Ball type continuously variable transmission

• US 9,638,301 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DANA Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Versteyhe, Mark R. J., Duchene, Thibaut E., Byltiauw, Matthias W. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US14/925,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 475198, 475204, 475207, 475214-217
• 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 2037/026 CVT layouts with particular features of reversing gear, e.g. to achieve compact arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/088 Power split variators with summing differentials, with the input of the CVT connected or connectable to the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0893 characterised in the ratio of the continuously variable transmission is different from zero when the output shaft speed is zero
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2005 with one sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/022 the toothed gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/086 CVT using two coaxial friction members cooperating with at least one intermediate friction member

Abstract

A variable transmission includes an input shaft, a planetary gear set drivingly engaged with a variator comprising, a variator carrier assembly, a first ring assembly, and a second ring assembly; and the output shaft, arranged to produce transmissions with continuously variable or infinitely variable output ratios.

Claims

1. A variable transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

a gear ratio comprising a first gear coupled to the input shaft, a countershaft and a second gear coupled to the countershaft;

a variator (CVP) comprising a first ring assembly coupled to the second gear on the countershaft, a carrier assembly comprising a plurality of tiltable variator balls, each ball drivingly engaged with the first ring assembly, and a second ring assembly drivingly engaged with the tiltable variator balls; and

a planetary gearset comprising a planet carrier drivingly engaged with the input shaft, a ring gear drivingly engaged with the second ring assembly of the variator, and a sun gear drivingly engaged with an output;

wherein the planetary gearset is configured to split power of the input shaft between the variator and a mechanical path going directly to the output.

2. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly are drivingly coupled over a continuous range of speed ratios from a minimum speed ratio to a maximum speed ratio, and wherein the speed ratio is controlled by the tiltable variator balls.

3. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the tiltable variator balls controls a first speed ratio between the first ring assembly and second ring assembly of the variator, and thereby controls a second speed ratio between the planet carrier and ring gear of the planetary gearset.

4. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein a minimum speed ratio and a maximum speed ratio between the input shaft and the sun gear of the planetary gearset span a range from negative to positive.

5. The variable transmission of claim 1, further comprising a damper coupled to the input shaft and disposed between a power source and the variable transmission.

6. The variable transmission of claim 5, further comprising a clutch disposed between the power source and the variable transmission.

7. The variable transmission of claim 6, wherein the clutch is coupled to the damper or at a location to allow interrupting power transmission.

8. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the variator comprises a traction fluid.

9. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the gear ratio is configured to operate with reverse speeds.

10. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the gear ratio decreases torque on the variator.

11. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein the gear ratio provides a first speed ratio between a power source and the first ring assembly without changing the rotation direction between the power source and the first ring assembly.

12. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein when the gear ratio is greater than 1 to the input of the variator, the minimum and maximum speeds of the planetary gearset are increased.

13. The variable transmission of claim 1, wherein when the gear ratio is less than 1 to the input of the variator, the minimum and maximum speeds of the planetary gearset are decreased.

14. A vehicle driveline comprising:

a power source, a variable transmission of claim 1 drivingly engaged with the power source, and a vehicle output drivingly engaged with the variable transmission.

15. A method comprising providing a vehicle driveline of claim 14.