Patents Assigned to Ulrich Menzi
  • Patent number: 5771743
    Abstract: A mechanical continuously variable torque transmission, in particular for flywheel driven, fuel efficient, low emission cars, trucks and locomotives includes structure as follows: three eccentrics 20, 21, 22, mounted on input shaft 18 and carrying needle bearings 23, 24, 25, rotate freely inside three loops of flexible bands 57, 58, 59. One end of each flexible bands is mounted on an oscillating member 36, 37 or 38, which contain overrunning clutches, able to drive output shaft 30. The oscillating members 36, 37, 38 are each held in a home position by a spring 63 and stop 60, 42. The other ends of the flexible bands are each mounted on a pulley 49, 50, or 51, which are themselves mounted on torsion bars 71, 72, 73. The torsion bars are adjustable in angular position as well as in their elastic length.Rotation of pulleys 49, 50, 51 tightens the flexible bands so that rotation of the eccentrics causes torque to the oscillating members and pulleys in the first half of a cycle of rotation of each eccentric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Ulrich Menzi
    Inventor: Ulrich Menzi