GEARLESS DIFFERENTIAL

Abstract

A gearless differential for distributing power from a motor to two follower shafts with ends connected to opposite wheels and to opposed outer disks held in position with a journal mounted casing having corresponding identical regular polygonal raceways with asymmetric sections surrounding a central drive disk there between with equidistant radial slots each holding one cylinder or roller bearing to radially reciprocate as they race along the raceways in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction; and in a drive mode where the central drive disk power input drives both outer disks connected to the two follower shafts transferring torque evenly to both wheels so there is no movement of the cylinders or roller bearings in the raceways.

Claims

1. A gearless differential for distributing power from a motor to two aligned follower shafts connected to opposite wheels to permit the two aligned follower shafts to rotate differently comprising: a. an axle pin, b. a central drive disk rotatably centrally mounted on the axle pin having perimeter structure adapted to be rotatably driven by a motor and having six or more equidistant radial slots, c. one cylinder or roller bearing with center portions and extension portions placed into each radial slots such that the cylinders or roller bearings are held by their center portions to radially reciprocate, and d. two opposed corresponding outer disks rotatably coaxially mounted on each side of the central drive disk on the axle pin with exterior faces affixed to each follower shaft; and interior faces with corresponding aligned regular polygonal shaped raceways proximate the radial slots where at least one regular side of the raceway has an off-center extension section that is not symmetrical around a radial line of the geometric shape, the opposed raceways sized to accommodate the extension portions of the cylinders or roller bearings to race along the raceways when reciprocating in the radial slots in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction retarding equal rotation of one of the outer disks; and in a drive mode, the central drive disk power input drives both outer disks to rotate similarly for the two follower shafts to transfer torque evenly to both wheels so there is no movement of the cylinders or roller bearings in the raceways.

2. A gearless differential according to claim 1, wherein the regular polygonal shaped raceway is an equilateral triangle where each triangular side of the raceway has an off-center extension section, the opposed raceways sized to accommodate the extension portions of the cylinders or roller bearings to race along the raceways when reciprocating in the radial slots in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction retarding equal rotation of one of the outer disks; and in a drive mode, the central drive disk power input drives both outer disks to rotate similarly for the two follower shafts to transfer torque evenly to both wheels so there is no movement of the cylinders or roller bearings in the raceways.

3. A gearless differential according to claim 1, wherein a motor drive chain or pulley is driven by the motor, and the central drive disk structure comprises a perimeter adapted to interact with and be rotated by the action of the motor drive chain or pulley.

4. A gearless differential according to claim 1, including an eccentric dual stepping gear roller bearing system affixed to the motor to regulate rotational output to the central drive disk comprising: a. an eccentric input drive shaft, b. an output shaft, c. a gear ring with a portal sized to accommodate the output shaft and an affixed output gear defining a cylindrical interior to accommodate the output gear and a stepping gear, including peripheral structure to hold around the cylindrical interior a circular exterior row of a plurality of roller bearings in fixed equidistant positions with exposed roller surfaces surrounding the shaft portal, d. an output gear attached to the output shaft is positioned to fit and rotate within the gear ring interior with structure defining a cylindrical interior of lesser diameter than that of the exterior row of the gear ring adapted to hold a circular interior row of a plurality of roller bearings in fixed equidistance circular positions around the output gear interior at a different plane relative to the exterior row of roller bearings; the number and diameter of the interior row of roller bearings less than the number and diameter of exterior row of roller bearings, e. an eccentric stepping gear with exterior and interior stepping gears having different diameters with differing numbers of gear teeth structured to accommodate roller bearings joined off-center on top of one another and eccentrically attached at a selected throw to the eccentric input drive shaft to position the exterior and interior eccentric stepping gears within the cylindrical interior of the gear ring so that the exterior stepping gear teeth contact and push against the exterior row of roller bearings in a stepping motion causing the joined interior stepping gear teeth to push against and move the interior row of ball bearings in a stepping motion to rotate the output gear at a reduced output gear ratio, and f. encasement structure with portals to accommodate the eccentric input drive shaft and output drive shaft leading into an interior structured to position and operably secure within the interior the eccentric stepping gear, the gear ring, and output gear operably associated with the eccentric drive shaft and output drive shaft to effectuate gear reduction.

5. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the output gear rotates either in the same or in the opposite direction of the drive shaft depending upon whether the interior stepping gear contacts the interior or exterior surfaces of the interior row of roller bearings

6. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the roller bearings are ball bearings.

7. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the number of roller bearings in the exterior row are two more than the number of roller bearings in the interior row.

8. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the size of the circular diameter of the interior row of roller bearings and the exterior row of roller bearings differs and is selected to provide the desired gear reduction.

9. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the throw of the eccentric stepping gear is selected so that the stepping gear teeth contact approximately one-third of the roller bearings at a given time.

10. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the gear reduction is in excess of 10:1.

11. A gearless differential according to claim 4, wherein the drive inputs to the eccentric input drive shaft and output drive shaft are reversed to provide an increased output gear ratio.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other features and advantages of the invention are obtained will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0038] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the gearless differential.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a side view of the differential disk output of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 3 is an cross-sectional view of the differential disk output shown in FIG. 2.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gearless differential of FIG. 1 distributing power from a motor to two follower shafts connected to opposite wheels.

[0042] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the gearless differential of FIG. 1.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the gearless differential and eccentric dual stepping gear reducer of FIG. 5 distributing power from a motor to two follower shafts connected to opposite wheels.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a side view of another regular polygonal shaped raceway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] The presently preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the gearless differential of the present invention, as represented in FIGS. 1 through 3, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0046] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the gearless differential of the invention 10. An axle pin 12 has rotatably mounted thereon a central drive disk 14 having a perimeter with structure 16 driven by a motor drive chain or pulley. It has 6 equidistant radial slots 18 into which centers of roller bearings 20 radially reciprocate.

[0047] The central drive disk 14 is located between two opposed identical corresponding outer disks 22, 24 shown as left side and right side output differentials rotatably mounted on each side of the central drive disk 14 to rotate on the axle pin 12. Their exteriors 23, 25 are each adapted to be affixed to a follower shaft 36, 38 shown in FIG. 4 each connected to respective opposite wheels 40, 42. The outer disks 22, 24 have identical interiors each with corresponding aligned triangular shaped raceways 26, 28 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with vertices 30 aligned where each triangular side 32a, 32b, 32c of the raceways 26, 28 have an asymmetric extension raceway section 34a, 34b, 34c as shown in FIG. 2, which is a side view of the differential disk output. The opposed raceways 26, 28 are sized to accommodate ends of the slotted ball bearings 20 to race along the raceways 26, 28 as they reciprocate radially in the central drive disk 14 radial slots 18 in a slippage mode where one wheel loses traction. In the drive mode, the central drive disk 14 power input drives both outer disks 22, 24 connected to the two follower shafts 36, 38 transferring torque evenly to both wheels 40, 42 with no movement of the roller bearings 20 in the raceways 26, 28.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gearless differential 10 of FIG. 1 distributing power from a motor's 50 shaft 48 to a sprocket 46 driving a chain 44, which drives the drive differential disk 14 powering two follower shafts 36, 38 with ends connected to the exteriors 23, 25 of the outer disks 22, 24 and the opposing wheels 40, 42.

[0049] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the gearless differential 10 of FIG. 1 associated with speed reduction unit 52 shown as a stepping gear embodiment of the invention 10 described above. The motor input to the reduction drive unit 54 enters the stepping gear 52 and is reduced before activating the drive differential 10.

[0050] The stepping gear 52 has a frame 56 with an interior 58 adapted to rotatably hold a plurality of hardened dowels 60, which interact with a walking gear 62 exterior track 64, The walking gear 62 interior track 66 accommodates two less hardened dowels 68, which drive the output walking ball reduction 70. The output walking ball reduction 70 has sprockets 71, associated with the central drive disk 14 to drive the same via a shifting cage 72 to engage and disengage the differential 10.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the gearless differential of FIG. 5 distributing power from a motor to two follower shafts connected to opposite wheels.

[0052] FIG. 7 is a side view of another regular polygonal shaped raceways 26, 28 shown as a hexagram centered around the axle pin 12 may be used, which has is an extension 34 of the raceway path that is not symmetrical around a radial line of the geometric shape for the ends of the twelve roller bearings 20 to travel.

[0053] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its structures, methods, or other essential characteristics as broadly described herein and claimed hereinafter. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.