| 摘要 |
<p>For use in transmitting power from an engine or engines a planetary gear assembly adapted to be couple to first and second discrete sources of rotary power by first and second output coupling means, respectively, the assembly having a primary driving member, a secondary driving member and a driven follower member. The primary driving member is adapted to be coupled by the first output coupling means to the first discrete source of rotary power and the secondary driving member, by the second output coupling means to the second discrete source of rotary power. The driven follower member is other than the planetary carrier cage of the planetary gear assembly. The first and second discrete sources of rotary can be provided by either separate motors whose output speeds relative to one another can be controlled or by a single engine with a suitable engine source coupling means. In the former case both first and second coupling means may be non-slip in which case the output speed is determined by both the absolute and relative speed at which the two motors operate whereas in the latter case, at least one of the first and second coupling means must be slippable in order to allow for acceleration and deceleration to occur without significantly modifying the engine speed. It is possible to couple two or more planetary gear assemblies in tandem to get greater gearing down than is available in a single stage. By allowing both inputs to vary, a planetary gear assembly provides a continuously variable, wide range of gearing down or overdrive without the need for mechanical switching of gears.</p> |
