What is claimed is:
1. A flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction, said tubing bundle extending in an axial direction along a central longitudinal axis to an indefinite length, and in a radial direction circumferentially about said longitudinal axis, said tubing bundle construction comprising:
one or more plastic tube members each extending axially along said longitudinal axis and being arranged with the other said tube members radially about said longitudinal axis to form a bundle;
at least one thermal transfer layer surrounding said bundle of said tube members; and
at least one fire-resistant layer surrounding said thermal transfer layer, fire-resistant layer being formed of a fibrous material.
2. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 wherein said tube members each is formed, independently, of a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, fluoropolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, and copolymers and blends thereof.
3. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 wherein said thermal transfer layer is formed of a metal foil material.
4. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 3 wherein said metal foil material is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, brass, and alloys thereof.
5. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 3 wherein said metal foil material has a thickness of between about 1-2.5 mils (0.025-0.06 mm).
6. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 3 wherein said metal foil material is formed as a tape wrapped spirally about said bundle.
7. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 wherein said fibrous material is formed of fibers selected from the group consisting of aramid fibers, azole fibers, and blends thereof.
8. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 7 wherein said aramid fibers are selected from the group consisting of poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers, poly(m-phenyleneisophthalamide) fibers, and blends thereof, and wherein said aramid fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyphenylene bezobisoxazole fibers, polybenzimidazole fibers, and blends thereof.
9. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 7 wherein said fibrous material is formed as a non-woven fabric.
10. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 9 wherein said non-woven fabric is formed as a tape wrapped spirally about said thermal transfer layer.
11. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 wherein said fibrous material has a Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of at least about 0.30.
12. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 further comprising a moisture barrier layer surrounding said fire-resistant layer.
13. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle of claim 12 wherein said moisture barrier layer is formed of a polymeric film.
14. The flame-retardant flexile tubing bundle construction of claim 13 wherein said polymeric film is formed of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyimides, polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, fluoropolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, natural and synthetic rubbers, and copolymers and blends thereof.
15. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 14 wherein said polymeric film is formed as a tape wrapped spirally about said fire retardant layer.
16. The hose of claim 1 further comprising a jacket surrounding said fire-resistant layer.
17. The hose of claim 16 wherein said jacket is formed of one or more layers of a polymeric material selected, independently, from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, polyvinyl chlorides, polyurethanes, and copolymers and blends thereof.
18. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 1 wherein said thermal transfer layer has a thermal conductivity of at least about 0.14 Wm- K.
19. A flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction, said tubing bundle extending in an axial direction along a central longitudinal axis to an indefinite length, and in a radial direction circumferentially about said longitudinal axis, said tubing bundle construction comprising:
one or more plastic tube members each extending axially along said longitudinal axis and being arranged with the other said tube members radially about said longitudinal axis to form a bundle; and
at least one fire-resistant layer surrounding said bundle of said tube members, said fire-resistant layer being formed of a fibrous material.
20. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 19 wherein said tube members each is formed, independently, of a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, fluoropolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, and copolymers and blends thereof.
21. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 19 wherein said fibrous material is formed of fibers selected from the group consisting of aramid fibers, azole fibers, and blends thereof.
22. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 21 wherein said aramid fibers are selected from the group consisting of poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers, poly(m-phenyleneisophthalamide) fibers, and blends thereof, and wherein said aramid fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyphenylene bezobisoxazole fibers, polybenzimidazole fibers, and blends thereof.
23. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 21 wherein said fibrous material is formed as a non-woven fabric.
24. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 23 wherein said non-woven fabric is formed as a tape wrapped spirally about said thermal transfer layer.
25. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 19 wherein said fibrous material has a Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of at least about 0.30.
26. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 19 further comprising a moisture barrier layer surrounding said fire-resistant layer.
27. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle of claim 26 wherein said moisture barrier layer is formed of a polymeric film.
28. The flame-retardant flexile tubing bundle construction of claim 27 wherein said polymeric film is formed of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyimides, polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, fluoropolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, natural and synthetic rubbers, and copolymers and blends thereof.
29. The flame-retardant flexible tubing bundle construction of claim 28 wherein said polymeric film is formed as a tape wrapped spirally about said fire retardant layer.
30. The hose of claim 19 further comprising a jacket surrounding said fireresistant layer.
31. The hose of claim 30 wherein said jacket is formed of one or more layers of a polymeric material selected, independently, from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyamides, polyolefins, silicones, polyvinyl chlorides, polyurethanes, and copolymers and blends thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multi-stage automatic transmission comprising:
an input shaft;
an output shaft disposed parallel to the input shaft;
a first planet gear mechanism coaxially disposed on the input shaft, the first planet gear mechanism having two rotary elements connected to the input shaft so as to engage with and disengage from the input shaft;
a second planet gear mechanism connected to the first planet gear mechanism via a plurality of pairs of external gears, the second planet gear mechanism being connected to the output shaft;
the plurality of pairs of external gears for transferring power between one rotary element of the rotary elements of the second planet gear mechanism that is connected to neither the first planet gear mechanism nor the output shaft and the input shaft;
a plurality of power engagingdisengaging members for switching power transmission via the plurality of pairs of external gears between the rotary elements of the second planet mechanism and the input shaft; and
a restraint member capable of halting a movement of one rotary element of the rotary elements of the second planet gear mechanism connected to neither the first planet gear mechanism nor the output shaft.
2. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 1, wherein one rotary element of the first planet gear mechanism connected to the input shaft so as to engage with and disengage from the input shaft is connected to a rotary element of the second planet gear mechanism via a first pair of external gears,
the multi-stage automatic transmission further comprising a first brake capable of halting a movement of the rotary elements connected to the first pair of external gears.
3. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 2, wherein the first planet gear mechanism is a double pinion planet gear mechanism including a first linear gear and a first carrier connected to the input shaft so as to engage with and disengage from the input shaft, the first carrier being connected to the input shaft via a first clutch so as to engage with and disengage from the input shaft, and the first linear gear being connected to the input shaft via a second clutch so as to engage with and disengage from the input shaft.
4. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 3, wherein the second planet gear mechanism is a single pinion planet gear mechanism, wherein
a second carrier of the second planet gear mechanism is connected to the first carrier of the first planet gear mechanism via the first pair of external gears, and
a second ring gear of the second planet gear mechanism is connected to the output shaft and is connected to a first ring gear of the first planet gear mechanism via a second pair of external gears.
5. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 4, wherein
one rotary element of the second planet gear mechanism that is connected to neither the first planet gear mechanism nor the output shaft is a second linear gear, and
the pairs of external gears between the second linear gear and the input shaft include third and fourth pairs of external gears linearly arranged between the input shaft and the second linear gear and a fifth pair of external gears arranged parallel to the third and fourth pairs of external gears.
6. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the input shaft and the third pair of external gears and a fourth clutch disposed between the input shaft and the fifth pair of external gears, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake directly coupled to the second linear gear.
7. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the input shaft and the third pair of external gears and a fourth clutch disposed between the fifth pair of external gears and the second linear gear, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake directly coupled to the second linear gear.
8. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the fourth pair of external gears and the second linear gear and a fourth clutch disposed between the input shaft and the fifth pair of external gears, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake directly coupled to the second linear gear.
9. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the fourth pair of external gears and the second linear gear and a fourth clutch disposed between the fifth pair of external gears and the second linear gear, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake directly coupled to the second linear gear.
10. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein the first brake is connected to the first carrier of first planet gear mechanism connected to the first pair of external gears.
11. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein the first brake is connected to the second carrier of the second planet gear mechanism connected to the first pair of external gears.
12. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the input shaft 10 and the third pair of external gears and a fourth clutch disposed between the input shaft and the fifth pair of external gears, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake directly coupled between the fourth clutch and the fifth pair of external gears.
13. The multi-stage automatic transmission of claim 5, wherein
the power engagingdisengaging members comprise a third clutch disposed between the input shaft and the third pair of external gears and a fourth clutch which is disposed between the input shaft and the fifth pair of external gears, and
the restraint member comprises a second brake which is directly coupled between the third clutch and the third pair of external gears.