A continuously variable transmission with a single cog gear meshing with an input bevel gear

Abstract

To provide a continuously variable transmission in which the transmission rotational speed to an input bevel gear can be changed by varying the meshing configuration between the input bevel gear and a single cog gear.SOLUTION: The continuously variable transmission is configured as a combination of an input bevel gear 1 provided at the tip of an input shaft 11 and a single cog gear 2 provided at the tip of an output shaft 21. Multiple single cog gears are meshed with a large number of input bevel gears, and the meshing positions are changeable. In other words, by meshing the single cog gears with the large number of input bevel gears and varying their meshing positions, the mutual meshing configuration between the single cog gears and the input bevel gears can be varied, thereby enabling a change in the transmission rotational speed to the input bevel gear.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a continuously variable transmission in which a single cog gear meshes with an input bevel gear. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, continuously variable transmissions change speed by changing the gear ratio between engaged gears, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. The transmission in FIG. 6 has two disk-shaped friction wheels 70, 71 with mutually perpendicular rotation axes. Power can be transmitted from one friction wheel 70 to the other friction wheel 71 by bringing the rolling surface 70a of one friction wheel 70 into contact with the peripheral edge 71a of the other friction wheel 71. In this transmission, speed is changed by varying the rotation ratio of one friction wheel 71 to the other friction wheel 70, depending on the radial position of the rolling surface 70a of the one friction wheel 70 at which the peripheral edge 71a of the other friction wheel 71 is brought into contact. In such a transmission, the contact pressure between the driving side friction wheel 70 and the driven side friction wheel 71 is set high to ensure reliable power transmission between the driving side friction wheel 70 and the driven side friction wheel 71.

[0003] However, if the contact pressure between the two friction wheels 70, 71 is set too high, the rolling surface 70a and the peripheral edge 71a come into contact with each other, causing wear, and the life of the device is significantly shortened.

[0004] As means for solving such problems, the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are disclosed. Patent Document 1 describes a gear configuration that has an input rotor that is movable back and forth along a horizontally installed input shaft and is biased forward by a biasing member attached to the input shaft, and an output rotor that is movable up and down along a vertically installed output shaft that is perpendicular to the input shaft and is biased upward by a biasing member attached to the output shaft, and that allows the rotation radius to be continuously adjusted as desired depending on the fitting position between the input rotor and the output rotor, thereby enabling continuous speed change. This configuration makes it possible to change speed depending on the contact position between the output rotor and the input rotor.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a continuously variable transmission that is composed of a conical triple gear, an inverted conical triple gear that is the top and bottom inverted version of the triple gear, and an intermediate gear that transmits rotational power from one triple gear to the other triple gear, and that is configured so that the intermediate gear can be moved diagonally up and down along the inclined surfaces of the tooth profiles of the conical triple gear and the inverted conical triple gear, thereby enabling continuous speed change. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-153190 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-190864 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, although the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 achieve a space-saving function by minimizing the installation space, they do not have a structure that can achieve high power transmission efficiency.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a continuously variable transmission device that reduces the installation space required for continuously variable transmission and reduces energy loss during speed change as much as possible, thereby achieving high power transmission efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This invention relates to a continuously variable transmission device that is configured by combining an input bevel gear provided at the tip of an input shaft with a single cog gear provided at the tip of an output shaft, and that meshes the single cog gear with multiple input bevel gears while changing the meshing position; in other words, by meshing the single cog gear with multiple input bevel gears while changing the meshing position, the mutual meshing pattern with the single cog gear is changed, making it possible to change the rotation speed transmitted to the input bevel gear.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a continuously variable transmission device characterized in that the single cog gears provided on each of the multiple output shafts have gear cogs formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from the starting end to the terminal end.

[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, a continuously variable transmission device is characterized in that a plurality of gear cogs of the input bevel gear are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the input bevel gear body, and the width between the plurality of gear cogs is set to a width synchronized with the gear cogs of the single cog gear.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention is a continuously variable transmission using bevel gears, characterized in that the input and output of both the input bevel gear and the output gear can be reversed.

[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, a continuously variable transmission device is characterized in that the cog row of the input bevel gear is formed in an upwardly convex arc shape in the radial direction of the input bevel gear, and is configured so that the cog side surfaces of each cog row of the input bevel gear are in surface contact as much as possible in response to the tilting of a single cog gear. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] This invention is characterized by being configured by a combination of an input bevel gear provided at the tip of the input shaft and a plurality of single cog gears provided at the tips of a plurality of output shafts, and the plurality of single cog gears are arranged along the circumferential surface of the input bevel gear to mesh with the input bevel gear, and the meshing position is changed from near the outer peripheral edge of the input bevel gear to a gear position near the inner peripheral edge, and by changing the meshing position, the mutual meshing pattern with the single cog gears is changed, making it possible to change the number of rotations transmitted to the input bevel gear.

[0015] Another aspect of the continuously variable transmission of the present invention is characterized in that the single cog gears provided on each of the multiple output shafts have gear cogs formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from the starting end to the terminal end.

[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, a continuously variable transmission device is characterized in that a plurality of gear cogs of the input bevel gear are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the input bevel gear body, and the width between the plurality of gear cogs is set to a width synchronized with the gear cogs of the single cog gear.

[0017] A continuously variable transmission according to another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the input and output of both the input bevel gear and the single cog gear can be reversed.

[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a continuously variable transmission device is characterized in that the cog row of the input bevel gear is formed in an upwardly convex arc shape in the radial direction of the input bevel gear, and is configured so that the cog side surfaces of each cog row of the input bevel gear are in surface contact as much as possible in response to the tilting of a single cog gear.

[0019] With this configuration, the present invention can change the rotational speed of the output shaft in a stepless manner by changing the meshing position between the single cog gear and the input bevel gear.

[0020] Furthermore, in this continuously variable transmission device, the cog rows of the input bevel gear are formed in an upwardly convex arc shape in the radial direction of the input bevel gear, and the cog sides of each cog row are configured to make surface contact as much as possible in response to the tilting of a single cog gear. Furthermore, continuously variable transmission is achieved by changing the meshing position due to the posture displacement caused by the tilting of the input bevel gear, so the amount of displacement of the entire device required for speed change can be kept small, allowing the entire device to be made compact.

[0021] In addition, the cog row of the input bevel gear is formed in an upwardly convex arc shape in the radial direction of the input bevel gear, and the cog side surfaces of each cog row abut in a surface contact as the single cog gear tilts, ensuring that torque as rotational power from the input bevel gear is transmitted to the single cog gear, or conversely, ensuring that torque is transmitted from the single cog gear to the input bevel gear. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a continuously variable transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a single cog gear of a continuously variable transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a single cog gear of a continuously variable transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a single cog gear of a continuously variable transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing the speed change state of a continuously variable transmission according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows the low speed state and FIG. 1B shows the high speed state. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional continuously variable transmission. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0023] The gist of this invention is that it is configured by combining an input bevel gear 1 provided at the tip of the input shaft 11 with a single cog gear 2 provided at the tip of the output shaft 21, and the single cog gear 2 is meshed with many input bevel gears 1 and the meshing position is changed, that is, the meshing position with the single cog gear 2 on the input bevel gear 1 is changed and the number of gears transmitted to the input bevel gear 1 is changed by changing the meshing position and shape of each gear, and the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gears 2 provided on each of many output shafts 21 have gear cogs 22 formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from the starting end to the terminal end, and the gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1 are made to have a width that is in sync with the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2.

[0024] The gear cogs 12 of the cog row of the input bevel gear 1 are formed in an upwardly convex arc shape in the radial direction of the input bevel gear 1, and are configured so that the cog side surfaces 12a of the gear cogs 12 constituting each cog row of the input bevel gear 1 come into surface contact with the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2 as much as possible in accordance with the tilting of the single cog gear 2.

[0025] An embodiment of a continuously variable transmission M using a bevel gear according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a continuously variable transmission M using an input bevel gear 1, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are views showing a single cog gear 2 of the continuously variable transmission. FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the meshing position of the input bevel gear 1 and the single cog gear 2 is changed to change the speed. In this embodiment, the input shaft 11 side will be described as the output side. However, in the present invention, the output shaft 21 side can also be the output side. In other words, in the present invention, the input shaft 11 and the output shaft 21 can be switched between each other.

[0026] The present invention is a continuously variable transmission M that is configured by combining an input bevel gear 1 provided at the tip of the input shaft 11 with single cog gears 2 provided on each of multiple output shafts 21, and by meshing the multiple single cog gears 2 with the input bevel gear 1 and displacing the meshing position of each gear, the rotational speed of the input shaft 11 connected to the input bevel gear 1 can be changed.

[0027] The input bevel gear 1 has cog gears 12 arranged in parallel in an annular pattern on the circumferential surface of a conical input bevel gear body 10 connected to the tip of an input shaft 11 via a constant velocity joint. Each cog gear 12 is tapered with a constant width from the periphery to the center. The cog gears 12 are spaced apart from one another on the circumferential surface of the input bevel gear body 10 at a constant interval. The interval between adjacent cog gears 12 is set to a width that matches the width of the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2. Each cog gear 12 is formed in an arc shape with a convex upward projection from the center to the radial periphery of the input bevel gear 1. While the corners of the top surfaces of the gear cogs 22 are shown as angular in the drawing, the shape of the left and right ends of the top surfaces of the gear cogs 22 is not limited to this and may be rounded.

[0028] The single cog gears 2 are provided near the tip of each output shaft 21, and include a gear body 2a and a gear cog 22 extending longitudinally from the outer circumferential surface of the gear body 2a. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the gear cog 22 is tapered, gradually narrowing from the starting end (base end 2b) of the single cog gear 2 to the terminal end (tip end 2c). A plurality of single cog gears 2 configured in this manner, for example, six single cog gears 2, are provided point-symmetrically at the center of the input bevel gear 1. The output shaft 21 extends along the axis C1 of the gear body 2a, with its tip protruding from the tip end 2c of the gear body 2a and supported by a support mechanism, and its base end connected to the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3. In other words, the output shaft 21 of the gear body 2a is supported by the support mechanism and the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3, and the peripheral surface of the gear body 2a is supported in a non-contact manner with the upper surface of the cog gear 12 of the input bevel gear 1.

[0029] 1, the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3 has a constant velocity joint 31 connected to the base end portion of the output shaft 21 extending rearward from the base end side of the single cog gear 2 along the axis C1 of the single cog gear 2, and an input shaft 32 suspended from the constant velocity joint 31 and rotatably and vertically movable. By raising and lowering the input shaft 32, the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3 can adjust the angle of the output shaft 21 via the constant velocity joint 31, and by changing the tilt angle of the single cog gear 2 connected near the tip end of the output shaft 21, the meshing position of the input bevel gear 1 and the single cog gear 2 can be adjusted.

[0030] For example, when the input shaft 32 of the single-cog gear tilting mechanism 3 is raised, the gear body 2a is displaced to a nearly horizontal position, and the gear cog 22 on the tip end 2c side of the gear body 2a meshes with the gear cog 12 on the central side of the input bevel gear 1, thereby increasing the rotation speed of the input shaft 11. Conversely, when the input shaft 32 of the single-cog gear tilting mechanism 3 is lowered, the gear body 2a is displaced to an upwardly inclined position from the base end 2b to the tip end 2c, and the base end 2b side of the gear body 2a meshes with the gear cog 12 on the peripheral side of the input bevel gear 1, thereby slowing down the rotation speed of the input shaft 11. The output shaft 21 and the input shaft 32 are connected by a constant velocity joint 31, so that the rotational power of the input shaft 32 can be transmitted to the output shaft 21 without any reduction in rotational power, regardless of the angle at which the output shaft 21 and the input shaft 32 are connected.

[0031] The input shafts 32 connected to the individual cog gears 2 are connected by a connecting mechanism connected to the base end of each input shaft 32, and are configured so that the elevation positions and rotation speeds of each input shaft 32 are approximately the same. This allows each single cog gear 2 to rotate synchronously with the input bevel gear 1 at the same height.

[0032] In this way, the present invention is configured so that the input bevel gear 1 is connected to the tip of the input shaft 11 via a constant velocity joint, and the tilt angle of the single cog gear 2 relative to the input bevel gear 1 can be adjusted using the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3.By meshing multiple single cog gears 2 with the input bevel gear 1, and by configuring the meshing position of the cog gears 12 and 22 to be displaced, the rotational speed of the input shaft 11 connected to the input bevel gear 1 can be changed.

[0033] Therefore, the torque of the single cog gear 2 is transmitted to the input shaft 11 of the input bevel gear 1 on the output side via the gear cog 12 meshed with the gear cog 22. In the present invention, the torque transmitted from each single cog gear 2 to the input bevel gear 1 is used to perform various functions of the mechanical elements provided at the tip of the input shaft 11 of the input bevel gear 1.

[0034] The single cog gear 2 provided on the output shaft 21 has a row of gear cogs 22 formed along the longitudinal direction on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical gear body 2a, and the width of the gear cog 22 is tapered so as to gradually narrow from the base end 2b to the tip end 2c, and the gear cog 22 is formed so as to gradually decrease in height from the base end 2b to the tip end 2c.

[0035] In this way, the single cog gear 2 has a row of tapered cogs formed along the longitudinal direction on the circumferential surface of the gear body 2a, and six single cog gears 2 are meshed at equal intervals with the gear cogs 12 arranged annularly on the circumferential surface of the input bevel gear 1. The row of gear cogs 22 arranged on the gear body 2a of the single cog gear 2 meshes with the gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1, forming an interlocking connection structure between the two gears. The circumferential surface of the single cog gear 2 forms a row of gear cogs 22 which mesh with the input bevel gear 1.

[0036] Moreover, the gear cog 22 provided on the single cog gear 2 is one on the peripheral surface of the gear body 2a, and is formed with a width that is in sync with the spacing width between adjacent gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1.

[0037] In this way, the single cog gear 2 journaled on the output shaft 21 has the gear cogs 22 tapered so that the width gradually narrows from the base end 2b to the tip end 2c, and the spacing between adjacent gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1 is made to match the width of the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2, so that the gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1 and the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2 mesh reliably near the center and near the periphery of the input bevel gear 1, making it possible to change the gear meshing transmission rotation speed.

[0038] To enable such operation, a single cog gear tilting mechanism 3 is provided to be connected to the base end of the output shaft 21, and the single cog gear 2 is configured to be tiltable around the tip end of the output shaft 21 via this tilting mechanism, making it possible to displace the meshing position between the gear cog 22 of the single cog gear 2 and the gear cog 12 of the input bevel gear 1.

[0039] To explain a specific form of such an embodiment, for example, the gear cog 22 of the single cog gear 2 is formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from the base end 2b to the tip end 2c, and the width of this gear cog 22 is configured to correspond to the spacing width of the adjacent gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1. By making the gear cog 22 of such single cog gear 2 have a harmonious width that corresponds to the spacing width of the gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1, the gear cog 22 of the single cog gear 2 can be loosely fitted between the gear cogs 12 of the input bevel gear 1.

[0040] That is, the gear cogs 22 of the tapered single cog gear 2 are loosely fitted between the gear cogs 12 of the tapered input bevel gear 1, so that no meshing failure occurs and the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2 are in mesh with each other to transmit power. Moreover, various speed change modes are realized depending on which part of the circumference of the input bevel gear 1 the gear cogs 22 of the single cog gear 2 are meshed with.

[0041] For example, as shown in FIG. 5(a), when the wide portion of the gear cog 22 near the base end 2b of the single cog gear 2 is meshed with the outer peripheral edge of the gear cog 12 of the input bevel gear 1, the rotation speed of the input bevel gear 1 becomes slow. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when the narrow portion of the gear cog 22 at the tip end 2c of the single cog gear 2 is meshed with the inner peripheral edge of the gear cog 12 of the input bevel gear 1, the rotation speed of the input bevel gear 1 becomes high.

[0042] In this way, by adjusting the meshing position between the gear cog 22 of the single cog gear 2 and the gear cog 12 of the input bevel gear 1, the rotation speed of the input shaft 11 of the input bevel gear 1 can be adjusted as desired.

[0043] In addition, the single cog gear 2 is configured to be tiltable around the tip of the output shaft 21 by the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3, so that it can be adjusted to mesh near the inner peripheral edge or the outer peripheral edge of the input bevel gear 1, thereby allowing the rotational speed of the input shaft 11 to be adjusted as desired.

[0044] Furthermore, when the single cog gear 2 performs a tilting operation by the single cog gear tilting mechanism 3, it tilts along the curved surface of the gear cog 12 of the input bevel gear 1 as much as possible, so that the cog side surface 22a of the cog gear 22 of the single cog gear 2 can reliably come into contact with the cog side surface 12a of the cog gear 12 of the input bevel gear 1. This ensures that torque can be transmitted from the single cog gear 2 to the input bevel gear 1 reliably.

[0045] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the input bevel gear 1 is described as the driven side (power output side) and the single cog gear 2 is described as the driving side (power input side). However, the driving side and the driven side may be reversed. That is, the input bevel gear 1 may be configured as the driving side and the single cog gear 2 as the driven side. In this case, the torque transmitted from the input bevel gear 1 to the single cog gear 2 is transmitted from each output shaft 21 connected to each single cog gear 2 to each input shaft 32 via each constant velocity joint 31, and is used to perform various functions of machine elements connected to the connecting mechanism through the connecting mechanism that connects each input shaft 32. In this way, in the present invention, the multiple single cog gears 2 provided on the circumferential surface of the input bevel gear 1 are configured to be synchronously rotatable via the connecting mechanism, so that the input / output relationship (driven relationship) between the input bevel gear 1 and the single cog gear 2 can be freely set.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but also includes configurations in which the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments are mutually substituted or combined. Furthermore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but extends to the matters set forth in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] M continuously variable transmission 1 Input bevel gear 2 single cog gears 3 Single Cog Gear Tilting Mechanism 2a Gear body 2b Proximal end 2c Tip 11 Input shaft 12 gear cogs 12a Cog Side 21 Output shaft 22 gear cog 22a Cog Side 31 Constant velocity joint 32 Input shaft

Claims

1. an input bevel gear provided at the tip of the input shaft; It is configured by combining with a single cog gear provided at the tip of the output shaft, A continuously variable transmission device characterized in that a plurality of the single cog gears are meshed with the input bevel gear, and by changing the meshing position, the mutual meshing form with the single cog gears is changed, thereby making it possible to change the number of rotations transmitted to the input bevel gear.

2. The single cog gear provided on each of the multiple output shafts is 2. The continuously variable transmission according to claim 1, further comprising a gear cog formed in a tapered shape that gradually narrows from a starting end to a terminal end.

3. The gear cogs of the input bevel gear are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the input bevel gear body in plurality, 3. The continuously variable transmission according to claim 2, wherein the width between the plurality of gear cogs is set to a width synchronized with the gear cogs of said single cog gear.

4. The output shaft is connected to a connecting mechanism that enables the plurality of single cog gears to rotate synchronously, 4. The continuously variable transmission using bevel gears according to claim 3, wherein the input and output of the input bevel gear and the single cog gear are both reversible.

5. A continuously variable transmission device as described in Claim 4, characterized in that the cog row of the input bevel gear is formed in an upwardly convex arc shape toward the radial direction of the input bevel gear, and the cog side surfaces of each cog row of the input bevel gear are configured to make surface contact as much as possible in accordance with the tilting of the single cog gear.

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