Flexible Drive Shaft Patents (Class 476/71)
  • Patent number: 8152688
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission may have a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers that act upon skewed driving and driven surfaces of discs. The input to output ratio of the continuously variable transmission may be changed by pushing either one of the first and second sets of rollers closer to a rotating shaft. To maintain symmetrical loading within the continuously variable transmission, an idler disc assembly may have a strain compensator that deflects to compensate for deflection of outer discs due to elasticity of the main shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventors: Terry Buelna, Neil Gupta
  • Patent number: 7147587
    Abstract: A continuously variable mechanical transmission comprised of two wheels, either friction or toothed, of which one or both are in the shape of hemispheres. A hemisphere wheel is mounted through a bearing on a mounting with two pivots attached to the outer race of the bearing, allowing the wheel to rotate around two perpendicular accesses. The center of the wheel is attached to the shaft through a single or double universal joint or a flexible shaft. The other wheel can be a regular narrow wheel fixed to the second shaft. By rotating the hemisphere wheel around the mounting pivots the diameter of the wheel engaged with the second wheel is increased or decreased allowing the transmission rate to vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: Gregory Kaplun
  • Patent number: 5498053
    Abstract: A reciprocating mechanism is provided with a motor rotating in one direction to produce forward and reverse motion by a drive wheel in direct contact with the forward and rear surfaces of an element such as a plate. The plate can take the form of a sliding door covering a vanity mirror in a vehicular sun visor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Jay Roberts Company
    Inventors: Paul Gebauer, Jay R. White