US 2003/0195081 A1 · Toroidal type continuously variable transmission · patentgrep

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Abstract

In a toroidal type continuously variable transmission, first pivot shafts provided on both ends of first trunnions are supported within support holes formed in yokes secured to an inner surface of a casing. The support portions are provided with ball splines and radial needle bearings. During operation, loads acting on the first trunnions are canceled within the yokes. Axial displacements and rocking displacements of the first trunnions are effected smoothly by the ball splines and the radial needle bearings.

Drawings

Claims15

Dependent claims

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing;
input and output discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated independently;
the even number of pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said discs at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extent toward directions perpendicular to said central axis;
a plurality of trunnions rockable around said pivot shafts;
displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said trunnions;
a plurality of power rollers rotatably supported around said displacement shafts and interposed between inner surfaces of said input and output discs;
and
support means provided at sides of said power roller and adapted to support said pivot shafts for rocking displacement and axial displacement;
and wherein
members constituting said support means are directly supported by and secured to an inner surface of said casing.

7 more elements

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing;
first and second outer discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated synchronously in a condition that inner surfaces of said discs are opposed to each other;
a first inner disc supported in coaxial with said first and second outer discs and capable of being rotated independently from said first and second outer discs and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said first outer disc;
a second inner disc supported in coaxial with said first inner disc and capable of being rotated synchronously with said first inner disc and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said second outer disc;
four first pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said first outer disc and said first inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a pair of first trunnions rockable around said first pivot shafts;
first displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said first trunnions;
a pair of first power rollers rotatably supported around said first displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said first outer disc and the inner surface of said first inner disc;
four second pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said second outer disc and said second inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a pair of second trunnions rockable around said second pivot shafts;
second displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said second trunnions;
a pair of second power rollers rotatably supported around said second displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said second outer disc and the inner surface of said second inner disc;
and
first and second support means provided substantially in parallel with each other at sides of said first and second inner discs with the interposition of said first and second inner discs in such a manner that one ends are disposed between said first outer disc and said first inner disc and the other ends are disposed between said second outer disc and said second inner disc;
and wherein
said first support means supports two of said four first pivot shafts and two of said four second pivot shafts for rocking movement and axial displacement;
and
said second support means supports the other two of said four first pivot shafts and the other two of said four second pivot shafts for rocking movement and axial displacement;
and further wherein members constituting said first and second support means are directly supported by and secured to an inner surface of said casing.

16 more elements

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing;
input and output discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated independently;
the even number of pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said discs at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to said central axis;
a plurality of trunnions rockable around said pivot shafts;
displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said trunnions;
a plurality of power rollers rotatably supported around said displacement shafts and interposed between inner surfaces of said input and output discs;
and
support means provided at sides of said power roller and adapted to support said pivot shafts for rocking displacement and axial displacement;
and wherein
yokes forming a part of said support means and having ends for supporting said pivot shafts provided on the ends of said plurality of trunnions are directly supported by and secured to an inner surface of said casing, and, said pivot shafts can be displaced axially, by splines, with respect to the ends of said yokes, and needle bearings for rockably supporting said pivot shafts are provided within the inside of said splines.

7 more elements

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing:
first and second outer discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated synchronously in a condition that inner surfaces of said discs are opposed to each other;
a first inner disc supported in coaxial with said first and second outer discs and capable of being rotated independently from said first and second outer discs and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said first outer disc;
a second inner disc supported in coaxial with said first inner disc and capable of being rotated synchronous with said first inner disc and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said second outer disc;
four first pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said first outer disc and said first inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a pair of first trunnions rockable around said first pivot shafts;
first displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said first trunnions;
a pair of first power rollers rotatably supported around said first displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said first outer disc and the inner surface of said first inner disc;
four second pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said second outer disc and said second inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a pair of second trunnions rockable around said second pivot shafts;
second displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said second trunnions;
a pair of second power rollers rotatably supported around said second displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said second outer disc and the inner surface of said second inner disc;
and
first and second support means provided substantially in parallel with each other at sides of said first and second inner discs with the interposition of said first and second inner discs in such a manner that one ends are disposed between said first outer disc and said first inner disc and the other ends are disposed between said second outer disc and said second inner disc;
and wherein
said first support means supports two of said four first pivot shafts and two of said four second pivot shafts for rocking movement and axial displacement, and
said second support means supports the other two of said four first pivot shafts and the other two of said four second pivot shafts for rocking movement and axial displacement;
and further wherein
yokes constituting said first and second support means and having four corners for supporting said pivot shafts provided on the ends of said plurality of trunnions are directly supported by and secured to an inner surface of said casing, and said pivot shafts can be displaced axially, by splines, with respect to said four corners of said yokes, and needle bearings for rockably supporting said pivot shafts are provided within the inside of said splines.

16 more elements

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing;
input and output discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated independently in a condition that inner surfaces of said discs are opposed to each other;
four or more and the even number of pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said input disc and said output disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a plurality of trunnions rockable around said pivot shafts;
displacement shafts protruded from inner surface of said trunnions;
a plurality of power rollers rotatably supported around said displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said input disc and the inner surface of said output disc;
and
a plurality of actuators having the same number as that of said trunnions and adapted to displace said trunnions along axial directions of said pivot shafts;
and further comprising
a synchronizing mechanism for mechanically synchronizing the displacement movements of said trunnions along the axial directions of said pivot shafts effected by said actuators.

7 more elements

A toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprising:

a casing;
first and second outer discs supported within said casing in coaxial with each other and capable of being rotated synchronously in a condition that inner surfaces of said discs are opposed to each other;
a first inner disc supported in coaxial with said first and second outer discs and capable of being rotated independently from said first and second outer discs and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said first outer disc;
a second inner disc supported in coaxial with said first inner disc and capable of being rotated synchronously with said first inner disc and having an inner surface opposed to the inner surface of said second outer disc;
four or more and the even number of first pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said first outer disc and said first inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a plurality of first trunnions rockable around said first pivot shafts;
first displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said first trunnions;
a plurality of first power rollers rotatably supported around said first displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said first outer disc and the inner surface of said first inner disc;
four or more and the even number of second pivot shafts disposed in coaxial with or parallel with each other between said second outer disc and said second inner disc at twisted positions where said pivot shafts do not intersect with a central axis of said discs but extend toward directions perpendicular to the central axis;
a plurality of second trunnions rockable around said second pivot shafts;
second displacement shafts protruded from inner surfaces of said second trunnions;
a plurality of second power rollers rotatably supported around said second displacement shafts and interposed between the inner surface of said second outer disc and the inner surface of said second inner disc;
and
a plurality of actuators having the same number as that of said trunnions and adapted to displace said trunnions along axial directions of said pivot shafts;
and further comprising
a synchronizing mechanism for mechanically synchronizing the displacement movements of said trunnions along the axial directions of said pivot shafts effected by said actuators.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description15,391 words

Summary5,552 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#A toroidal type continuously variable transmission according to the present invention is used, for example, as a speed change unit of a transmission of a motor vehicle or transmissions of various industrial machines, respectively.

#2. Related Background Art

Brief description of the drawings30 figures

#FIG. 1 is a sectional view corresponding to a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 26, showing a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a right portion of FIG. 1;

Detailed description9,208 words

#<First embodiment>

#FIGS. 1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention. Incidentally, the characteristics of this embodiment include a construction of parts for supporting first pivot shafts 29 provided on both ends of first trunnions 27 with respect to a casing 5 and a construction for positively synchronizing inclination angles of the trunnions 27. Since the other constructions and functions are the same as those of the conventional technique shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, illustration and explanation thereof are omitted or briefly described, and the characteristics of this embodiment will be mainly explained. Further, second pivot shafts 30 (FIG. 28) provided on both ends of second trunnions 28 are also supported with respect to the casing 5 and inclination angles of the second trunnions 28 are positively synchronized by the same construction as the construction regarding the first pivot shafts 29. In the following explanation, as a rule, only the first trunnions 27 will be described, except for cases where the second trunnions 28 and associated parts must be explained.

#A pair of yokes 54, 55 constituting first and second support means are disposed in parallel with each other and are directly secured to opposed portions of the casing 5. Incidentally, positioning accuracy of the yokes 54, 55 with respect to the casing 5 is exactly regulated by engagement between knock pins protruded from one of the yokes and casing and lock holes formed in the other of the yokes and casing. Circular support holes 31 are formed in four corners of the yokes 54, 55 at engagement positions. Among these support holes 31, within the support holes 31 formed in first ends of the yokes 54, 55, the first pivot shafts 29 are supported via ball splines 56 and radial needle bearings 57 for axial displacement and rocking movement.