Friction type continuously variable transmission

• US 5,746,676 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Makino, Tomoaki, Saito, Takahide, Hattori, Naoshi, Nozaki, Takashi, Kawase, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US08/596,110
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 476/8, 476/33, 476/50, 475/193, 475/214
• US Class Current: 476/50
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/22 the axes of the members being parallel or approximately parallel
• 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

Abstract

A friction type continuously variable transmission has double cones kept in contact with an input shaft and a drive cone and is capable of transmitting the rotation of the input shaft to an output shaft so that the output shaft rotates at a higher speed than the input shaft. A mechanism is provided for preventing the double cones from rotating about the input shaft and from coming off of their support shafts. A stay is mounted on a carrier supporting the double cones. The stay carries a guide roller bearing received in a guide fixed to a housing of the transmission. The stay thus prevents the rotation of the carrier while allowing only its axial movement. A stopper surface is provided at one end of the guide to restrict the axial movement of the carrier within a predetermined range.

Claims

1. A friction type continuously variable transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft provided coaxially with said input shaft, a plurality of double cones kept in contact with both said input shaft and said output shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction of said input and output shafts, a biasing means biasing said input shaft away from said double cones so that said double cones are pulled by said input shaft and said output shaft in opposite directions, a clutch coupled to said input shaft for, and a rotation preventive means provided between said input shaft and said clutch for preventing the rotation of said input shaft relative to said clutch while allowing axial movement of said input shaft.

2. A friction type continuously variable transmission comprising a friction type variable transmission unit having a housing and an input member, a gear unit coupled to said input member and having an input shaft for transmitting the rotation of said input shaft to said input member, an oil tank provided below said transmission unit and said gear unit for collecting lubricating oil circulated through said transmission unit and said gear unit, and an oil pump mounted on said input shaft of said gear unit for suctioning the lubricating oil in said oil tank, said housing of said transmission unit being provided with a passage through which the lubricating oil suctioned by said oil pump is supplied to said transmission unit and said gear unit.

3. A friction type continuously variable transmission as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising a valve in said passage for changing the sectional area of said passage.

4. A friction type continuously variable transmission as claimed in claim 3 wherein a lubricating oil outlet is formed in a top wall of said housing and connected with said passage, and wherein a spray means is provided at said oil outlet for spraying lubricating oil into said housing.

5. A friction type continuously variable transmission as claimed in claim 2 wherein a lubricating oil outlet is formed in a top wall of said housing and connected with said passage, and wherein a spray means is provided at said oil outlet for spraying lubricating oil into said housing.

6. A friction type continuously variable transmission, comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

a carrier slidably mounted around said output shaft and movable in the axial direction of said input shaft;

a plurality of double cones connected with both said input shaft and said output shaft for transmitting the rotation of said input shaft to said output shaft, said plurality of double cones being mounted with said carrier such that movement of said carrier in the axial direction moves said double cones in the axial direction and changes the revolving speed of said output shaft; and

means for preventing rotation of said carrier about said output shaft while allowing axial movement of said carrier along said output shaft;

wherein said carrier comprises support shafts extending into holes in respective said double cones and rotatably supporting said double cones, each of said support shafts having a free end having a large-diameter portion that is larger in diameter than said holes formed in said double cones.

7. The friction type continuously variable transmission of claim 6, wherein said rotation preventive means further comprises a stopper restricting axial movement of said carrier.