CONTINUOUSLY AND/OR INFINITELY VARIABLE TRANSMISSIONS AND METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20130072340A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bazyn, Matt, Carter, Jeremy, Lohr, Charles B., Malone, Curtis, McDaniel, Loren T., Poxton, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/159
• 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: 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 57/0426 Means for guiding lubricant into an axial channel of a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/043 within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0471 Bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0479 Gears or bearings on planet carriers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0484 with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0487 Friction gearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19555 Varying speed ratio

Abstract

An infinitely variable transmission (IVT) having a rotatable input shaft arranged along a longitudinal axis of the transmission. In one embodiment, the input shaft is adapted to supply a lubricant to the interior of the transmission. In some embodiments, a stator assembly is coupled to, and coaxial with, the input shaft. The IVT has a plurality of planets operably coupled to the stator assembly. The planets are arranged angularly about the longitudinal axis of the transmission. In one embodiment, a traction ring is operably coupled to the planets. The WT is provided with a housing that is operably coupled to the traction ring. The housing is substantially fixed from rotating with the input shaft. The traction ring is substantially fixed from rotating with the input shaft. In some embodiments, the IVT is provided with a lubricant manifold that is configured to supply a lubricant to the input shaft.

Claims

1. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a longitudinal axis, the CVT comprising:

a plurality of planets arranged angularly about the longitudinal axis of the CVT, each planet having a through bore that forms a tiltable axis of rotation of the planet;

a main axle arranged along the longitudinal axis of the CVT; and

a lubricant manifold coupled to the main axle, wherein the lubricant manifold is adapted to supply lubricant to the main axle.

2. The CVT of claim 1, further comprising a stator assembly operably coupled to the planets, wherein the stator assembly is concentric with the longitudinal axis of the transmission.

3. The CVT of claim 1, further comprising a shift rod arranged in a central bore of the main axle.

4. The CVT of claim 3, wherein the shift rod is adapted to supply the lubricant to the interior of the CVT.

5. The CVT of claim 1, wherein the lubricant manifold comprises:

a substantially circular body having a central bore;

a flange extending from the circular body, the flange concentric with the central bore, wherein one side of the flange is an engagement face;

an engagement hub extending from the engagement face, wherein the engagement hub has a central piloting recess, and wherein the outer face of the engagement hub has a reaction surface; and

a lubricant passage boss extending from the flange.

6. The CVT of claim 1, wherein the lubricant manifold comprises:

a substantially disc-shaped body having a central bore;

a shoulder located on the central bore adapted to receive a bearing of the transmission;

a lubricant passage configured to intersect the central bore, wherein the lubricant passage extends radially from the central bore to an outer circumference of the disc-shaped body;

a plurality of grooves arranged on the central bore, wherein the grooves are adapted to receive a plurality of seals of the transmission;

an engagement shoulder extending from a face of the disc-shaped body, said engagement shoulder being coaxial with the central bore;

an engagement face located on a face of the disc-shaped body that is oppositely located to the engagement shoulder; and

a seal groove located on the engagement face.

7. The CVT of claim 1, further comprising a load cam ring coaxial with the plurality of planets, the load cam ring comprising:

a substantially annular ring having a front face and a rear face;

a plurality of bi-directional ramps located on the front face of the load cam ring, wherein the cross-section of said ramps is curved; and

a plurality of engagement features located on the rear face of the load cam ring.

8. The CVT of claim 5, further comprising a traction ring coupled to the load cam rollers and further coupled to the planets, the traction ring comprising:

a substantially annular ring having a front face and a rear face;

a plurality of bi-directional ramps located on the front face of the traction ring, said ramps adapted to receive the load cam rollers, and wherein the cross-section of said ramps is curved; and

a contact surface located on the rear face of the traction ring.

9. The CVT of claim 1 further comprising a housing cover comprising:

a generally circular body having a central bore;

a flange coupled to the circular body, the flange concentric with the central bore;

a shoulder located on the inner diameter of the circular body; and

a plurality of lubricant channels arranged angularly around the circumference of the circular body.

10. The CVT of claim 9, further comprising a housing subassembly coupled to the housing cover, the housing subassembly including a substantially cylindrical body configured to enclose components of the transmission.

11. The CVT of claim 10, wherein the housing subassembly is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the transmission.

13. The CVT of claim 1, further comprising a shift rod comprising:

an elongated body having a central bore adapted to supply a lubricant to internal components of the transmission;

a slot located substantially at a central portion of the elongated body, wherein the slot is adapted to supply lubricant to the central bore;

a plurality of lubricant passages on a first end of the elongated body; and

an actuator engagement passage located on a second end of the elongated body.

12. The CVT of Clam 10, wherein the housing subassembly is substantially fixed from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the transmission.

14. A method for lubricating internal components of a transmission, the method comprising:

providing a lubricant manifold configured to cooperate with a lubricant source;

coupling a main axle of the transmission to the lubricant manifold;

providing a shift rod arranged in a central bore of the main axle, the shift rod having a central bore;

supplying a lubricant via the lubricant manifold to the main axle;

delivering the lubricant via a main axle lubricant passage to the shift rod; and

delivering the lubricant through the central bore of the shift rod to a shift rod lubricant passage.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising supplying a pressurized lubricant via the lubricant source.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising delivering the lubricant through a lubricant delivery passage of the main axle to the interior of the transmission.

17. A method of operating an infinitely variable transmission (WT), the method comprising:

receiving an input power on an input shaft;

providing a shift rod arranged along a longitudinal axis of the WT, the shift rod adapted to supply a lubricant to the interior of the WT, and the shift rod adapted to facilitate an adjustment in speed ratio of the IVT;

transferring power from the input shaft to a plurality of planets, the plurality of planets arranged angularly around the longitudinal axis of the WT; and

coupling an output shaft to at least one of the plurality of planets, the output shaft adapted to deliver power from the plurality of planets to an external load coupled to the WT.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising coupling a stator assembly to the input shaft, wherein the stator assembly and the input shaft are substantially rotatable.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a source of pressurized lubricant coupled to the IVT.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising supplying the pressurized lubricant to the shift rod.