Patents by Inventor Frank Fragnito

Frank Fragnito has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7056254
    Abstract: A non-slip continuously variable transmission (CVT) uses the positive engagement of gear teeth and does not rely on friction to transmit torque. The transmission has a ring gear with spur gear teeth at its periphery and conical teeth at its top surface adjacent to an offset circular track. The circular track or channel guide is a slightly smaller diameter than the ring gear and is positioned within the ring gear. Short plates with worm gears pivoted on cantilever brackets are constrained to move within the circular path defined by the channel guide. Due to the offset from the ring gear, a plate traversing this path will engage the conical teeth of the ring gear over a short arc of travel as the worm gear enters and then leaves engagement. This ability to move the ring gear over an arc by passing a worm gear plate around the near region of the circular channel can be reversed in both direction and in principal by having the ring gear move the worm gear plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Frank A. Fragnito
  • Patent number: 6910984
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission comprises a cone shaped member having a shaft centrally positioned therethrough and having a plurality of radially extending wings. The cone shaped member may be slidably moveable axially with respect to said drive shaft. A ring gear encircles the cone shaped member in interlocking communication. The ring gear may be enclosed by a housing and pivotable about a fixed point. A plurality of linkage arms may be pivotally connected to the radially extending wings and each said linkage arm is pivotally connected to a joining member. Each radially extending wing comprises a ledge portion for receiving a linkage arm, wherein each linkage arm comprises a slider member for slidably engaging the ledge. The transmission controls the sliding of the cone shaped member horizontally along the axis of the drive shaft, which results in a proportional angular displacement of the ring gear about the point of pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Inventor: Frank A. Fragnito
  • Patent number: 6626780
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes one or more cone shaped members which each have a cone shaft centrally positioned therethrough. The cone shaped member also includes a pair of fixed spiraled grooved shafts, including a first shaft therein with a respective spiral groove that spirals in a direction 180 degrees from the direction of each spiral groove in a second fixed spiral grooved shaft. A sliding alignment guide moves laterally within each cone shaped member. Moreover, the alignment guide has a first end interacting with a keyed sprocket, having engagement teeth and an internal nib. The alignment guide has a second end interacting with a second keyed sprocket, also having engagement teeth and an internal nib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Frank A. Fragnito
  • Publication number: 20020151396
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes one or more cone shaped members which each have a cone shaft centrally positioned therethrough. The cone shaped member also includes fixed spiraled grooved shaft therein with a respective spiral groove that spirals in a direction 180 degrees from the direction of each spiral groove in a second fixed spiral grooved shaft. A sliding alignment guide moves laterally within each cone shaped member. Moreover, the alignment guide has a first end interacting with a keyed sprocket, having engagement teeth and an internal nib. The alignment guide has a second end interacting with a second keyed sprocket, also having engagement teeth and an internal nib.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Frank A. Fragnito
  • Patent number: 6044722
    Abstract: A variable torque transmission includes at least one disc-shaped gear 30 having a circular toothed surface 36 with flat beveled teeth 32 that mate along radius 38 with the cone-shaped teeth of pinion gear 10 to produce an infinitely variable lever arm and thus infinitely variable torque while allowing a constant rotation ratio between the drive shafts of the flat beveled gear 30 and pinion gear 10. The result is that the drive shaft energy input may be constant and thus energy efficiency may be maximized while torque may be selectively varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Inventor: Frank A. Fragnito
  • Patent number: 5413009
    Abstract: A new type of gear is provided which endorses a new type of slide pin gear having a plurality of holes within which a plurality of rounded pins travel traversely. The slide pin gear travels in combination within two corresponding exterior ruffled plates as they turn. The gear provides a positive infinitely variable speed assembly. The two wheels, each having a face of each wheel with ruffles extending from the center to peripheral edge. The ruffled surfaces are flat across the diameter, and from the center to the peripheral edge, the depth of each valley is equal to the crest of the ruffles, forming a smooth blending wave into one another. The speed radio of the gears depends upon the distance between the axle centers of the slide pin gear and the corresponding pair of ruffled wheel plates. Alternately, the gear assemblies may be provided with auxiliary locking features, to insure the locking of each of the pins at the desired position for maximum interface with the ruffled wheel plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventor: Frank Fragnito
  • Patent number: 5413011
    Abstract: A positive, variable speed transmission system comprising a pair of beveled plates and a plurality of slidable balls which are moved between said plates, the position of said slidable balls determining the speed variation of said transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventor: Frank Fragnito
  • Patent number: 4875389
    Abstract: A chain driven and receiving, continuously infinite variable speed transmission system comprising a pair of cones positioned in the same plane with the smaller diameter of each cone in proximity with the larger diameter of the other and encircled by a continuous flexible chain having pins extending therefrom for engagement and disengagement with spiral gears on the cones positioned in grooves parallel to the longitudinal axes of the cones. Either of the cones may be driven and the chain transmits the power to the other cone at a speed determined by the position of the chain relative to the cones. The system employs a planetary gear system for zero and reverse rotation of the variable speed output from the driven cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Inventor: Frank Fragnito