Continuously variable transmission

• US 8,360,917 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nichols, Jon M., Stevenson, Gregory G., Pohl, Brad P., Thomassy, Fernand A., Lohr, Charles B., Carter, Jeremy, Sherrill, John W., Sweet, Brian B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US12/760,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20100267510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 475/183, 475/185, 475/189, 475/190, 475/191, 475/192, 475/196, 475/197, 476/36, 476/38
• US Class Current: 475/189
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/16 built in, or adjacent to, the ground-wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/28 with external friction surface
• 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: 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 37/022 the toothed gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6649 characterised by the means for controlling the torque transmitting capability of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/067 mechanical actuating means

Abstract

Inventive embodiments are directed to components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT). In one embodiment, a control system is adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of a CVT. In another embodiment, a control system includes a stator plate configured to have a plurality of radially offset slots. Various inventive traction planet assemblies and stator plates can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. In some embodiments, the traction planet assemblies include planet axles configured to cooperate with the stator plate. In one embodiment, the stator plate is configured to rotate and apply a skew condition to each of the planet axles. In some embodiments, a stator driver is operably coupled to the stator plate. Embodiments of a traction sun are adapted to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT. Among other things, shift control interfaces for a CVT are disclosed.

Claims

1. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) comprising:

a plurality of traction planet assemblies arranged about a longitudinal axis of the CVT;

a first stator coupled to the traction planet assemblies, the first stator having a plurality of radial guide slots;

a second stator coupled to the traction planet assemblies, the second stator having a plurality of radially offset guide slots configured to guide the traction planet assemblies;

a reaction plate coupled to the traction planet assemblies;

a plurality of eccentric gears coupled to the first stator;

a stator driver coupled to the eccentric gears; and

wherein the second stator is adapted to rotate with respect to the first stator.

2. The CVT of claim 1, wherein the eccentric gears are provided with a cam lobe adapted to couple to the reaction plate.

3. The CVT of claim 2, wherein each eccentric gear is provided with a reaction lobe that is adapted to couple to the second stator.

4. The CVT of claim 3, wherein a rotation of the stator driver corresponds to a rotation of the eccentric gears.

5. The CVT of claim 4, further comprising a freewheel driver coaxial with the stator driver.

6. The CVT of claim 1, wherein the radially off-set slots form an angle with respect to the radial slots, the angle in the range of 3 to 45 degrees.

7. The CVT of claim 6, wherein the angle is 20 degrees.

8. The CVT of claim 6, wherein the angle is t 0 degrees.

9. The CVT of claim 1, further comprising a first traction ring in contact with each of the traction planet assemblies.

10. The CVT of claim 9, further comprising a second traction ring contact with each of the traction planet assemblies.

11. The CVT of claim 10, further comprising an idler assembly in contact with each of the traction planet assemblies, the idler assembly located radially inward of each of the traction planet assemblies.

12. The CVT of claim 11, wherein the idler assembly comprises first and second rolling elements.

13. The CVT of claim 12, further comprising first and second axial force generator assemblies coupled to the first and second traction rings, respectively.

14. A stator assembly for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of traction planet assemblies, the stator assembly comprising:

a first stator having a plurality of radial guide slots;

a second stator coaxial with the first stator, the first and second stators configured to rotate relative to each other, the second stator having a plurality of radially off-set guide slots;

a reaction member coaxial with the first and second stators;

a plurality of eccentric gears coupled to the reaction member and the first stator; and

a stator driver coupled to each of the eccentric gears.

15. The stator assembly of claim 14, wherein the eccentric gears are provided with a cam lobe adapted to couple to the reaction plate.

16. The stator assembly of claim 15, wherein each eccentric gear is provided with a reaction lobe that is adapted to couple to the second stator.

17. The stator assembly of claim 16, wherein the cam lobe is provided with a rotational center that is off-set from a rotational center of the reaction lobe.

18. The stator assembly of claim 15, further comprising a sliding block coupled to the cam lobe, the sliding block arranged to contact the second stator.

19. The stator assembly of claim 14, further comprising a spring coupled to each eccentric gear, the spring coupled to the first stator.

20. The stator assembly of claim 14, wherein the reaction member is arranged between the first stator and the second stator.

21. The stator assembly of claim 14, wherein the radially off-set slots form an angle with respect to the radial slots, the angle in the range of 3 to 45 degrees.

22. The stator assembly of claim 21, wherein the angle is 20 degrees.

23. The stator assembly of claim 21, wherein the angle is 10 degrees.