| 摘要 |
In transmitting power from an engine (10) or engines a planetary gear assembly (36) is coupled to first and second discrete sources of rotary power by first and second output coupling means (22, 12) respectively. The assembly has a primary driving member (42), a secondary driving member (40) and a driven follower member (52). The primary driving member (42) is coupled by the first output coupling means (22) to the first rotary power course and the secondary driving member (40) by the second output coupling means (12) to the second rotary power source. The driven follower member (52) is other than the planetary carrier cage (42, 50) of the planetary gear assembly. The rotary power sources can either be separate motors whose relative output speeds can be controlled or a single engine with a suitable engine source coupling means (12). In the former case both coupling means may be non-slip, with the output speed determined by both the absolute and relative speed at which the two motors operate, whereas in the latter case, at least one of the coupling means must be slippable to allow for acceleration and deceleration to occur without significantly modifying the engine speed. Two or more planetary gear assemblies (38, 46) may be coupled in tandem to get greater gearing down. By allowing both inputs to vary, a planetary gear assembly provides a continuously variable wide range of gearing down or over drive without mechanical switching of gears. |
