Continuously variable transmission

• US 8,480,529 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enviolo BV
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pohl, Brad P., Miller, Donald C., Smithson, Robert A., Carter, Jeremy, Lohr, Charles B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US12/306,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 475/186, 475/189, 475/190, 475/191, 475/192, 475/196, 475/149, 475/153, 180/53.8
• US Class Current: 475/186
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 2009/045 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/04 of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 13/08 with balls or with rollers acting in a similar manner
• 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 15/52 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 2061/6644 dependent on control input parameters other than ambient conditions or driver's choice
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0421 on or within the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes, pipes, grooves, channels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0427 on rotary parts, e.g. using baffles for collecting lubricant by centrifugal force
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0428 Grooves with pumping effect for supplying lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0431 Means for guiding lubricant directly onto a tooth surface or to foot areas of a gear, e.g. by holes or grooves in a tooth flank
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0484 with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/32 Electric motors actuators or related electrical control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6646 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a front end accessory drive (FEAD), subassemblies, and components therefor. Embodiments disclosed cover power modulating devices (PMD) which can be used in a FEAD. In one embodiment, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is coupled directly to a crankshaft of a prime mover, and the CVT is used to regulate the speed and/or torque delivered to an accessory. A compound drive device includes a motor/generator subassembly cooperating with a CVT subassembly to provide a motor functionality with torque multiplication or division, or alternatively, a generator functionality with torque multiplication or division. In some embodiments, a FEAD includes a PMD having a sun shaft configured to couple to a sun of the PMD and to an electric motor component, such as an electrical armature or an electrical field. In one embodiment, the electrical armature the electrical field are placed concentrically and coaxially and configured to rotate relative to one another in opposite directions.

Claims

1. A front end accessory drive (FEAD) system for a vehicle having a prime mover shaft, the FEAD comprising:

a power modulating device directly coupled to the prime mover shaft, the power modulating device comprising a housing, at least one tiltable planet-leg assembly and a sun assembly, the at least one tiltable planet-leg assembly comprising;

a spherical planet having a central bore;

a ball axle arranged in the central bore, the ball axle supported in the central bore by a bearing, wherein the planet is rotatable about the ball axle; and

a leg non-rotatably coupled to an end of the ball axle;

at least one accessory;

a power transfer coupling operationally coupling the power modulating device to the accessory, the power transfer coupling operationally coupled to the sun assembly; and

a motor/generator integral to the housing of the power modulating device.

2. The FEAD of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises a water pump.

3. The FEAD of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises a cooling fan.

4. The FEAD of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises an air conditioning compressor.

5. The FEAD of claim 1, further comprising a control mechanism for controlling the ratio of the power modulating device.

6. The FEAD of claim 5, wherein the control mechanism comprises a stepper motor.

7. The FEAD of claim 6, wherein the control mechanism comprises a control hardware and/or software for controlling the stepper motor.

8. A drivetrain comprising:

an accessory;

a power modulating device coupled to the accessory, the power modulating device having at least one tiltable planet-leg assembly enclosed in a housing, the at least one tiltable planet-leg assembly comprising;

a spherical planet having a central bore;

a ball axle arranged in the central bore, the ball axle supported in the central bore by a bearing, wherein the planet is rotatable about the ball axle; and

a leg non-rotatably coupled to an end of the ball axle;

a motor coupled to the power modulating device for adjusting a transmission ratio of the power modulating device;

a controller for controlling the motor; and

a motor/generator integral to the housing of the power modulating device.

9. The drivetrain of claim 8, further comprising a sensor for detecting the actual speed of the accessory.

10. The drivetrain of claim 8, wherein the controller comprises a motor controller microprocessor.

11. The drivetrain of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a proportional-differential control scheme that provides a signal to the motor controller microprocessor.

12. The drivetrain of claim 11, further comprising means for receiving or storing a signal indicative of a desired accessory speed.

13. The drivetrain of claim 12, further comprising means for detecting a prime mover speed.

14. The drivetrain of claim 13, wherein the power modulating device comprises a sun shaft adapted to move axially as the motor adjusts the ratio of the power modulating device.