V-belt type continuously variable transmission

• US 10,197,149 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kuji, Yasuhiro, Itoo, Seiji, Hamada, Ayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Henry Y
• Application Number:
  US15/077,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20170276234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 474144, 474 93, 180 681
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/035 Gearboxes for gearing with endless flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0416 Air cooling or ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0489 with endless flexible members, e.g. belt CVTs

Abstract

A V-belt type continuously variable transmission of an air-cooled type mounted on a vehicle. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission includes an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, and an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission further includes at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct.

Claims

1. An air-cooled V-belt type continuously variable transmission mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprising at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct, wherein

the intake port is configured to take air along an air flow path in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission,

the exhaust port is configured to exhaust air along the air flow path, and

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprises;

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft;

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft; and

a housing shaping an outline of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission,

wherein the air flow path includes an arcuate air flow path portion that guides air to a front portion of the outer periphery of the driving pulley along an inner periphery of the housing, and

the intake port is provided at the housing to be positioned just above the driving shaft, and has an axis extending backward and upward along a tangent at an upper front point of an outer periphery of the driving pulley so that the axis tangentially connects to the flow path portion.

2. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1, further comprising:

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft;

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft; and

a fin provided to at least one of the driving pulley and the driven pulley, and configured to draw air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission.

3. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1, further comprising a fan control unit;

wherein

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan, so that temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is to be less than a predetermined temperature,

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission has an input shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor, and

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan in accordance with temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, the temperature being estimated from at least one of rotational speed of the motor, an operation amount of an accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed.

4. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1, further comprising:

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft; and

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft, wherein

the exhaust port has an axis extending frontward and upward along a tangent at an upper rear point of an outer periphery of the driven pulley.

5. An air-cooled V-belt type continuously variable transmission mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

a fan control unit, wherein;

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprising at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct;

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan, so that temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is to be less than a predetermined temperature;

the intake port is configured to take in air along an air flow path in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

the exhaust port is configured to exhaust air flowing along the air flow path;

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission has an input shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan in accordance with temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, the temperature being estimated from at least one of rotational speed of the motor, an operation amount of an accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed;

the fan control unit has a temperature estimator configured to estimate temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

the temperature estimator is configured to;

estimate driving force transmitted from the motor to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission in accordance with rotational speed of the motor, the operational amount of the accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed;

estimate an amount of heat generated in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission in accordance with the estimated driving force; and

estimate temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to the estimated amount of heat.