Automatic gear-shifting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859140-B2
Application number	US-201715809132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Jul 26, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A gear-shifting device includes a first motor having a first stator. The first stator turns clockwise and counter-clockwise, creating a wobbling action. The device further includes a compound planetary transmission, made up of a transmission ring attached to a ring gear. The compound planetary transmission receives power from the first stator. A second motor having a second stator, turns clockwise and counter-clockwise. The device further includes a shift assembly, made up of a drum, a cap, and a pinion gear. The pinion gear receives power from the second stator. The drum locks with the pinion gear such that the drum rotates with the pinion gear. The transmission ring is attached to the drum, such that the transmission ring moves laterally as the drum rotates. The ring gear locks and unlocks with the cap as the drum rotates. The wobbling action enables the locking.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gear-shift detection device comprising:
a first motor having a first rotational stator, the first stator turning both clockwise and counterclockwise;
a second motor having a second rotational stator, the second stator turning both clockwise and counterclockwise;
a shift assembly comprising a drum, a cap, and a pinion gear wherein the pinion gear receives rotary power from the second stator;
a detector which detects a radial position of the shift assembly as the shift assembly is rotated by the second motor, wherein the shift assembly rotates a portion of a circumference of the shift assembly, and wherein the detector passes a first signal to a controller, the signal comprising the radial position of the shift assembly, and wherein the controller instructs the first motor to rotate or stop rotation of the first rotational stator, and the controller instructs the second motor to rotate the second rotational stator clockwise or counterclockwise.

2. The gear-shift detection device of claim 1 , wherein one or more magnets are positioned at a first end and a second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

3. The gear-shift detection device of claim 2 , wherein the detector comprises a Hall effect sensor, which detects one of the one or more magnets as the shift assembly alternately reaches a first end or a second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

4. The gear-shift detection device of claim 1 , wherein one or more elevated pips are positioned at a first end or a second end of tracks along the drum of the shift assembly.

5. The gear-shift detection device of claim 4 , wherein the detector comprises a range finder which detects one of the one or more elevated pips as the shift assembly alternately reaches the first end or the second end of the tracks along the drum of the shift assembly.

6. The gear-shift detection device of claim 4 , wherein the detector comprises a circuit closed by a wire and one of the one or more pips, the circuit is closed as the pips alternately reach the first end or the second end of the tracks along the drum of the shift assembly.

7. A gear-shift detection device comprising:
a first motor having a first rotational stator, the first stator turning both clockwise and counterclockwise;
a second motor having a second rotational stator, the second stator turning both clockwise and counterclockwise;
a shift assembly comprising a drum, a cap, and a pinion gear wherein the pinion gear receives rotary power from the second stator;
a detector which detects a radial position of the shift assembly as the shift assembly is rotated by the second motor, wherein the shift assembly rotates a portion of the circumference of the shift assembly, and wherein the detector passes a first signal to a controller, the signal comprising the radial position of the shift assembly, and wherein the controller instructs the first motor to rotate or stop rotation of the first rotational stator, and the controller instructs the second motor to rotate the second rotational stator clockwise or counterclockwise, wherein the detector comprises a current sensor, the current sensor measuring current consumed by the second motor, the current increasing as the shift assembly alternately reaches a first end or a second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

8. The gear-shift detection device of claim 7 , wherein the second motor comprises one or more encoders, the one or more encoders generating a signal instructing the shifting motor to rotate the shifting assembly clockwise or counter-clockwise, such that the shifting assembly alternately reaches the first end and the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

9. The gear-shift detection device of claim 8 , wherein the second motor comprises a communication system that receives instructions from an external remote controller.

10. The gear-shift detection device of claim 9 , wherein the communication system comprises Bluetooth communication chips, an Internet Wi-Fi transceiver, a network transceiver, a Z-Wave network transceiver, or combinations thereof.

11. The gear-shift detection device of claim 10 , wherein the external remote controller generates a second signal instructing the second motor to rotate the shifting assembly alternately clockwise or counter-clockwise.

12. A detection method comprising:
Rotating a shift assembly a portion of a circumference of the shift assembly, wherein rotation is alternately from a first end to a second end of a circumference of the shift assembly;
detecting a radial position of the shift assembly with a detector;
passing a signal to a controller, the signal comprising the radial position of the shift assembly;
instructing a first motor to rotate or stop rotation of a first rotational stator, and the controller instructs a second motor to rotate a second rotational stator clockwise or counterclockwise.

13. The detection method of claim 12 , wherein one or more magnets are positioned at the first end and the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

14. The detection method of claim 13 , wherein detection comprises detecting one of the one or more magnets with a Hall effect sensor as the shift assembly alternately reaches a first end or a second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

15. The detection method of claim 12 , wherein one or more elevated pips are positioned at the first end or the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

16. The detection method of claim 15 , wherein detection comprises detecting one of the one or more elevated pips with a range finder as the shift assembly alternately reaches the first end or the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

17. The detection method of claim 15 , wherein detection comprises detecting one of the one or more pips by closing a circuit between a wire and the one of the one or more pips as the shift assembly alternately reaches the first end or the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

18. The detection method of claim 12 , wherein detection comprises detecting current consumed by the second motor with a current sensor, the current increasing as the shift assembly alternately reaches the first end or the second end of the portion of the circumference of the shift assembly.

19. The detection method of claim 12 , further comprising controlling the second motor with an external remote controller.

Assignees

• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Madsen Daniel
• Fox Joe
• Davis Nathan
• Murray Halle

Classifications

• F16H63/304 Primary

  the final output mechanisms comprising elements moved by electrical or magnetic force (band brake actuating mechanisms F16H63/3003) · CPC title

• F16H2200/201

  with three sets of orbital gears · CPC title

• F16H3/666 Primary

  with intermeshing orbital gears (F16H3/663 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16H63/04

  a single final output mechanism being moved by a single final actuating mechanism · CPC title

• F16H3/66

  composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another · CPC title