Drivelines for wheeled vehicles
US5217418A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 25, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 8, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 25, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16H2015/383
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A driveline for a wheeled vehicle in which two laterally-displaced driving wheels (37, 38) are driven by the output (33, 36) of a transmission of continuously-variable ratio. The transmission is capable of a "geared neutral" condition, and is driven by way of a slipless connection (5, 6, 7; 70-73) from the engine (2). The engine output axis (3), the engine/transmission connection and the variator output axis (15) are arranged in a "U"-shaped formation. Such an arrangement promotes a compact and well-balanced installation in which the vehicle centerline (1) may roughly bisect the engine, and the wheel half-shafts (43, 44) can be nearly equal in length. Alternative embodiments are described in which the output axis of the variator coincides with the final drive axis (FIG. 3), or is parallel to but displaced from it (FIG. 1).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.