Continuously variable transmission

• US 8,469,856 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enviolo BV
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomassy, Fernand A
• Primary Examiner(s): FENSTERMACHER, DAVID MORGAN
• Application Number:
  US12/198,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 476/42, 476/40, 476/41, 476/43, 476/44, 476/46, 476/10
• US Class Current: 476/40
• 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 55/32 Friction members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device

Abstract

Components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT) having a control system adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of a CVT. In one embodiment, a control system includes a stator plate configured to have a plurality of radially offset slots. Various 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.

Claims

1. A stator plate for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of traction planets arranged about a main drive axis, the stator plate comprising:

a substantially disc shaped body having a center arranged coaxially with the main drive axis;

a plurality of radially offset guides arranged angularly about the center, each of the radially offset guides having a linear offset from a centerline of the disc shaped body;

wherein the centerline of the disc shaped body is perpendicular to the main drive axis thereby forming a coordinate system, the coordinate system having a z-axis corresponding to the main drive axis, a y-axis corresponding to the centerline, and a x-axis perpendicular to the y-axis and z-axis;

wherein the radially offset guides lie in a plane formed by the x-axis and y-axis; and

wherein each traction planet is adapted to tilt in a plane formed by the y-axis and z-axis.

2. The stator plate of claim 1, further comprising a shift stop extension arranged about the center.

3. The stator plate of claim 2, wherein the shift stop extension is located radially inward of the radially offset guides.

4. The stator plate of claim 2, wherein the shift stop extension is located radially outward of the radially offset guides.

5. A stator plate for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of spherical traction planets arranged about a main drive axis, the stator plate comprising:

a disc-shaped body having a center arranged coaxially with the main drive axis;

a plurality of angularly offset slots cut into and arranged angularly about a the center of the disc-shaped body;

each of the angularly offset slots having an angular offset from a centerline of the disc-shaped body;

wherein the centerline of the disc shaped body is perpendicular to the main drive axis thereby forming a coordinate system, the coordinate system having a z-axis corresponding to the main drive axis, a y-axis corresponding to the centerline, and a x-axis perpendicular to the y-axis and z-axis;

wherein the angularly offset guides lie in a plane formed by the x-axis and y-axis; and

wherein each traction planet is adapted to tilt in a plane formed by the y-axis and z-axis.

6. The stator plate of claim 5, wherein the angular offset is in the range of 0 to 45 degrees.

7. The stator plate of claim 5, wherein the angular offset is in the range of 5 to 20 degrees.

8. The stator plate of claim 5, wherein the angular offset is in the range of 8 to 12 degrees.

9. The stator plate of claim 5, wherein the radially offset slots are configured such that each tiltable axis is guided independently from the others.

10. The stator plate of claim 5, wherein the stator plate is adapted to rotate.

11. A stator assembly comprising:

a first generally disc-shaped body having a first center;

a second generally disc-shaped body having a second center arranged coaxially with respect to the first center thereby fanning a main axis;

a plurality of radially offset guide slots formed on and arranged angularly about the center of the first disc-shaped body, each of the radially offset guides having a linear offset from a centerline of the first disc shaped body;

wherein the centerline of the first disc shaped body is perpendicular to the main axis thereby forming a coordinate system, the coordinate system having a z-axis corresponding to the main axis, a y-axis corresponding to the centerline, and a x-axis perpendicular to the y-axis and z-axis;

wherein the radially offset guides lie in a plane formed by the x-axis and y-axis.

12. The stator assembly of claim 11, wherein the second disc-shaped body comprises a plurality of radial slots.

13. The stator assembly of claim 11, wherein the radially offset slots are configured such that each tiltable axis is guided independently from the others.

14. The stator assembly of claim 11, wherein the first disc-shaped body is adapted to rotate with respect to the second disc-shaped body.

15. The stator assembly of claim 11, further comprising means for coupling the second disc-shaped body to an actuator.

16. The stator assembly of claim 15, further comprising means for coupling the first disc-shaped body to an actuator.

17. The stator assembly of claim 11, wherein each radial slot is configured to receive a first ball-axle end.

18. The stator assembly of claim 17, wherein each radially offset slot is configured to receive a second ball-axle end.