Continuously variable ratio transmission

Abstract

A continuously variable ratio transmission including a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear, and a planet carrier having at least two planet gears carried thereon, a control element including a servogenerator capable of generating electric power, and at least one auxiliary field coil adapted to be operatively connected to an output means to influence a power output level and AC power frequency of the output means, the at least one auxiliary field coil being powered by the servogenerator and constituting a load to the servogenerator, the speed of the servogenerator being capable of being controlled by the load; and a means for controlling an electrical current to the at least one auxiliary field coil from the servogenerator; where the servogenerator is capable of being driven to produce electrical power by a rotation of one of the sun gear, the ring gear, and the planet carrier.

1 - 3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . A continuously variable ratio transmission (CVT) system comprising: 
 a primary CVT serially coupled to a secondary CVT; and    the primary CVT including an input means, an output means, a control means, and a primary planetary gear set operatively coupled to a prime motor of the input means, the output means coupled to a driven application device, the control means coupled to a secondary output means of the secondary CVT, the primary planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear and a planet carrier, and each of the ring gear, the sun gear, and the planet carrier to selectively function as one of the input means, the output means, and the control means.    
   
   
       5 . The CVT system of  claim 4 , wherein the secondary CVT comprises: 
 a secondary input means, the secondary output means, and a secondary control means that includes a secondary planetary gear set having a secondary sun gear, a secondary ring gear and a secondary planet carrier having at least two secondary planet gears carried thereon;    a fixed-speed secondary motor coupled to the secondary input means of the secondary CVT; and    one of a servomotor, a servogenerator, and a stepping motor to function as the secondary control means of the secondary CVT and that is controlled by a computerized controller, and the secondary output means is coupled to the control means of the primary CVT;    wherein any one of the secondary ring gear, the secondary sun gear, or the secondary planet carrier of the secondary planetary gear set is operable as the secondary output means to be coupled to the control means of the primary CVT, to control the rotational transmission ratio between the input means and the output means of the primary CVT.    
   
   
       6 . The CVT system of  claim 5 , wherein the control means of the primary CVT is coupled to the secondary output means of the secondary CVT and the secondary CVT includes, and a frictional wheels/discs/cones CVT, and the transmission ratio of the primary CVT is controlled by the secondary CVT.