A differential for transmitting rotational power to the left and right axles of a vehicle. Loss of adhesion by one drive wheel is countered by the other drive wheel maintaining traction through the independent action of its one-way drive configuration. Differential balance between the two wheels is accomplished by the high feedback forces from the ground overcoming the gear set locking action, thus enabling the wheels to balance the driving torque in the usual manner. If one of the drive wheels loses traction, the differential configuration enables torque to be continuously delivered to the other drive wheel, with no time gap occurring between slippage and delivery of torque to the drive wheel having traction. Inherent in the present invention is a corrective gear ratio bias which counters the effects of torque steer at all speeds and driving conditions. The inventive differential does not use slip clutches, which tend to wear out over time, or complex and costly traction control systems.
A differential system for transmitting power to a split pair of wheel axles utilizes a coupled pair of special planetary gear sets to proportion torque when the wheels negotiate a turn or lose traction. The gear ratio of each set is such that when the driving torque is in the speed increase mode of the gears, the two lock and rotate in the same direction but when the torque is on the sun gear caused by feedback due to negotiating a turn, the sun gear nutates within the ring gear to adjust for speed differentials. The sun gear of each set drives an eccentric cam on its associated wheel axle and is adapted to drive the ring gear of the opposite set by the provision of torque-transmission coupling therebetween.
A continuously variable transmission has a driving pulley and a driven pulley each of which has a V-shaped groove in which sits the belt. The belt comprises a base portion of a rubber-like compound in which are imbedded a plurality of transverse metal pins each of which has exposed bent end portions whose tips are tapered to conform to the taper of the grooves and a plurality of cables imbedded in the base and extending longitudinally around the belt for stabilizing the length of the belt. The pulley walls are coupled to their corrseponding shaft by a resilient coupling which helps provide a desired clamping force on the belt and which includes a series of serrated members designed to exhibit a wedging action which provides the desired clamping force.
A belt for use in coupling the driving and driven pulleys of a continuously variable transmission includes a rubber-like resilient matrix in which are embedded longitudinal cables for carrying the torque and a metallic grid member for providing contact with the sidewalls of the pulleys. The grid member includes a main sheet portion embedded in the matrix and having a plurality of transverse slots arranged in two interdigital sets for defining two sets of flexible fingers on opposite sides of the sheet portion that extend vertically included to form surfaces for contacting the sidewalls of the pulleys.
Mary Patsy, Audrey Chandler, Nancy Rexroad, Glen Reed, Paul Hughes, Keith Crihfield, Rabon Hunt, Ronald Dodd, Arlen Hunt, Carlene Harper, Arnold Rhodes