CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION

• US 20150226323A1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pohl, Brad P., Miller, Donald C., Smithson, Robert A., Carter, Jeremy, Lohr, Charles B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,726,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 2009/045 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/04 of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 13/08 with balls or with rollers acting in a similar manner
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/50 Gearings providing a continuous range of gear ratios
• 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 2061/6644 dependent on control input parameters other than ambient conditions or driver's choice
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/04 Features relating to lubrication or cooling or heatingin hydrokinetic gearing F16H41/30; control of lubrication or cooling in hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4165
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0421 on or within the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes, pipes, grooves, channels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0427 on rotary parts, e.g. using baffles for collecting lubricant by centrifugal force
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0428 Grooves with pumping effect for supplying lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0431 Means for guiding lubricant directly onto a tooth surface or to foot areas of a gear, e.g. by holes or grooves in a tooth flank
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0484 with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/32 Electric motors actuators or related electrical control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6646 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a front end accessory drive (FEAD) and power modulating devices (PMD) which can be used in a FEAD. In one embodiment, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is coupled directly to a crankshaft of a prime mover, and the CVT is used to regulate the speed and/or torque delivered to an accessory. A compound drive device includes a motor/generator subassembly cooperating with a CVT subassembly to provide a motor functionality with torque multiplication or division, or alternatively, a generator functionality with torque multiplication or division. In some embodiments, a FEAD includes a PMD having a sun shaft configured to couple to a sun of the PMD and to an electric motor component, such as an electrical armature or an electrical field. In one embodiment, the electrical armature the electrical field are placed concentrically and coaxially and configured to rotate relative to one another in opposite directions.

Claims

1. A method for modulating power to an accessory in a vehicle using a controller with logic, the method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor, a signal associated with a power output by a prime mover;

comparing the signal with a desired input speed for an accessory; and

adjusting the speed provided by the prime mover to a speed required by the accessory using a modulating device, wherein the modulating device includes

a plurality of spherical planets, each spherical planet having a planet axle,

a sun in contact with each of the plurality of spherical planets, and

first and second traction rings in contact with the plurality spherical planets, wherein a motor is configured to cause a change in a tilt angle of the planet axles for the plurality of spherical planets, wherein changing a tilt angle of the plurality of spherical planets causes a change in a speed ratio of the power modulating device in response to a change in the power output by the prime mover.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired input speed of the accessory comprises an operating range of the accessory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a desired operating power of the accessory is based on maximized efficiency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises one of a compressor, a valve, a fan, an alternator, a power takeoff device (PTO), a pump, a generator, or an auxiliary electric motor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tilt angle of the plurality of spherical planets is adjusted using a skew-based system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first coupling couples the power modulating device to a crankshaft of an engine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the power modulating device further comprises:

an electrical armature operably coupled to the sun; and

an electrical field mounted coaxially about and concentrically with the electrical armature.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the power modulating device is configured to function as an electric generator.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the power modulating device is configured to function as an electric motor.

10. A method for providing constant power to an accessory in a vehicle by a controller with logic, the method comprising:

receiving, from a sensor, a signal associated with power generated by a prime mover;

comparing the signal with a desired input speed for an accessory;

communicating with a motor configured to adjust a speed ratio of a power modulating device coupled by a first coupling to a prime mover and coupled by a second coupling to the accessory, the power modulating device comprising

a plurality of spherical planets, each spherical planet having a planet axle;

a sun in contact with each of the plurality of spherical planets; and

first and second traction rings in contact with the plurality spherical planets, wherein the motor is configured to cause a change in a tilt angle of the planet axles for the plurality of spherical planets, wherein changing a tilt angle of the plurality of spherical planets causes a change in a speed ratio of the power modulating device to maintain a desired power input to the accessory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the speed ratio is based on maximized efficiency of the accessory.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the accessory comprises one of a compressor, a valve, a fan, an alternator, a power takeoff device (PTO), a pump, a generator, and an auxiliary electric motor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the tilt angle of the plurality of spherical planets is adjusted using a skew-based system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first coupling couples the power modulating device to a crankshaft of an engine.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the power modulating device further comprises:

an electrical armature operably coupled to the sun; and

an electrical field mounted coaxially about and concentrically with the electrical armature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the power modulating device is configured to function as an electric generator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the power modulating device is configured to function as an electric motor.