Drive Technology Holland presents a new drive system without gears, chains and oil. The drive system can significantly improve the efficiency and performance of (electric) cars, vehicles, ships, windmills, bicycles and machines, the Dutch company claims.
The new drive system consists of several components, the most important of which is the Controlled Rotation System. This system allows stepless gear shifting without the use of gears, chains and oil. The system is driven by means of a toothed belt.
Adjustable conical discs
The drive system contains one shaft and consists of two adjustable conical discs, which are self-centring thanks to the use of sliding elements. These conical discs are hydraulically moved away from or towards each other, causing the sliding elements to move up or down. This creates a larger or smaller circumferential circle for the drive belt, resulting in acceleration or deceleration.
"A traditional drive system consists of two axes, while CRS is 1-axis. Also, our system does not drive gears, is driven by a timing belt and does not need oil, which is the case in traditional drive systems. Actually, we have invented a completely new continuously variable drive system, but in an improved form, driven by a toothed belt," states the company.
Adaptive Drive Belt
The system can be driven with a conventional drive belt, or using the Adaptive Drive Belt developed by Drive Technology Holland. The latter drive belt features sliding elements that ensure that the drive belt is optimally positioned and guided, providing extra grip.
Drive Technology Holland sees several applications for the stepless drive system. For instance, the system could be used to replace traditional gearboxes in cars and boats. For instance, the company points out that in electric cars, each individual wheel can be equipped with its own Controlled Rotation System. If applied to a bicycle, this can make pedalling lighter. "With this system, on a regular bicycle it feels like you are riding an electric bike," the company states.
However, the system can also be used in wind turbines, cranes, wind turbines and other mechanical applications. In wind turbines, for example, a gearbox is no longer needed, reducing resistance and increasing efficiency
Higher efficiency and fewer parts
According to the company, the drive system offers several advantages over a traditional drive system. For instance, the system does not require gears and oil, which ensures lower resistance, higher efficiency, fewer parts and the use of fewer raw materials. The higher efficiency also means less power is needed to achieve the same speed, which can reduce the use of fossil fuels to reduce environmental impact. The use of fewer components and raw materials also reduces environmental impact and costs.
In addition, Drive Technology Holland points out that the system requires little maintenance, has a long service life and produces less noise than a traditional drive system.
Prototype
Drive Technology Holland has developed a prototype of its new drive system. This is a tabletop prototype, where the drive system components have been produced on a larger scale to demonstrate the operation of the system. This uses a conventional drive belt.
"Our system ultimately resulted in a continuously variable gear system driven by a toothed belt. Technically, this did not seem possible, but we demonstrated that it is possible. That makes it extra special," Drive Technology Holland said in a press release.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
