Traction surface cooling method and apparatus
First Claim
1. In a traction drive torque transmission having a closed housing, an alpha body supported in said housing for rotation about a first axis, a beta body supported for relative rotation from said alpha body on a second axis inclined with respect to and intersecting said first axis at a point of axes intersection, said beta body defining a pair of conical traction surfaces concentric with said second axis, one on each side of said point of axes intersection, a pair of rings defining inside traction surfaces of revolution about said first axis and shiftable axially toward and away from each other, said conical traction surfaces being in rolling friction engagement with said inside traction surfaces at two diametrically opposite points of contact, the improvement comprising:
- means carried rotatably by said alpha body to define clearance spaces extending arcuately through a defined sector of and adjacent to each said conical traction surfaces and said inside traction surfaces, respectively; and
means for circulating a traction lubricant through both of said clearance spaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A traction surface cooling method and apparatus for traction drive transmissions capable of continuous speed ratio variation in which a traction lubricant is circulated over a defined sector of a traction surface spaced from the point of rolling frictional contact of that surface with a cooperating traction surface. Provision is made for wiping the traction surface at the leading end of the sector to cleanse the surface of lubricant for more effective heat transfer from the surface to freshly circulated lubricant, and at the trailing end of the sector for preventing an excessively thick film of lubricant on the surface proceeding to the contact point.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a traction drive torque transmission having a closed housing, an alpha body supported in said housing for rotation about a first axis, a beta body supported for relative rotation from said alpha body on a second axis inclined with respect to and intersecting said first axis at a point of axes intersection, said beta body defining a pair of conical traction surfaces concentric with said second axis, one on each side of said point of axes intersection, a pair of rings defining inside traction surfaces of revolution about said first axis and shiftable axially toward and away from each other, said conical traction surfaces being in rolling friction engagement with said inside traction surfaces at two diametrically opposite points of contact, the improvement comprising:
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means carried rotatably by said alpha body to define clearance spaces extending arcuately through a defined sector of and adjacent to each said conical traction surfaces and said inside traction surfaces, respectively; and means for circulating a traction lubricant through both of said clearance spaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for cooling an inside traction surface on a ring in a traction drive transmission having rotatable working components including an outside traction surface in rolling friction engagement with the inside traction surface at a contact point, said apparatus comprising:
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a trough member carried rotatably with said working components and extending arcuately through a ring sector spaced from the point of rolling friction engagement, said trough member defining a clearance space with the inside traction surface; and means for supplying a coolant to said clearance space. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. The method of cooling a traction surface in a traction drive transmission having at least two such traction surfaces in rolling surface engagement at a contact point, said method comprising the steps of:
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circulating a traction lubricant over a defined sector of the traction surface, said sector being spaced from the contact point of rolling friction engagement; wiping the traction surface at the leading edge of said sector to cleanse the surface for contact by freshly circulated lubricant; and wiping the traction surface at the trailing edge of said sector to reduce the thickness of lubricant film remaining on the surface in advance of the contact point. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification