CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION

• US 20150018154A1
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomassy, Fernand A
• Granted Patent: US 9,903,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/189
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• 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 55/32 Friction members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device

Abstract

Components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT) having a control system adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of a CVT are described. In one embodiment, a control system includes a stator plate configured to have a plurality of radially offset slots. Various traction planet assemblies and stator plates can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. In some embodiments, the traction planet assemblies include planet axles configured to cooperate with the stator plate. In one embodiment, the stator plate is configured to rotate and apply a skew condition to each of the planet axles. In some embodiments, a stator driver is operably coupled to the stator plate. Embodiments of a traction sun are adapted to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT.

Claims

1. A stator plate for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of traction planets, the stator plate comprising:

a substantially disc shaped body having a center; and

a plurality of radially offset guides arranged angularly about the center, each of the radially offset guides having a linear offset from a centerline of the disc shaped body.

2. The stator plate of claim 1, further comprising a shift stop extension arranged about the center.

3. The stator plate of claim 2, wherein the shift stop extension is located radially inward of the radially offset guides.

4. The stator plate of claim 2, wherein the shift stop extension is located radially outward of the radially offset guides.

5. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein the disc shaped body is configured to be non-rotatable about the main drive axis of the CVT.

6. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein the disc shaped body is configured to be rotatable about the main drive axis of the CVT.

7. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein the radially offset guides have a curved profile.

8. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein a valley of the radially offset guides has a curved profile.

9. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein a wall of the radially offset guides has a curved profile.

10. The stator plate of claim 1, wherein each of the radially offset guides has a linear offset from a centerline of the disc shaped body such that a first line (A-A) is parallel but not aligning with a second line (B-B), wherein the first line (A-A) substantially bisects one of the radially offset guides, and wherein the second line (B-B) is perpendicular to a main drive axis (z_g) of the CVT.