Continuously variable transmission

• US 7,967,719 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Lohr, Charles B, Simister, Matthew P, Smithson, Robert A, Nichols, Jon M, Thomassy, Fernand A, Poth, Wesley R, Dawe, Daniel J, Miller, Donald C, Armstrong, Oronde J, Pohl, Brad P
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce; William C
• Application Number:
  US11/842,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 476/36, 476/37, 476/38
• US Class Current: 476/37
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 23/00 Transmissions characterised by use of other elements; Other transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/00 Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like cycle chain guards B62J13/00
• 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 15/503 in which two members co-operate by means of balls or rollers of uniform effective diameter, not mounted on shafts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49462 Gear making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49467 Gear shaping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a main shaft configured to support and position various components of the CVT. Shift cam discs cooperate with ball-leg assemblies to shift the transmission ration of the CVT. Load cam discs, a torsion disc, rolling elements, and a hub cap shell are configured to generate axial force, transmit torque, and manage reaction forces. In one embodiment, a splined input shaft and a torsion disc having a splined bore cooperate to input torque into the variator of the CVT. Among other things, various ball axles, axle-ball combinations, and reaction force grounding configurations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a CVT having axial force generation means at both the input and output elements is disclosed.

Claims

1. A ball-leg assembly for a CVT, the ball-leg assembly comprising:

a ball having a central bore;

a ball axle located in the central bore and having ends that extend beyond the central bore; and

a leg comprising;

a first end having a first bore for receiving the ball axle;

a second end having a second bore for receiving a cam wheel axle;

a middle portion having a third bore for receiving an axle of a stator wheel, wherein a central axis of the third bore is oblique to a central axis of the first bore; and

a fourth bore for receiving an axle of a leg roller.

2. The ball-leg assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cam wheel operationally coupled to the leg.

3. The ball-leg assembly of claim 2, further comprising a stator wheel operationally coupled to the leg.

4. The ball-leg assembly of claim 2, further comprising a leg roller operationally coupled to the leg.

5. The leg of claim 1, wherein the fourth bore is proximate to the first end.

6. A leg assembly for a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the leg assembly comprising:

a leg body having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a first bore configured to receive a ball axle;

a leg roller operationally coupled to leg body in the vicinity of the first end;

a cam wheel operationally coupled to the leg body in the vicinity of the second end; and

a stator wheel operationally coupled to the middle portion between the leg roller and the cam wheel, wherein a bore of the stator wheel defines an axis that is oblique to an axis that is defined by the first bore.

7. The leg assembly of claim 6, further comprising a leg roller axle that couples the leg roller to the leg body.

8. The leg assembly of claim 6, further comprising a cam wheel axle that couples the cam wheel to the leg body.

9. The leg assembly of claim 6, further comprising a stator wheel axle that couples the stator wheel to the leg body.

10. The leg assembly of claim 6, wherein an axis passing through a center of the cam wheel is not parallel to an axis passing through a center of the stator wheel.

11. The leg assembly of claim 6, wherein a plane normal to an axis passing through the center of the stator wheel is perpendicular to a plane normal to an axis passing through the center of the leg roller.

12. The leg assembly of claim 6, wherein a plane normal to an axis passing through the center of the stator wheel is perpendicular to a plane normal to an axis passing through the center of the cam wheel.