Inventors:
Santo Romano Tartivita - Atlantic Highlands NJ
International Classification:
F16H 314
Abstract:
A transmission with two parallel shafts has an input shaft that may be directly connected to an engine crankshaft. The input shaft carries fixed gears that are at all times meshed with corresponding gears on the output shaft. Also, the input shaft has a screw type pump to circulate and cool fluids. The output shaft carries various modules. Each module is made up of an electromagnetic clutch with a parallel gear-plate on each side. Modules can be added or removed. All gears on the output shaft are on bearings and free to rotate. When a rheological and/or a magnetizable fluid between the electromagnets and the adjacent gear-plate are electrically energized, the fluid between them changes phase and/or it becomes magnetized and/or solidified. The electromagnetic force also pulls the sliding gear-plate to bond to the electromagnet. Each side of the electromagnet is energized independently to either attract or repulse the adjacent gear-plate.