Friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism

• US 6,004,239 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Makino, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US09/050,462
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 475/193, 475/194
• US Class Current: 475/194
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/02 Units comprising pumps and their driving means
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism having a construction suitable for applications in which it is used to continuously change the speed of an output shaft for driving a high speed rotating body, such as the vane wheel of a centrifugal blower or the like.

This continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprises an input shaft 11 internally contacted by a plurality of cones 27 held for rotation and revolution, an output shaft 15 externally contacted by the plurality of cones 27, a pressing spring 19 for applying an elastic pressing force between the input and output shafts 11, 15 and the plurality of cones 27, and a speed changing ring 26 slidably pressed against the cones 27, the arrangement being such that the power is transmitted between the input and output shafts 11, 15 through the rotation and revolution of the cones 27 and the speed at which the power which is being transmitted is continuously changed by the sliding movement of the speed changing ring 26, said continuously variable speed changing mechanism further includes a cone holder 28 which comprises a cone supporting shafts 30, and a holder body 29 in which the cone supporting shafts 30 supporting the cones 27 are integrally disposed equally spaced circumferentially.

Claims

1. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that it includes a cone holder which comprises cone supporting shafts for supporting said cones, and a holder body having said cone supporting shafts integrally disposed therein equally spaced circumferentially, and said cone is shaped to have not less than four conical surfaces and is pressed against said output shaft at at least those two of said conical surfaces which have the same generatrix.

4. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said holder body is supported by the input shaft.

2. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that it includes a cone holder which comprises cone supporting shafts for supporting said cones, and a holder body having said cone supporting shafts inserted and fixed therein equally spaced circumferentially and that said cone is shaped to have not less than four conical surfaces and is pressed against said output shaft at at least those two of said conical surfaces which have the same generatrix.

3. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that a torque cam for changing the pressing force acting in the direction of the axis of the input shaft according to the input shaft torque is interposed between a traction portion internally contacted with said cone and said input shaft;

and that said cone is shaped to have not less than four conical surfaces and is pressed against said output shaft at at least those two of said conical surfaces which have the same generatrix.

5. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that a position regulating portion for regulating the axial movement of each cone is disposed between said output shaft and each cone or between each cone and [the] a cone holder.

6. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that said cone is shaped to have not less than four conical surfaces and is pressed against said output shaft at at least those two of said conical surfaces which have the same generatrix.

7. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that said cones being contacted with said input and output shafts and said speed changing ring at four conical surfaces of which two have the same generatrix, and all of the normal forces necessary for transmission of the power produced in the contact portions by said pressing means act always in the same direction, with a dynamically balanced state held with these normal forces alone taken to be the external forces.

8. A cone which constitutes part of a friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said cone being characterized in that said cone is shaped to have not less than four conical surfaces, of which at least two have the same generatrix and are pressed against the output shaft.

9. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that it includes a cone holder which comprises cone supporting shafts for supporting said cones, and a holder body having said cone supporting shafts integrally disposed therein equally spaced circumferentially;

that said holder body is supported by the input shaft; and

that the input shaft has a diametrically enlarged hollow portion, and the cone holder is supported by bearings with respect to an inner surface of the hollow portion.

10. A friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprising an input shaft internally contacted by a plurality of rotatably held cones, an output shaft externally contacted by said plurality of cones, pressing means for providing an elastic pressing force between said input and output shafts and said plurality of cones, and a speed changing ring slidably pressed against the cones, the arrangement being such that the speed of the output shaft is continuously changed while the power is transmitted between said input and output shafts through the turning movement of said cones, said friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism being characterized in that it includes a cone holder which comprises cone supporting shafts for supporting said cones, and a holder body having said cone supporting shafts inserted and fixed therein equally spaced circumferentially;

that said holder body is supported by the input shaft; and

that said holder body is supported by the input shaft; and

that the input shaft has a diametrically enlarged hollow portion, and the cone holder is supported by bearings with respect to an inner surface of the hollow portion.