Continuously Variable Transmission Having A Ball-Type Continuously Variable Transmission

A powertrain comprising:

• an input shaft;
• a counter shaft aligned parallel to the input shaft;
• a variator aligned coaxially with the input shaft, the variator having a first plurality of balls, each ball provided with a tiltable axis of rotation, each ball in contact with a first traction ring assembly and a second traction ring assembly, and each ball operably coupled to a carrier assembly;
• a first planetary gear set arranged coaxially with the input shaft, the first planetary gear set having a first ring gear operably coupled to the first traction ring assembly, a first planet carrier supporting a set of dual pinion gears, the first planet carrier operably coupled to the input shaft, a first sun gear coupled to the first planet carrier, and the first sun gear operably coupled to the second traction ring assembly;
• a second planetary gear set arranged coaxially with the counter shaft, the second planetary gear set having a second ring gear, a second planet carrier supporting a second plurality of planet gears coupled to the second ring gear, the second planet carrier operably coupled to the second ring gear, a third planet carrier supporting a third plurality of planet gears, the third planet carrier operably coupled to the second ring gear, a second sun gear coupled to the second plurality of the planet gears, and a third sun gear coupled to the third plurality of planet gears;
• a first-and-second mode clutch coupled to the second sun gear, wherein the first-and-second mode clutch is configured to selectively couple to ground;
• a second-and-third mode clutch coupled to the second traction ring assembly, wherein the second-and-third mode clutch is configured to selectively couple to the second traction ring assembly to the counter shaft;
• a first-fourth-reverse mode clutch operably coupled to the counter shaft, wherein the first-fourth-reverse mode clutch is configured to selectively engage the first ring gear to the counter shaft;
• and
• a third-and-fourth mode clutch coupled to the third planet carrier, wherein the third-and-fourth mode clutch configured to selectively engage the input shaft to the third planet carrier.