An axle assembly that includes an axle housing, a differential carrier, and an electric motor module. The differential carrier that is mounted to the axle housing and rotatably supports a differential. The electric motor module is received inside the differential carrier and is operatively connected to and provides torque to the differential.

A gearbox for a drive arrangement of a machine for driving the machine with variably adjustable rotational speed, with a first planet gear set, to which a first drive unit can be coupled and a second planet gear set, to which the machine can be coupled. The first planet gear set and the second planet gear set each comprise planet gears arranged on at least two common planet shafts which are mounted in a planet carrier. The planet carrier is rotatably mounted in a gearbox housing and can be driven by a second drive unit.

A method for controlling operating modes of a hybrid powertrain mechanism including a first epicyclic train having first and second sun gears and a planetary gear couplable to these sun gears; a second epicyclic train having third and fourth sun gears and a planetary gear couplable to these sun gears; a first electric machine having one end coupled to the second sun gear; a second electric machine having one end coupled to the fourth sun gear; a first clutch having one end coupled to another end of the first electric machine; a first brake having one end coupled to another end of the first clutch and another end coupled to the third sun gear; and an engine coupled to the first sun gear. Various driving modes are provided by changing the states of the first clutch and the first brake and the operating modes of the first and second electric machines.

Disclosed are a continuously variable transmission including a plurality of input links integrated into one input link, a plurality of coupler links integrated into one coupler disk, and at least four even-numbered output gears circumscribed about at least four even-numbered output links via a clutch, wherein, even if two output gears of the at least four even-numbered output gears are put into a slip state by the clutch, the other two output gears rotate in a direction of forcibly transmitting power.

Disclosed are a continuously variable transmission including a plurality of input links integrated into one input link, a plurality of coupler links integrated into one coupler disk, and at least four even-numbered output gears circumscribed about at least four even-numbered output links via a clutch, wherein, even if two output gears of the at least four even-numbered output gears are put into a slip state by the clutch, the other two output gears rotate in a direction of forcibly transmitting power.

Provided is an automatic transmission capable of smoothly switching a switching mechanism. A control part ECU of a transmission recognizes an input torque and a friction torque when an instruction to switch a two-way clutch from a fixed state to a reverse rotation prevention state is received while a first clutch, a second clutch and a third clutch are in an open state, and switches the two-way clutch from the fixed state to the reverse rotation prevention state when the input torque is equal to or greater than the friction torque.

A planetary gearbox including a first sun gear; a first ring gear; a first set of planet gears meshing with the first sun gear and the first ring gear; a second sun gear; a second ring gear; a second plurality of planet gears meshing with the second ring gear and the second sun gear, wherein the i.sup.th gear in the first set of planet gears is fixed to the i.sup.th gear in the second set of planet gears so that the gears in the first set and the second set rotate together coaxially. The resulting planetary gearbox can be readily integrated into compact robotic joints. Its few lightweight components can be manufactured with high accuracy with standard machining techniques.

A planetary gearbox including a first sun gear; a first ring gear; a first set of planet gears meshing with the first sun gear and the first ring gear; a second sun gear; a second ring gear; a second plurality of planet gears meshing with the second ring gear and the second sun gear, wherein the i.sup.th gear in the first set of planet gears is fixed to the i.sup.th gear in the second set of planet gears so that the gears in the first set and the second set rotate together coaxially. The resulting planetary gearbox can be readily integrated into compact robotic joints. Its few lightweight components can be manufactured with high accuracy with standard machining techniques.

There is provided a brake assembly structure for a transmission. An automatic transmission includes a torque converter, a transmission case, and a two-way clutch and a first brake which are accommodated in the transmission case and adjacent to each other. The first brake includes a drum, an outer plate that is fixed to the drum in such a manner that the outer plate is unrotatable with respect to the drum, an inner disk that comes in contact with the outer plate in an axial direction, and a hub to which the inner disk is fixed in such a manner that relative rotation is not permitted. The drum is provided separately from the transmission case and includes a hydraulic chamber. The two-way clutch is assembled in the transmission case and the first brake is then assembled in the transmission case.

Provided herein is a sun assembly for a continuously variable transmission having a plurality of balls, each having a tiltable axis of rotation, a first traction ring assembly in contact with each ball, a second traction ring assembly in contact with each ball, the sun assembly having a first sun ring and a second sun ring located radially inward of, and in contact with, each ball. The sun assembly is operably coupled to an electromagnetic device. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic device is a bearing configured to provide radial support to the balls. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic device is a motor configured to produce an output power from the sun assembly. In some embodiments the electromagnetic device is a speed sensor. In some embodiments, the electromagnetic device is a selectable torque transmitting device.