types of variable diameter wheels are known, such as those described in for example in documents W02014068202 A1 and WO / 2014/125177 already cited. Figure 2 shows a variable diameter wheel according to W02014068202 A1. Another very simple way of designing such a variable diameter wheel is illustrated by Figure 1 which shows a wheel designed as two umbrellas opposed by the top of their frame, in two different positions corresponding to different diameters.

So that the teeth 3 do not change in pitch when changing the diameter of the variable diameter wheel 2, it 3 is rotated around the drive shaft 1 by a single mechanical connection, for example by its front end or by its rear end or by any other point of the teeth. This mechanical connection can be divided into several elements but the latter must, by their arrangement, behave like a single mechanical connection so that the teeth retain a circular shape which has substantially the same axis of rotation as the axis of rotation 1 of the variable diameter wheel.

Thus, if the first tooth of the teeth is synchronous with the teeth of another means of drive such as for example a chain or a toothed belt or another gear, the following ones are therefore also necessarily. This is illustrated by FIG. 3 which shows the first tooth 31 of the toothing 3 which is integral with the toothing support 21

So that the toothing 3 can go around the variable diameter wheel 2 more than once, it must be divided into at least two parts 301 and 302 which are offset laterally with respect to each other . These two parts of teeth 301 and 302 can thus be juxtaposed laterally when the diameter of the variable diameter gear is reduced. Advantageously, this offset is made in a direction parallel to the drive shaft 1, but other geometries can be designed by those skilled in the art for other types of gears.

Nothing says that the pitch of toothing 301 and that of toothing 302 must be equal. The only important point is that they each correspond to the step of the other gear with which the teeth concerned must cooperate.

The device described above works perfectly on the condition that the circumference of the gear is equal to the sum of the pitch of the teeth, different parts of the teeth making it up over 360 °. Those skilled in the art can provide all kinds of known means so that the circumference is determined either during assembly of the gear, or by mechanical means such as for example an elastic return constraining the circumference to be taken preferably by one dimensions in which the gear according to the invention has a whole number of teeth, so that the latter cooperate without conflict with that of the other drive means. The transmission formed by the gear according to the invention and another drive means is therefore not a transmission with continuously variable transmission ratio. The number of possibilities is equal to the difference between the smallest number of teeth, when the diameter of the gear is smallest, and the largest number of teeth when it is the largest. This allows a very large number of different transmission reports.

In an improved mode, it is possible to vary the diameter of the gear continuously when it rotates and cooperates with another drive means, while avoiding conflicts between a toothing of the variable diameter gear and a part of the teeth of the other drive means with which it must cooperate. To this end, the variable diameter gear comprises mechanical means making it possible to separate the toothing 301 or 302 from the gear of the toothing of the gear means with which it cooperates when it cannot cooperate with it. An illustration of this is given in FIG. 3: the second toothing 302 has rods 301, 302 and following which fit into grooves 401, 402 and following of the teeth of the first toothing. When such a rod does not fit into such a groove, the teeth are not located at the same distance from the axis of rotation 1, and only one of these teeth can cooperate with the other drive means, that who is closest to him.

In the situation where the circumference of the gear is not equal to the sum of the pitch of the teeth of the different parts of the toothing constituting a full revolution, it is the teeth close to the start of the toothing 2 which will be the first to be not end up facing the teeth of the toothing which are located in an offset toothing which is on the same plane passing through the axis of rotation 1, and therefore in conflict with those of the drive means with which the gear cooperates.

The aforementioned synchronization means, such as for example an elastic return, can make it possible to quickly resolve the problem, but an improvement consists in that the teeth closest to the start of the toothing are sharp to limit the possibilities of conflict between the head of these teeth and the head of the teeth of the drive means. Those skilled in the art also have the advantage that the shape of the rods 301, 302 and following and those of the grooves 401, 402 and following of the teeth are also pointed so as to facilitate synchronization.

An additional improvement consists in that the pitch of the teeth of this toothing situated at the front of the toothing is slightly different from that of the rest of the toothing, so that, in the case where a tooth of the toothing finds itself in conflict with a tooth of the drive means, this cannot be the case of one of the following teeth and the problem is thus resolved. Another improvement consists in providing the gear according to the invention with a synchro which is used to synchronize the variable diameter gear with the drive means with which it cooperates. The variable diameter gear may for this purpose have a means of cooperation by friction with a friction surface of another driving means with which it is called to cooperate (not shown).

A toothing 301 advantageously comprises one or more additional teeth called synchronization teeth 3011 3012 and following which cooperate not with the teeth of another drive means, but with one or more synchronization teeth 3021 3022 and following of another toothing 302, so that the toothing 302 which approaches the teeth of the other drive means with which it is called upon to cooperate rotates around the axis of the drive shaft 1 to synchronize with the '' another set of teeth 301 which is already engaged with this other drive means 1.

In a preferred embodiment, the shape of these drive teeth is such that its teeth advance under the effect of the cooperation between the drive teeth of the two teeth, and a free wheel allows this advance. The freewheel thus allows a toothing 302 when approaching its point of contact with another gear means with which it cooperates to rotate faster than another gear 301 already engaged with said other gear.

Several methods are proposed for modifying the diameter of the gear according to the invention, such as the centrifugal force which applies to an element of the variable diameter wheel 2 chosen by a person skilled in the art, or an elastic return. These means can be used to vary the transmission ratio as a function of the speed of rotation but also as a function of the torque exerted in real time on the transmission when the variable diameter wheel is of the type illustrated in FIG. 2, since the blades of this wheel tend to close or open depending on the direction of the torque that applies to it.

To simplify the description, the teeth have been described above as having a first part 301 and a second part 302. Those skilled in the art can obviously provide the device with as many additional parts as they wish, by shifting the additional part each time so that it does not overlap an existing part. This has the advantage of allowing much greater variation in transmission ratios.

All the provisions of movement transmission mechanisms described in W02014068202 A1, in WO / 2014/125177 and in application FR2014-00441 of 19 02 2014 3057044

Franck Guigan's increasing speed inertial system [FR] can be implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention. Note in particular the possibility of associating these gears in parallel or in series, and of using them in the construction of planetary gears like those described in one or the other of these documents.

A particularly advantageous arrangement, not shown, consists in making a belt cooperate with two devices according to the invention, and in providing each of them with an elastic return means towards a position in which the circumference is the largest so that the belt is still tight.

The shafts of each of the gears according to the invention are thus fixed and the possible variation of the transmission ratio is higher. This assembly can be associated in series with four gears according to the invention, with the advantage that the input and output shafts can be aligned. By allowing the secondary shaft of the first set, which is also the primary shaft of the second set, to rotate, or even by motorizing or braking this rotation, we obtain very rich combinations whose functioning is similar to that of a planetary gear. Applications

The invention applies in particular:

a) mechanical transmissions of all kinds, such as hoists, jacks, winches, winches, gearboxes and continuous or stage variators,

b) variable reducers and reducers,

c) speed or torque regulators including variable reducers,

d) turbines, and therefore ventilation,

e) wind turbines and turbines, and more generally to regulate the rotation of electric power generators.

(f) ore crushers and crushers and mixers,

g) treadmills and elevators, ski lifts, cable cars, etc.,

h) household appliances and tools,

i) fishing rod reels

j) solo or tandem pedal, cart and bicycle gear.

k) toys,

l) and in general in all cases where an engine must, in order to remain efficient, adapt to the variation of the resisting torque.

Claims (9)

Claims 1. Variable diameter gear comprising: a drive shaft (1) a plurality of teeth (301, 302 and following if applicable) each composed of a set of elements called drive teeth (31, 32 and following) connected together by links allowing a rotation of one of these elements with respect to the next about an axis substantially parallel to said drive shaft (1) characterized by the fact: that it comprises a so-called variable diameter wheel assembly (2) composed of elements known as toothing supports (21, 22 and following) situated at a substantially constant distance from said drive shaft (1), that a toothing (301 , or 302 or following) is held in a substantially circular shape around said drive shaft (1) by contact with said variable diameter wheel (2) that a toothing (301, or 302 or following) is rotated by said drive shaft (1) around its axis, that a toothing (301) is offset with respect to another toothing (302) so that two toothing (301 and 302) can be juxtaposed. 2. Variable diameter gear according to claim 1 characterized in that a toothing (301) has means for synchronizing its drive teeth with another toothing (302). 3. Variable diameter gear according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that a toothing (301) is connected to the drive shaft (1) by a free wheel. 4. Variable diameter gear according to claim 3 characterized in that said free wheel allows a toothing (302) approaching its point of contact with another means of drive with which it cooperates to rotate faster than another set of teeth (301) already engaged with said other drive means. 5. Variable diameter gear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a toothing (301) and another toothing (302) are offset with respect to each other in a direction parallel to said shaft d drive (1). 6. Variable diameter gear according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that it comprises mechanical means making it possible to determine the circumference of the gear so that it is equal to the sum of the pitch of the teeth of the different toothing constituting a complete turn. 7. Variable diameter gear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises mechanical means separating a toothing of said other drive means when it cannot cooperate with the latter, that is to say -display when a shift in rotation of said drive teeth of the teeth concerned does not 5 do not allow to be embedded in the spaces between the teeth of said other drive means. 8. Variable diameter gear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pitch between one or more teeth of said first toothing is slightly different from the pitch of the rest of this toothing. 9. Transmission or other device comprising a variable diameter gear according to any one of the preceding claims. 10. Machine provided with a variable diameter gear according to any one of the preceding claims. 1/6