Drive disks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945545-B2
Application number	US-202117333164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Drive disks are configured to rotate a main wheel by applying a frictional force thereto. Each of the drive disks includes a base and a plurality of rollers. The base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member. The first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts. The second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts. Each of the rollers has a first end and a second end in an axial direction thereof. Each of the first arm parts and each of the second arm parts support the first end of one of two rollers adjacent to each other and the second end of the other of the two rollers adjacent to each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Drive disks arranged on either side of an annular main wheel and configured to rotate the main wheel around a central axis and an annular axis by applying a frictional force to the main wheel, each of the drive disks comprising:
a disk-shaped base rotatably supported by a frame; and
a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by an outer circumferential part of the base, inclined to each other, and coming into contact with the main wheel,
wherein the base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member,
the first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts extending radially outward from the first central part,
the second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts extending radially outward from the second central part,
the first central part and the second central part are arranged coaxially with each other,
each of the rollers has a first end and a second end in an axial direction thereof,
each of the first arm parts and each of the second arm parts support the first end of one of two rollers adjacent to each other and the second end of the other of the two rollers adjacent to each other.

2. The drive disks according to claim 1 , wherein in a circumferential direction of the base, a tip end of each of the second arm parts is arranged between tip ends of two first arm parts adjacent to each other.

3. The drive disks according to claim 2 , wherein the tip end of each of the first arm parts and the tip end of each of the second arm parts are arranged on one virtual plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the base.

4. The drive disks according to claim 3 , wherein the tip end of each of the first arm parts extends outward in a radial direction of the base, and
the tip end of each of the second arm parts extends inward in the radial direction of the base.

5. The drive disks according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first arm parts includes a first supporting part and a second supporting part arranged inside of the first supporting part in a radial direction of the base,
each of the second arm parts includes a third supporting part and a fourth supporting part arranged outside of the third supporting part in the radial direction of the base,
the first end of the one of the two rollers adjacent to each other is supported by the first supporting part and the second end thereof is supported by the third supporting part, and
the first end of the other of the two rollers adjacent to each other is supported by the fourth supporting part and the second end thereof is supported by the second supporting part.

6. The drive disks according to claim 5 , wherein the first end or the second end of each of the rollers is supported by at least one of the first to fourth supporting parts via a bushing for changing an angle of each of the rollers with respect to each of the first arm parts or each of the second arm parts.

7. The drive disks according to claim 6 , wherein the bushing has an outer circumferential surface coming into contact with the at least one of the first to fourth supporting parts and an inner circumferential surface coming into contact with the first end or the second end of each of the rollers, and
an axis of the outer circumferential surface and an axis of the inner circumferential surface are inclined to each other.

8. The drive disks according to claim 7 , wherein a distance to the outer circumferential surface from a center thereof varies in a circumferential direction, and the outer circumferential surface is supported by the at least one of the first to fourth supporting parts such that the outer circumferential surface is not rotatable.

9. The drive disks according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first supporting part and the third supporting part is a groove opening toward a side of the main wheel, and
at least one of the second supporting part and the fourth supporting part is a groove opening toward a side of the main wheel.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yada Wataru
• Oshima Ritsuya
• Gomi Hiroshi

Classifications

• B62M13/00 Primary

  Transmissions characterised by use of friction rollers engaging the periphery of the ground wheel (for rider propelled cycles with additional source of power B62M6/35, B62M6/75) · CPC title

• B62K1/00 Primary

  Unicycles · CPC title

• B62K21/00

  Steering devices · CPC title