Continuously variable transmission
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A continuously variable transmission, comprising:
- an input shaft;
an output shaft;
a variator comprising a first disk and a second disk, the first disk coaxial with the second disk;
one or more shafts and a plurality of gears configured to operatively engage the input shaft and the output shaft;
a first clutch connected to the input shaft to engage the first disk; and
a third clutch connected to the output shaft to engage the second disk;
wherein the variator comprises a plurality of rotatable balls configured to provide a continuously variable ratio of rotation of the input to the output disk in response to tilt angle of the plurality of rotatable balls,wherein in a first configuration the first clutch engages the first disk and the third clutch engages the second disk to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a first direction from the first disk to the second disk in order to connect the input shaft to the output shaft;
wherein in a second configuration the one or more shafts, a fourth clutch and a second clutch, and the plurality of gears operatively engages the output shaft and the input shaft to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a second direction from the second disk to the first disk in order to connect the output shaft to the input shaft, the second direction opposite the first direction.
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Abstract
A continuously variable transmission provides an increased transmission speed ratio with fewer parts. A kinematic arrangement can provide at least a squared kinematic arrangement of the variator for two or more modes, for example, and can provide an increased range transmission speed ratio with fewer moving parts. In many embodiments, the continuously variable transmission provides synchronous gear ratios and a continuously variable speed ratio.
264 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A continuously variable transmission, comprising:
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an input shaft; an output shaft; a variator comprising a first disk and a second disk, the first disk coaxial with the second disk; one or more shafts and a plurality of gears configured to operatively engage the input shaft and the output shaft; a first clutch connected to the input shaft to engage the first disk; and a third clutch connected to the output shaft to engage the second disk; wherein the variator comprises a plurality of rotatable balls configured to provide a continuously variable ratio of rotation of the input to the output disk in response to tilt angle of the plurality of rotatable balls, wherein in a first configuration the first clutch engages the first disk and the third clutch engages the second disk to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a first direction from the first disk to the second disk in order to connect the input shaft to the output shaft; wherein in a second configuration the one or more shafts, a fourth clutch and a second clutch, and the plurality of gears operatively engages the output shaft and the input shaft to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a second direction from the second disk to the first disk in order to connect the output shaft to the input shaft, the second direction opposite the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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providing a continuously variable transmission comprising an input, shaft, an output shaft, a variator comprising a first disk and a second disk, the first disk coaxial with the second disk, one or more shafts and a plurality of gears configured to operatively engage the input shaft and the output shaft, a first clutch directly connected to the input shaft to engage the first disk, and a second clutch directly connected to the output shaft to engage the second disk; wherein the variator comprises a plurality of rotatable balls configured to provide a continuously variable ratio of rotation of the input to the output disk in response to tilt angle of the plurality of rotatable balls, wherein in a first configuration the first clutch engages the first disk and the second clutch engages the second disk to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a first direction from the first disk to the second disk in order to connect the input shaft to the output shaft; wherein in a second configuration the one or more shafts and the plurality of gears operatively engages the input shaft and the output shaft to transmit rotational energy across the variator in a second direction from the second disk to the first disk in order to connect the input shaft to the output shaft, the first direction opposite the first direction.
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Specification