Continuously variable transmission
AssigneePolaris Industries Inc.
InventorsAmery D. Kuhl, Jacob Jain, David J. Hicke, Steven L. Nelson, Anthony J. Ripley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle may include a continuously variable transmission which requires non-recycled air. The continuously variable transmission may provide non-recycled air to a first number of sheaves of the continuously variable transmission with a second number of air supply conduits, the second number being less than the first number. A cover of the continuously variable transmission may have a unitary body.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- a power source including an output shaft;
- a continuously variable transmission including:
- a housing including a base and a cover coupled to the base, the base and the cover cooperating to define an interior of the housing;
- a drive clutch positioned within the interior of the housing and operatively coupled to the output shaft, the drive clutch including a first drive clutch sheave and a second drive clutch sheave moveable relative to the first drive clutch sheave;
- a driven clutch positioned within the interior of the housing, the driven clutch including a first driven clutch sheave and a second driven clutch sheave moveable relative to the first driven clutch sheave;
- a drive belt operatively coupling the drive clutch and the driven clutch;
- and
- an air supply conduit coupled to the housing and configured to provide non-recycled air from an exterior of the housing to the interior of the housing;
- a sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of air within at least one of the interior of the housing, an air intake system coupled to the housing, and an air exhaust system coupled to the housing;
- and
- an engine control module operatively coupled to the sensor and configured to, in response to the monitored temperature exceeding a threshold, perform at least one of:
- limiting an output speed of the output shaft;
- limiting a speed of the vehicle or
- causing an overheat indication to be provided to an operator of the vehicle.
A method of cooling a continuously variable transmission of a vehicle, the continuously variable transmission including a housing, a drive clutch positioned within an interior of the housing and including a first drive clutch sheave and a second drive clutch sheave moveable relative to the first drive clutch sheave, a driven clutch positioned within the interior of the housing and including a first driven clutch sheave and a second driven clutch sheave moveable relative to the first driven clutch sheave, and a drive belt operatively coupling the drive clutch and the driven clutch, the vehicle having a power source with an output shaft operatively coupled to the drive clutch, the method comprising:
- providing non-recycled air from an exterior of the housing to the interior of the housing through an air supply conduit coupled to the housing;
- monitoring, with a sensor, a temperature of air within at least one of the interior of the housing, an air intake system coupled to the housing, and an air exhaust system coupled to the housing;
- comparing the monitored temperature to a threshold;
- and
- in response to the monitored temperature exceeding the threshold, performing at least one of limiting an output speed of the output shaft, limiting a speed of the vehicle, or causing an overheat indication to be provided to an operator of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.