| CPC B62M 11/06 (2013.01) [B62M 6/55 (2013.01); F16H 3/089 (2013.01); F16H 61/0246 (2013.01); F16H 63/18 (2013.01); F16H 63/304 (2013.01); B62M 11/14 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A transmission apparatus, comprising:
a shaft of a pedal crank configured to rotate about an axis of the pedal crank and comprising a main gear wheel configured to transfer the rotary motion of said shaft of the pedal crank to a second transmission shaft by an inlet pinion engaged with said main gear wheel when the shaft of the pedal crank rotates in a main rotation direction of the pedal crank, the main rotation direction corresponding to a main travel direction of a device housing the transmission apparatus, wherein the rotary motion of said shaft of the pedal crank is not transferred to said second transmission shaft when the shaft of the pedal crank rotates in a reverse rotation direction with respect to the main travel direction of the device housing the transmission apparatus;
said second transmission shaft configured to rotate about a second longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced apart from the shaft of the pedal crank, said second transmission shaft comprising a plurality of integral second transmission members and arranged in sequence along said second longitudinal axis;
a third transmission shaft configured to rotate about a third longitudinal axis parallel and spaced apart from said second longitudinal axis, said third transmission shaft comprising a plurality of third transmission members arranged in sequence along said third longitudinal axis, wherein said shaft of the pedal crank is located within said third transmission shaft and said axis of the pedal crank and said third longitudinal axis coincide;
each third transmission member being configurable between a non-selected condition and a selected condition, wherein, in the non-selected condition, the third transmission member freely rotates about the third longitudinal axis and wherein, in the selected condition, the third transmission member rotates about the third longitudinal axis solidly constrained to the third transmission shaft, wherein at least one of said third transmission members and at least one of said second transmission members are engaged with each other to establish a predetermined transmission ratio between said third transmission shaft and said second transmission shaft;
an activation device adapted to configure in the selected condition at most only one of said third transmission members to select the relative transmission ratio, wherein the relative transmission ratio defines a travel direction of the device housing the transmission apparatus by the activation device selecting one of the plurality of integral second transmission members that is used for gear reversal to be engaged with one of the plurality of third transmission member that is used for gear reversal to rotate the third transmission shaft in the reverse rotation direction; and
a mechanism which motorizes at least one of the second transmission members or a tertiary gear wheel integral with said second transmission shaft;
said mechanism being configured to induce a movement of said second transmission shaft in the main travel direction and with the reverse travel direction of the device housing the transmission apparatus, said reverse travel direction being based upon when said activation device has selected one of said second transmission members to be engaged with a corresponding third transmission member and used for gear reversal, wherein said engagement rotates said third transmission shaft in the opposite direction of the main travel direction and wherein said shaft of the pedal crank does not rotate in the opposite direction.
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