Abstract: A differential assembly which has a split spacer assembly. The spacer assembly aligns a drive member with a coupler member. The coupler member may be attached to a drive wheel axle. The drive member may be coupled to a case which has an outer ring gear. The ring gear may be coupled to a drive shaft. The split spacer assembly includes a first spacer part that is attached to the coupler member and a second spacer part that is coupled to the drive member and the first spacer part. The split spacer provides clear access for machining the teeth on the coupler members with rotary cutters, and allows the design of thicker drive members for maximum structural integrity while allowing the positioning of the C clip retaining the axle as required by the particular preexisting differential.

Abstract: A vehicle, such as a lawn mower or garden tractor, includes an engine attached to a frame. The frame includes several wheels including two driven wheels. A first axle shaft is attached to the first driven wheel. A second axle shaft attached to the second driven wheel. The vehicle has a transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the first axle shaft and the second axle shaft for driving the first and second wheels. The transmission includes a differential for accommodating different lengths of travel between said first wheel and said second wheel, such as when the vehicle makes a turn. The differential includes a ring gear supported by the first axle shaft and the second axle shaft. A first planet gear is supported on the first planet shaft. The first planet shaft is attached to the ring gear. Similarly, a second planet gear supported on a second planet shaft. The second planet shaft is also attached to the ring gear.

Abstract: An adaptive torque control and distribution system for a motor vehicle having a transfer case, primary driveline and drive wheels and secondary driveline and drive wheels for operation in extreme off road conditions such as sand. The transfer case includes a modulating clutch and a lockup clutch disposed in parallel between its primary (rear) output and secondary (front) output. The system detects abnormally high magnitude and rapidly repeating wheel spin transients which are characteristic of operation in sand or similar highly randomly variable tractive conditions and overrides the on demand torque distribution program for a predetermined time interval. During this predetermined time interval, the transfer case lockup clutch is activated thereby coupling the primary and secondary drivelines and achieving a fifty-fifty torque split therebetween while the modulating clutch is inactive.

Abstract: A electro-mechanical transmission includes an electrical section and a mechanical transmission to provide a continuously variable power flow through the transmission. The mechanical transmission includes a planetary gearing mechanism having three planetary gear sets and five members which interact with the electrical section and a gear change mechanism to provide a continuously variable output speed.

Abstract: A geartrain for a five-speed automatic transmission includes first and second compound planetary gear units. The first compound planetary gear unit includes first and second simple planetary gearsets having first, second, third and third operating elements, the first operating element acting as an input element. The second compound planetary gear unit includes third and fourth simple planetary gearsets having fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth operating elements, the fifth operating element acting as an output element, the fifth and sixth operating elements being variably connected to the second and first operating elements, respectively, and the eighth operating element being fixedly connected to the third operating element. Clutches are provided for variably connecting the fifth and sixth operating elements to the second and first operating elements, respectively. Brakes are provided for selectively connecting the first and seventh operating element to a transmission housing.

Abstract: A launch control for a vehicle drive line (10) including a selectively engaged clutch (14) and an electronically controlled engine (12). Throttle position (THL) is sensed to determine a target engine speed (ES.sub.T), the engine is commanded to achieve the target engine speed, and the clutch is engaged as a function (82) of sensed engine speed (ES), known maximum torque engine speed (84), and the known maximum engine torque (80) at the sensed engine speed.

Abstract: A shift shock reducing apparatus installed in a vehicle which is equipped with a power train constituted by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and an engine. The shift shock reducing apparatus comprises a calculating section which calculates an inertia torque caused by a shifting from a rate of change in a CVT ratio per time and an output torque correcting section which corrects a toque inputted to the CVT on the basis of the calculated inertia torque so as to cancel the inertia torque. Therefore, shift shocks due to the inertia torque is suppressed without generating a shift delay.

Abstract: A torsional vibration damper is provided with a transmission element on the driving side, at least one planet carrier which is provided with at least one bearing for receiving a planet gear engaging with at least one ring gear, and a transmission element on the driven side. One of the transmission elements has a controller for elastic elements of a damping arrangement. At least one lubricant feed is associated with the planet gear. The lubricant feed extends, at least along part of its extent, within the range of extension of the planet gear and opens out in the region of the bearing. Lubricant can flow through this lubricant feed due to the pumping action of the planet gear as it rotates relative to other elements of the planetary gear unit.

Abstract: A control for controlling splitter clutch (88) engagement for compound shifts in a controller (48) assisted manually shifted splitter-type vehicular transmission system (10). The controller has logic rule for sensing an attempted compound shift of the splitter-type transmission (16) and will retain the splitter clutch in a disengaged condition (N) until engagement of a main transmission section (16A) ratio from main transmission section neutral is sensed.

Abstract: A multi-range, synchronous shifting, hydromechanical transmission according to the present invention is suitable for application in an automotive drivetrain including a high speed engine. The transmission receives split power inputs from the engine; one input being geared down to a suitable lower speed for driving a continuously variable hydrostatic transmission unit, while the other input drives a counter shaft from which mechanical outputs are take at different speed ratios. A planetary gear set, driven by the hydrostatic transmission unit output, is shiftable to provide either a narrow continuously variable speed hydrostatic output, range suitable for transmission operation in low output ranges or a wide continuously variable speed hydrostatic output range suitable for transmission operation in high output ranges.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a compact automatic gear change device for a bicycle in which all of the sprocket wheels (1) and (2) mesh by means of an intermediate moving element (3) and are equipped with anti-reverse pawls automatically controlled by mechanical or electronic tachometers. A first device is a line gear cluster incorporated in a sealed housing and connecting the bottom bracket spindle to the wheel spindle by completely eliminating the drive chain. A second device is composed of coaxial sprocket wheels driven by three intermediate moving elements (3) positioned on the inside, whereas the starting teeth of the wheels (1) and (2), the pawls (4) and (5) and the tachometers are positioned on the outside. The assembly is housed in two sealed housings (44) and (46) that rotate over one another. This compact cylindrical device can be positioned on the wheel or on the bottom bracket with a drive chain.

Abstract: A reversible drive device for bicycles, allowing a bicycle to go forward by a normal or reversed rotating force of a pedal without forcing a user to operate any lever, is disclosed. The drive device has a simple construction with a reduced number of parts and allows the rear wheel 10 to be rotatable in a reversed direction, thus allowing the bicycle to be moved backward. The drive device is integrated into a single assembly and is detachably attached to either the rear wheel hub shaft 11 or a pedal shaft 21, so the device allows a user to easily repair or change the drive device and improves work efficiency while producing the drive device. Two crescent stoppers 18 are formed on each end of the fixed shaft 17 so as to effectively prevent the shaft holding yoke of the rear wheel fork 1 from being unexpectedly opened.

Abstract: A control system for controlling splitter jaw clutch (88) engagement and disengagement forces during a splitter section (16B) shift. The splitter section is shifted by a variable force splitter actuator (142) and is preferably capable of asserting at least a low, medium and high force to the splitter jaw clutch members.

Abstract: A system for controlling an automatic vehicle transmission, including a gear system and hydraulic clutches which hold a member of the gear system stationary to produce gear reduction or reverse, having an oil line which connects the clutches to an oil pressure source, a pressure control valve having a solenoid provided in the oil line which generates a regulated oil pressure to be supplied to the clutches in response to a current supplied to the solenoid, a switch valve provided in the oil line which switches the oil pressure to be supplied to the one of the clutches between the regulated oil pressure and a line pressure. In the system, it is discriminated whether the pressure control valve does not supply the regulated oil pressure to the clutches and if so, a dither current is supplied to the solenoid such that the valve repeatedly performs a vibrational motion to remove any grit therefrom, thereby removing grit without causing gear-shift shock or clutch vibration.

Abstract: A shift control device for a bicycle transmission having a plurality of transmission paths includes a hub shaft, a driver rotatably mounted around the hub shaft for rotating in first and second directions, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction, a transmission path selecting member for selecting among the plurality of transmission paths, and a reverse motion mechanism coupled to the driver for converting rotation of the driver in the first direction into motion in the second direction. An operation mechanism operates the transmission path selecting member, wherein the operation mechanism includes a first drive force takeoff component which moves between a first state and a second state.

Abstract: A powertrain which is used for a 5-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain includes a first compound planetary gearset and a second compound planetary gearset. The first compound planetary gearset comprises first and second simple planetary gearsets having first, second, third, and fourth operating elements, while the second compound planetary gearset comprises third and fourth simple planetary gearsets having fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth operating elements. The sixth operating element being fixedly connected to the third operating element, and the seventh and eighth operating elements are variably connected to the fourth operating element. Clutches are disposed between the seventh and fourth operating elements, and between the eighth and fourth operating elements. A brake is interposed between at least one of the operating elements of the first and second compound planetary gearsets and a transmission housing.

Abstract: A planetary transmission has a plurality of axially arranged planetary gear units each including sun gears, planet gears in mesh with the sun gears, and ring gears coaxial with the sun gears and in mesh with the planet gears, the arrangement being such that one of the ring gears in each planetary gear unit is blocked from being rotated while the other ring gear is made rotatable for allowing an output to be taken out, upon which the ring gear of which rotation is blocked is made selectable for changing over the reduction ratio, and a smooth bilateral change-over of speed change can be realized by executing the change-over between rotation-blocked and rotation-free states of the ring gear by means of a one-way clutch capable of releasing the rotation blocking.

Abstract: A backlash sound reducing method utilizes backlash sounds in a planetary gear unit in a hybrid vehicle that occur within predetermined operation ranges when the vehicle is stopped or running. If the output energy of an engine is within a predetermined range, the engine is controlled so that the output energy therefrom becomes a predetermined value. In the aforementioned case, it is also possible to increase the revolution speeds of the gears undergoing backlash. This operation avoids operating the engine within a range where the torque fluctuation is large, thereby reducing the backlash sound. Further, by setting relatively high revolution speeds, the force pressing the gears to each other is increased, so that the occurrence of backlash sounds is controlled.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic continuously variable positive mechanical transmission, making it possible to avoid using a hydrodynamic torque converter and a switchable gearbox. A planetary unit (44) linking an input shaft (30), transmitting a working torque CM, to an output shaft (31) transmitting a load torque CR. A reaction torque RC resting on a fixed point (35) of the case is added to the working torque in the planetary unit (44) via two successive planetary centrifugal devices (36, 37) with eccentric weights. The second centrifugal device (37) permanently balances the three torques CM, CR and RC. The first centrifugal device (36) transmits the reaction torque CR to the second which it sets using a setting of the eccentricity for its weights. Such a transmission can drive the output shaft at a continuously variable speed between zero and a speed equal to or greater than that of the input shaft. It is applied to driving vehicles or variable speed machines.

Abstract: A gearshift controller for an automatic transmission comprises an input shaft torque estimating portion for estimating the input shaft torque, a torque dividing ratio setting portion for setting the torque dividing ratio for each friction member of each gear range, and a desired torque calculating portion for calculating the desired torque of each friction member on the basis of the input shaft torque and the torque dividing ratio, and a desired hydraulic fluid calculating portion for calculating the desired hydraulic fluid pressure for each friction member on the basis of the desired torque of the each friction member, and a hydraulic fluid controlling portion for providing the desired hydraulic fluid pressure to each friction member.