Reversible rotation gearbox and applications thereof

Abstract

A gearbox includes a planetary gear assembly, a first gear assembly, and a second gear assembly. The first gear assembly is engaged to provide a first rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when an input shaft is rotating in a first direction and is disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in a second direction. The second gear assembly provides a second rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction and provides a third rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gearbox comprises:
 a planetary gear assembly;   a first gear assembly that is:
 engaged to provide a first rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when an input shaft is rotating in a first direction; and 
 disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in a second direction; and 
   a second gear assembly that:
 provides a second rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction; and 
 provides a third rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gearbox of  claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear assembly comprises:
 a plurality of planet gears;   a sun shaft mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the first gear assembly;   a planet gear carrier mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears; and   a ring gear assembly mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the second gear assembly, wherein the first and second rotation inputs rotate the planet gear carrier in a first output direction and wherein the third rotation input rotates the plurality of planet gears, which rotates the planet gear carrier in a second output direction.   
     
     
         3 . The gearbox of  claim 2 , wherein the planet gear carrier comprises:
 a clutch that is engaged when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction and is disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction, wherein, when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction, the planet gear carrier rotates in the first output direction at a first speed and, when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction, the planet gear carrier rotates in the second output direction at a second speed.   
     
     
         4 . The gearbox of  claim 2 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises:
 an inner ring gear mechanically couplable to the plurality of planet gears; and   an outer ring gear mechanically couplable to the second gear assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The gearbox of  claim 1 , wherein the first gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the input shaft;   an idler gear mechanically couplable to the input gear; and   a sun shaft gear mechanically couplable to the idler gear and to a sun shaft of the planetary gear assembly, wherein one of the input gear and the sun shaft gear includes a one-way clutch that is engaged when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction and is disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction.   
     
     
         6 . The gearbox of  claim 1 , wherein the second gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the input shaft and to the ring gear assembly.   
     
     
         7 . A gear motor comprises:
 a motor having a motor shaft; and   a gearbox mechanically couplable to the motor, the gearbox including:
 a planetary gear assembly; 
 a first gear assembly that is:
 engaged to provide a first rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the motor shaft is rotating in a first direction; and 
 disengaged when the motor shaft is rotating in a second direction; and 
 
 a second gear assembly that:
 provides a second rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the motor shaft is rotating in the first direction; and 
 provides a third rotational input to the planetary gear assembly when the motor shaft is rotating in the second direction. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The gear motor of  claim 7 , wherein the planetary gear assembly comprises:
 a plurality of planet gears;   a sun shaft mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the first gear assembly;   a planet gear carrier mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears; and   a ring gear assembly mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the second gear assembly, wherein the first and second rotation inputs rotate the planet gear carrier in a first output direction and wherein the third rotation input rotates the plurality of planet gears, which rotates the planet gear carrier in a second output direction.   
     
     
         9 . The gear motor of  claim 8 , wherein the planet gear carrier comprises:
 a clutch that is engaged when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction and is disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction, wherein, when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction, the planet gear carrier rotates in the first output direction at a first speed and, when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction, the planet gear carrier rotates in the second output direction at a second speed.   
     
     
         10 . The gear motor of  claim 8 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises:
 an inner ring gear mechanically couplable to the plurality of planet gears; and   an outer ring gear mechanically couplable to the second gear assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The gear motor of  claim 7 , wherein the first gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the motor shaft;   an idler gear mechanically couplable to the input gear; and   a sun shaft gear mechanically couplable to the idler gear and to a sun shaft of the planetary gear assembly, wherein one of the input gear and the sun shaft gear includes a one-way clutch that is engaged when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction and is disengaged when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction.   
     
     
         12 . The gear motor of  claim 7 , wherein the second gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the motor shaft and to the ring gear assembly.   
     
     
         13 . A gearbox comprises:
 a planetary gear assembly that includes a first one-way clutch and an output shaft;   a first gear assembly mechanically couplable to the planetary gear assembly and to an input shaft, wherein the first gear assembly includes a second one-way clutch; and   a second gear assembly mechanically couplable to the planetary gear assembly and to the input shaft, wherein, when the input shaft is rotating in the first direction, the second one-way clutch is engaged and the first one-way clutch is disengaged such that the output shaft rotates in a first output direction at a first speed and, when the input shaft is rotating in the second direction at the speed, the second one-way clutch is disengaged and the first one-way clutch is engaged such that the output shaft rotates in a second output direction at a second speed.   
     
     
         14 . The gearbox of  claim 13 , wherein the planetary gear assembly comprises:
 a plurality of planet gears;   a sun shaft mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the first gear assembly;   a planet gear carrier mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears, wherein the planet gear carrier includes the first one-way clutch coupled to the sun shaft; and   a ring gear assembly mechanically coupled to the plurality of planet gears and to the second gear assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The gearbox of  claim 14 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises:
 an inner ring gear mechanically couplable to the plurality of planet gears; and   an outer ring gear mechanically couplable to the second gear assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The gearbox of  claim 13 , wherein the first gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the input shaft;   an idler gear mechanically couplable to the input gear;   a sun shaft gear mechanically couplable to the idler gear; and   a sun shaft mechanically couplable to the sun shaft gear and to the planetary gear assembly, wherein one of the input gear, the idler gear, and the sun shaft gear includes the second one-way clutch.   
     
     
         17 . The gearbox of  claim 13 , wherein the second gear assembly comprises:
 an input gear mechanically couplable to the input shaft and to the ring gear assembly.