Continuously adjustable gear system

A stepless transmission with a ring (10) having a force-transmitting formation (12), preferably teeth, and a peripheral groove (11), and concentrically or eccentrically positionable relative thereto a center wheel with radial guides, and with at least two coupling elements (13) that each ride at one end in the peripheral groove (11) and that have force-transmitting formations complementary to the force-transmitting formation (12) and that each at the other end have a force-transmitting pin (14) projecting axially into and shiftable in a respective one of the radial guides of the center wheel, each coupling element (13) moving on orbiting in the peripheral groove (11) of the gear (10) through a force-transmitting zone in which the coupling element (13) is engaged with the force-transmitting formations (12) of the gear (10) and that otherwise is in a free-running zone in which it is disconnected (decoupled) and where by varying the eccentricity of the center wheel and ring the transmission ratio is changeable,

• characterized in that
• the geometry of the coupling elements (13), the groove and the force-transmitting formation (12) of the gear as well as the center wheel with its guides and the spacing of the gear to the center wheel are selected such that on moving through the force-transmitting zone the forces between the coupling element (13) and the center wheel force or urge the parts together with a coupling force creating a torque holding the coupling element (13) parallel to the gear and the center wheel and greater than the canting torque that is produced by the spacing between the effective plane of force transmission from the gear to the coupling elements on one side and the effective plane of the force transmission from the coupling elements to the center wheel on the other side.