Continuously variable transmission cooling
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorHunter Scott Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuously variable transmission (CVT), wherein the CVT includes a housing having an inner cover and an outer cover connected to the inner cover to provide the housing having an interior chamber defined therein. The CVT additionally comprises a clutch assembly disposed within the housing interior chamber, wherein the clutch assembly comprises a clutch post that is connectable to an output shaft of a vehicle prime mover, a movable sheave movably mounted on the clutch post, and a stationary sheave fixedly mounted on the clutch post opposite a front face of the movable sheave. The clutch assembly additionally comprises an intake fan fixedly mounted to the clutch post opposite a rear face of the movable sheave such that the intake fan is separate, independent and spaced apart from the movable sheave.
Claims18
A continuously variable transmission, said transmission comprising:
- a housing comprising;
- an inner cover;
- and
- an outer cover connected to the inner cover to provide the housing having an interior chamber defined therein, the housing outer cover comprising:
- a primary clutch dome that defines a primary clutch alcove within the interior chamber of the housing;
- a secondary clutch dome that defines a secondary clutch alcove within the interior chamber of the housing;
- and
- an air duct connected the primary clutch dome at a proximal end and connected to the secondary clutch dome at a distal end, thereby fluidly connecting the primary clutch dome to the secondary clutch dome, wherein at least one of a height and a width of the air duct is greater at the proximal than at the distal end;
- a primary clutch assembly disposed within the housing interior chamber, the primary clutch assembly comprising:
- a clutch post that is operably connectable to an output shaft of a vehicle prime mover;
- a movable sheave movably mounted on the clutch post;
- a stationary sheave fixedly mounted on the clutch post opposite a front face of the movable sheave;
- and
- an intake fan that is a separate and independent component from the movable sheave and is fixedly mounted to the clutch post separate and independent from the movable sheave opposite and spaced apart from a rear face of the movable sheave;
- a secondary clutch assembly, the secondary clutch assembly comprising
- a movable sheave movably;
- a stationary sheave;
- and
- a secondary clutch fan one of disposed on or integrally formed with the secondary clutch assembly stationary sheave;
- and
- a drive belt operable connecting the primary clutch assembly to the secondary clutch assembly.
A continuously variable transmission housing, said housing comprising:
- an inner cover;
- and
- an outer cover connected to the inner cover to provide the housing having an interior chamber defined therein, the interior chamber structured to enclose a continuously variable transmission comprising a primary clutch assembly, a secondary clutch assembly, and a drive belt operably connecting the primary and secondary clutches, the outer cover comprising:
- a primary clutch dome that defines a primary clutch alcove within the interior chamber of the housing, wherein at least a portion of a primary clutch assembly is disposed within the primary clutch alcove;
- a secondary clutch dome that defines a secondary clutch alcove within the interior chamber of the housing, wherein at least a portion of a secondary clutch assembly is disposed within the primary clutch alcove;
- an air intake port disposed in the outer cover such that the air intake port will be opposite a center of the primary clutch assembly when the primary clutch, secondary clutch and drive belt are enclosed within the housing;
- and
- an air duct formed between the primary clutch dome and the secondary clutch dome fluidly connecting the primary clutch dome to the secondary clutch dome, the air duct being fluidly connected to the primary clutch dome at a proximal end and fluidly connected to the secondary clutch dome at a distal end, wherein at least one of a height and a width of the air duct is greater at the proximal than at the distal end, wherein
- at least one of the inner cover and the outer cover comprises at least a portion of an airfoil disposed on at least one of an interior face of the inner cover and an interior face of the outer cover, the airfoil comprising one or more walls that span the housing interior chamber between the inner cover interior face and the outer cover interior face between the primary and secondary clutch domes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.