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t the eased mine after s are o to tional me, it NSI/ roved s still It can replace the expensive motor controller and turn low-torque hybrids to high-torque hybrids,” Lee says. “Friction is not a friend to efficiency or performance.” The Universal Transmission uses an engaged drive chain instead of a friction belt. This allows a frictionfree chain-to-sheave relationship as the torque flows through the gear/chain engagement. There are other distinct properties that make the design unique to the transmission market including: • Metal gears always remain engaged, giving drivers maxi- mum performance; • It never disconnects the engine from the load like standard or automatic transmissions current ly do; • The fuel savings alone is enough to dramatically reduce pollutants, reduce effects from fossil fuels and encourage energy independence; • The transmission not only makes electric and hybrid cars a reality in passenger vehicles, but large trucks as well. “The efficiency of the transmission oting NSI cess. ay be tents. and dards also U.S. MA eavy stem tions, d on earch Lee explains the transmission technology during a recent presentation (courtesy Stuart Johnson, Deseret News). nt of and ditor ltant, 4, or 38 GEARTECHNOLOGY March/April 39 2010 www.geartechnology.com gy.com July 2009 GEARTECHNOLOGY 00 Lee discusses the advantages of the Universal Transmission to senior engineers at a major transmission manufacturer in Korea (courtesy of VMT).
can also allow you to reduce the size of the engine, which improves gas mileage,” says Mike Agrelius, sales director at VMT. “In electric and hybrid vehicles, the Universal Transmission could replace the expensive controller, making electric hybrids more competitive in the automotive market.” “Electric cars are still in their infancy,” adds Sutherland. “Having an infinitely variable transmission that performs right out of neutral can significantly cut costs. The price tag of an electric car can double due to the battery pack and controller alone.” VMT sees a market much broader than that of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), since their transmission can work in trucks and heavy equipment as well as small vehicles. VMT believes with the Universal Transmission there is room to improve on this design. “CVTs are friction-based and have limited torque application. It’s appealing because there are more gear increments and better gas mileage. We know that at the very minimum, the Universal Transmission will match anything they’ve been able to do with the CVTs,” Sutherland says. In order to meet the many challenges of the Universal Transmission design, VMT worked with Brigham Young University for three years. Mechanical engineering students as well as teachers were instrumental in helping to research and understand the problems that had to be overcome to develop what has become this transmission concept. “The work done at BYU allowed Gary to use it as a springboard, and we’ve been on the fast track ever since,” Sutherland says. More than 15 mechanical engineers, including four distinguished professors of mechanical engineering, consider the Universal Transmission breakthrough technology. While transmission companies have spent billions on new technology efforts, Lee’s knowledge of gears and his determination as an inventor were pivotal in providing the right foundation for the Universal Transmission concept. VMT is aggressively seeking various opinions and feedback from the likes of Allison Transmission, Borg Warner, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia on the concept. One company, in particular, considers the Universal Transmission “leap frog technology.” “We’ve been especially pleased with all the interest and intrigue we’ve seen since November,” Sutherland says. “It’s an exciting opportunity for us to be able to incorporate Gary’s vision and provide engineering consulting in the future.” “Hybrid economy with NASCAR performance,” Lee says. “This is probably the best description we can give for the work we’re putting together.” While the country continues to explore fuel efficiency in the automotive market, there’s no denying the fact that many Americans still enjoy larger vehicles. “Americans love big, powerful continued www.geartechnology.com March/April 2010 GEARTECHNOLOGY 39
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