US 5,011,458 AGranted

Continuously variable transmission using planetary gearing with regenerative torque transfer and employing belt slip to measure and control pulley torque

AssigneeKumm Industries, Inc.

InventorEmerson L. Kumm

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Abstract

A continuously variable, regenerative transmission is disclosed in which a continuously variable transmission assembly is employed in conjunction with a regenerative gear assembly incorporating high and low clutches and situated intermediate a prime mover, such as a vehicle engine, and an output, such as the drive train to vehicle wheels. By monitoring certain system conditions (such as the rate and direction of rotation desired for the output, the rate of rotation of the engine and belt slip) while simultaneously controlling the engine speed, a control subsystem adjusts the effective diameters of input and output pulleys of the continuously variable transmission assembly to obtain a pulley torque versus belt tension that gives a belt slip value which results in rotation of the output in the desired direction at a rate according to a predetermined ratio schedule of the rate of rotation of the engine with respect to the rate of rotation of the output under the measured instantaneous conditions and in view of the output speed desired.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A continuously variable, regenerative transmission mechanically disposed intermediate a prime mover source of variable rotational power and variable unidirectional rotational speed output and a geared output shaft having a variable rotational rate and variable rotational direction, said regenerative transmission comprising:

(A) a continuously variable transmission assembly
(1) a first variable diameter pulley;
(2) a first actuator for establishing the diameter of said first variable diameter pulley;
(3) a second variable diameter pulley;
(4) a second actuator for establishing the diameter of said second variable diameter pulley;
and
(5) a belt coupling said first and second variable diameter pulleys;
(B) an input shaft coupled to said first variable diameter pulley and to a prime mover;
(C) a sun gear shaft coupled to said second variable diameter pulley, said sun gear shaft carrying a high gear rotating therewith;
(D) a planetary gear assembly coupled to said sun gear shaft, said planetary gear assembly including:
(1) a sun gear rotating with said sun gear shaft;
(2) a planet carrier rotatably about said sun gear shaft axis;
(3) a plurality of planet gears carried by said planet carrier and meshing with said sun gear;
(4) a ring gear meshing with said planet gears;
and
(5) a low gear rotating with said ring gear;
(E) transfer means coupling rotation of said input shaft to said planet carrier;
(F) an output shaft, said output shaft having an output gear rotating therewith;
(G) a high output gear rotatably carried by said output shaft, said high output gear being coupled to said high gear;
(H) a low output gear rotatably carried by said output shaft, said low output gear being coupled to said low gear;
(I) a high clutch adapted to selectively couple said high output gear to said output shaft;
(J) a low clutch adapted to selectively couple said low output gear to said output shaft;
and
(K) control means including:
(1) means to sense the rate of rotation of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(2) means to give a desired rotational direction of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(3) means to sense the rotation-al direction of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(4) means to sense the rate of rotation of a prime mover;
(5) means to adjust the rate of rotation of a prime mover;
(6) means to actuate at least one of said high and low clutches;
and
(7) means to adjust said first and second actuators to obtain a belt slip that corresponds to a pulley torque versus belt tension which results in rotation of said output gear in the desired direction at a rate according to a predetermined ratio of the rate of rotation of the prime mover with respect to the rate of rotation of said output gear.

29 more elements

(A) a continuously variable transmission assembly including:
(1) first and second pulley assemblies, each said pulley assembly including:
(a) a pulley assembly shaft with an axis of rotation;
(b) a pair of pulley sheaves;
(c) a series of belt engaging elements, each of said belt engaging elements having:
(i) an elongated central shank including a drive surface adapted to be engaged by said drive belt;
(ii) a first bearing region at a first end of said central shank;
and
(iii) a second bearing region at a second end of said central shank;
(d) each of said pulley sheaves including:
a pair of relatively movable guideway disks lying alongside each other in juxtaposition, an inner guideway disk of each said pair including a first series of spiral guideways extending radially in one direction, an outer guideway disk of each said pair including a second series of spiral guideways extending radially in a second direction, said first and second series of spiral guideways providing intersections for capturing and locating said bearing regions of said belt engaging elements, said intersections providing locations for said bearing regions to establish radial positions of said belt engaging elements with respect to said shaft;
(e) means connecting said inner guideway disks of said pulley sheaves together to establish an inner guideway disk set which rotates about the axis of said shaft;
(f) means connecting said outer guideway disks of said pulley sheaves together to establish an outer guideway disk set which rotates about the axis of said shaft;
(g) means coupling at least one of said guideway disks to said shaft for rotation therewith;
and
(h) means for adjusting the rotational position on said shaft between said inner guideway disk set and said outer guideway disk set to establish the radial position of said belt engaging elements of said pulley assembly;
and
(2) a flat drive belt coupling said first and second pulley assemblies;
(B) an input shaft coupled with said assembly shaft of said first pulley assembly and to a prime mover;
(C) a sun gear shaft coupled with said assembly shaft of said second pulley assembly, said sun gear shaft carrying a high gear rotating therewith;
(D) a first planetary gear assembly coupled to said sun gear shaft, said planetary gear assembly including:
(1) a sun gear rotating with said sun gear shaft;
(2) a planet carrier rotatably about said sun gear shaft axis;
(3) a plurality of planet gears carried by said first planet carrier and meshing with said sun gear;
(4) a ring gear meshing with said set of planet gears;
and
(5) a low gear rotating with said first ring gear;
(E) transfer means coupling rotation of said input shaft to said planet carrier;
(F) an output shaft, said output shaft having an output gear rotating therewith;
(G) a high output gear rotatably carried by said output shaft, said high output gear being coupled to said high gear;
(H) a low output gear rotatably carried by said output shaft, said low output gear being coupled to said low gear;
(I) a high clutch adapted to selectively couple said high output gear to said output shaft;
(J) a low clutch adapted to selectively couple said low output gear to said output shaft;
and
(K) control means including:
(1) means to sense the rate of rotation of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(2) means to give a desired rotational direction of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(3) means to sense the rotational direction of said output gear, on said output shaft;
(4) means to sense the rate of rotation of a prime mover;
(5) means to adjust the rate of rotation of a prime mover;
(6) means to actuate at least one of said high and low clutches;
and
(7) means to adjust said first and second actuators to obtain a belt slip value that corresponds to a pulley torque versus belt tension which results in rotation of said output gear in the desired direction at a rate according to a predetermined ratio of the rate of rotation of the prime mover with respect to the rate of rotation of said output gear.

40 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/406,975Filed 12 Sep 1989 · continuation in part
Priority: 9 Nov 1988
Granted: 30 Apr 1991
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F16H 9/10
Using belts, V-belts, or ropes: engaging a pulley provided with radially-actuatable elements carrying the belt
F16H 37/0846
At least one power path being a continuously variable transmission, i.e. CVT: cVT using endless flexible members
F16H 61/66263
Controlling of shifting being influenced by a signal derived from the engine and the main coupling: using only hydraulical and mechanical sensing…
F16H 2037/088
At least one power path being a continuously variable transmission, i.e. CVT: power-split transmissions with summing differentials, with the input…