Device and method for transferring rotational power and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801583-B2
Application number	US-201916265166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Jul 1, 2018
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Device and method for providing rotational power using power transmission are disclosed. The device enables multi-dimensional and angle-agnostic displacement of the rotational power output with respect to the input location and transference of high-torque and high-speed rotational movement, while preserving maximal efficiency and quick response. The device is a transmission gear that comprises at least two gear-links in a multi-link articulated gear (MLAG). Each of the links comprising at least two gear wheels. The transmission gear further comprising a common axis adapted to allow the links to rotate freely with respect to each other about the common axis and thus to allow change of the angle between the at least two links and thereby to change the distance between the input shaft and the output shaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-link transmission gear for transmitting a rotational power from an input shaft to an output shaft, the rotational power is provided to the input shaft by a rotational power source, the multi-link transmission gear comprising:
a first link comprising a first gear and a second gear, wherein the first gear of the first link is rotatably supported by the first link and is adapted to be powered by the input shaft, and wherein the second gear of the first link is rotatably supported by the first link and is adapted to receive a rotational movement from the first gear of the first link;
a second link comprising a first gear and a second gear, wherein the first gear of the second link is rotatably supported by the second link and is rotatable by the first gear of the first link, and wherein the second gear of the second link is rotatably supported by the second link and is rotatable by the first gear of the second link to provide the rotational power to the output shaft;
wherein the first link and the second link have a common axis adapted to allow the first link and the second link to rotate freely about the common axis and thus to allow a change of an angle between the first link and the second link and thereby to change a distance between the input shaft and the output shaft; and
at least one additional link, each of the at least one additional link comprising:
a first gear and a second gear,
wherein the first gear of each of the at least one additional link is adapted to be rotated by a second gear of one of one or more neighbor links, and
wherein each of the at least one additional link is adapted to rotate about a common axis with one of the one or more neighbor links.

2. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein the gears of at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link and the gears of a link neighboring thereto, are positioned in a substantially the same plane.

3. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein the gears of at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link are positioned in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane of the gears of a link neighboring thereto and displaced from it.

4. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein the second gear of at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link is the first gear of a link neighboring thereto.

5. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link comprises at least one additional gear positioned between the first gear and the second gear of the respective link and is adapted to transfer the rotational power from the first gear to the second gear of the respective link.

6. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein the second gear of at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link, and the first gear of a link neighboring thereto, are configured to rotate together on a common axis.

7. A wheel driving mechanism comprising:
a transmission gear according to claim 1 ;
a rotational power source coupled to the first gear of the first articulated link;
a first wheel coupled to the second gear of the second articulated link;
a second wheel coupled to the second gear of a third articulated link; and
a suspension mechanism coupled between the first articulated link and the second articulated link and between the first articulated link and the third articulated link to provide suspension between the rotational power source and the first and the second wheels.

8. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at the least one additional link comprises an odd number of gears.

9. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the first gear and the second gear of at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at the least one additional link are shaped and sized to have a transmission ratio of 1:1 between the first gear and the second gear of the respective link.

10. The transmission gear of claim 1 , wherein the first gear and the second gear of the at least one of: the first link, the second link and the at least one additional link are shaped and sized to reduce a rotational speed of the second gear with respect to a rotational speed of the first gear of the respective link.

Assignees

• Ree Automotive Ltd
• Softwheel Ltd

Inventors

• Sardes Ahishay
• Dekel Ran
• Segev Tomer
• Starik Eran

Classifications

• B60G5/04 Primary

  with two or more pivoted arms, the movements of which are resiliently interrelated {, e.g. the arms being rigid} · CPC title

• B60G5/01

  the set being characterised by having more than two successive axles · CPC title

• B60G2204/419

  Gears · CPC title

• B60G3/14

  the arm being rigid · CPC title

• F16H7/02

  with belts; with V-belts · CPC title