US 10,941,840 B2 · Continuously variable transmission with wedge actuation mechanism

Abstract

A powertrain has a continuously variable transmission including a shaft rotatable about an axis. The CVT further comprises a variator assembly that includes a pulley supported on the shaft. The pulley has a movable sheave with a ramp surface. The movable sheave is axially movable on the shaft. The variator assembly also includes an endless rotatable device frictionally engaged with the movable sheave. An actuator mechanism includes a wedge component supported on the shaft. The wedge component has a wedge surface that automatically engages the ramp surface when torque on the shaft is in a first direction. The wedge surface applies a wedge force on the ramp surface. The actuator mechanism further includes an actuator that is operatively connected to the movable sheave and is activatable to apply a force on the movable sheave.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A powertrain comprising:

a continuously variable transmission including:
a shaft rotatable about an axis;
a variator assembly including:
a pulley supported on the shaft and having a movable sheave with a ramp surface, wherein the movable sheave is axially and rotatably movable on the shaft;
wherein the pulley has an axially-fixed sheave rotatably movable relative to the shaft, and the movable sheave is splined to the axially-fixed sheave;
an endless rotatable device frictionally engaged with the movable sheave;
and
an actuator mechanism including:
a wedge component supported on the shaft;
wherein the wedge component has a wedge surface that automatically engages the ramp surface when torque on the shaft is in a first direction, with the wedge surface applying a wedge force on the ramp surface;
and
an actuator that is operatively connected to the movable sheave and is configured to be activated to apply a force on the movable sheave.

9 more elements

A powertrain comprising:

a continuously variable transmission including:
an input shaft rotatable about an input axis and an output shaft rotatable about an output axis;
a variator assembly including:
an input pulley supported on the input shaft and an output pulley supported on the output shaft, each of the input pulley and the output pulley having a movable sheave with a ramp surface;
wherein the movable sheave of the input pulley is axially and rotatably movable on the input shaft and the movable sheave of the output pulley is axially and rotatably movable on the output shaft;
and
an endless rotatable device frictionally engaged with the input pulley and with the output pulley;
wherein the input pulley has an axially-fixed sheave rotatably movable relative to the input shaft, and the movable sheave of the input pulley is splined to the axially-fixed sheave of the input pulley;
and
wherein the output pulley has an axially-fixed sheave rotatably movable relative to the output shaft, and the movable sheave of the output pulley is splined to the axially-fixed sheave of the output pulley;
an actuator mechanism comprising:
an input wedge component supported on the input shaft and an output wedge component supported on the output shaft, each of the input wedge component and the output wedge component having a wedge surface that automatically engages the ramp surface of the respective input pulley and output pulley when torque on the input shaft is in a drive direction and a load reaction torque is on the output shaft, with the wedge surface applying an axial wedge force on the ramp surface;
an input linear actuator that is operatively connected to the movable sheave of the input pulley and is configured to be activated to apply an axial force along the input axis and on the movable sheave of the input pulley;
and
an output linear actuator to apply an axial force along the output axis and on the movable sheave of the output pulley;
and
an electronic controller operable to control the input linear actuator and the output linear actuator independently of one another.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Continuously variable transmission with wedge actuation mechanism

Life of this patent

Continuously variable transmission with wedge actuation mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19