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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12163573-B2
Application number	US-202016854921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2018
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

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 system for powering a suspended wheel of a vehicle, the multi-link transmission system comprises:
an input shaft coupled to a rotational power source for providing a rotational power;
an output shaft for transferring the rotational power to the suspended wheel of the vehicle;
a first link and the second link, each comprises:
a supporting structure;
a first gear wheel and a second gear wheel, rotatably supported by the supporting structure;
one or more gear wheels disposed in-between the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel to transfer rotational movement of the first gear wheel to the second gear wheel;

wherein:
the first gear wheel of the first link is adapted to be powered by the input shaft, the first gear wheel of the first link being a first gear wheel in the transmission system;
the first gear wheel of the second link is rotatable by the first link; and
the second gear wheel of the second link provides rotational power to the output shaft, the second gear wheel of the second link being a last gear wheel in the transmission system;

wherein the input shaft is coaxial with the first gear wheel of the first link and the output shaft is coaxial with the second gear wheel of the second link; and
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 in both directions while the gear wheels of the first link and the gear wheels of the second link are rotating, such that the suspended wheel of the vehicle receives the rotational power when moving with respect to the input shaft in response to a movement of the suspended wheel.

2. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel of at least one of the first link or the second link are adapted to rotate in the same direction.

3. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gear wheels are meshed with the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel.

4. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first link and the second link comprises an odd number of meshed gear wheels, wherein rotation of the first gear wheel is transmitted to the second gear wheel.

5. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the gear wheels of at least one of the first link and the second link are positioned in substantially the same plane.

6. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the gear wheels of the first link are positioned in a first plane and the gear wheels of the second link are positioned in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane and displaced from the first plane.

7. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the second gear wheel of the first link is the first gear wheel of the second link.

8. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the second gear wheel of the first link and the first gear wheel of the second link are configured to rotate together on the common axis.

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

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

11. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein a total torque exerted on the supporting structure of one or more of the first link and the second link when powered at its input shaft is substantially zero.

12. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the first gear wheel of the first link and the second gear wheel of the second link are rotatable in the same direction.

13. The transmission system of claim 1 , wherein the common axis is adapted to allow the first link and the second link to rotate freely about the common axis and thus to allow the change of the angle between the first link and the second link during operation of the multi-link transmission system.

14. A driving mechanism for a vehicle, the driving mechanism comprising:
a motor coupled to a chassis of the vehicle;
an input shaft coupled to the motor for receiving rotational power;
an output shaft for transferring the rotational power to a suspended wheel of the vehicle, the output shaft being coupled to the suspended wheel of the vehicle;
a transmission system for transmitting rotational power from the input shaft to the output shaft, the transmission system comprises:
a first link and a second link, each comprises:
a first gear wheel and a second gear wheel;
one or more gear wheels disposed in-between the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel;

wherein:
the first gear wheel of the first link is adapted to be powered by the input shaft, the first gear wheel of the first link being a first gear wheel in the transmission system;
the first gear wheel of the second link is rotatable by the first link; and
the second gear wheel of the second link provides rotational power to the output shaft, the second gear wheel of the second link being a last gear wheel in the transmission system;

wherein the input shaft is coaxial with the first gear wheel of the first link and the output shaft is coaxial with the second gear wheel of the second link; and
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 to change an angle between the first link and the second link in both directions while the gear wheels of the first link and the gear wheels of the second link are rotating, such that the suspended wheel of the vehicle receives the rotational power when moving with respect to the input shaft in response to a movement of the suspended wheel.

15. The driving mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the first gear wheel and the second gear wheel are shaped and sized to reduce the total torque exerted at the wheel when transmitting rotational power.

16. The driving mechanism of claim 14 , wherein a total torque acting on the supporting structure of one or more of the first link and the second link when powered at its input shaft is substantially zero.

17. The driving mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the first gear wheel of the first link and the second gear wheel of the second link are rotatable in the same direction.

18. The driving mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the common axis is adapted to allow the first link and the second link to rotate freely about the common axis and to change an angle between the first link and the second link during operation of the transmission system.

19. The driving mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the motor is static with respect to the chassis.

Assignees

• Ree Automotive Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B60K17/043

  Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel · CPC title

• B60G7/001

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G3/14

  the arm being rigid · CPC title

• F16H1/22

  with a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts · CPC title

• F16H1/20

  involving more than two intermeshing members · CPC title