Ball type continuously variable transmission/infinitely variable transmission

• US 10,006,527 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Versteyhe, Mark R. J., Byltiauw, Matthias W. J., Ziech, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pang, Roger L
• Application Number:
  US15/215,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20160356366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 475209, 475214, 475196, 475189, 475282, 475188
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/503 in which two members co-operate by means of balls or rollers of uniform effective diameter, not mounted on shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/52 in which a member of uniform effective diameter mounted on a shaft may co-operate with different parts of another member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/026 CVT layouts with particular features of reversing gear, e.g. to achieve compact arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0873 with switching, e.g. to change ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0893 characterised in the ratio of the continuously variable transmission is different from zero when the output shaft speed is zero
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2035 with two engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/022 the toothed gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/0853 CVT using friction between rotary members having a first member of uniform effective diameter cooperating with different parts of a second member

Abstract

A variable transmission includes an input shaft, a planetary gear set drivingly engaged with a variator comprising, a variator carrier assembly, a first ring assembly, and a second ring assembly; and the output shaft, arranged with various combinations of brakes and clutches to produce transmissions with continuously variable or infinitely variable torque output ratios.

Claims

1. A variable transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

a planetary gear set drivingly engaged with the input, shaft;

a first brake mechanically coupled to a ring gear of the planetary gear set;

a variator comprising a variator carrier assembly, a first ring assembly, and a second ring assembly, the variator carrier assembly mechanically coupled to the ring gear of the planetary gear set;

and a second brake mechanically coupled to a sun gear of the planetary gear set and to the first ring assembly of the variator;

the second ring assembly of the variator drivingly engaged to an output of the variable transmission.

2. The variable transmission of claim 1, comprising a continuously variable mode and an infinitely variable mode.

3. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein when the first brake is engaged and the second brake is disengaged, the ring gear of the planetary gear set and a carrier of the variator are held fixed, thereby engaging a continuously variable mode.

4. The variable transmission of claim 2, wherein power passes through the sun gear of the planetary gear set to the first ring assembly when the transmission is in continuously variable mode.

5. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein when the second brake is engaged and the first brake is disengaged, the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the first ring assembly are held fixed, thereby engaging an infinitely variable mode.

6. The variable transmission of claim 5, wherein power passes through the ring gear of the planetary gear set to a carrier of the variator in the infinitely variable mode.

7. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein in the infinitely variable mode, the variator provides a reverse function, a standstill function and a low speed function.

8. The variable transmission of claim 2, wherein a transition between continuously variable mode and infinitely variable mode is accomplished by simultaneously releasing one of the first brake and the second brake while applying the other of the first brake and the second brake.

9. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the first brake is an electric brake.

10. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the second brake is an electric brake.