Transfer ring and gear arrangement for non-slip continuously variable transmission

A no-slip continuously variable transmission comprising:

• an input gearset;
• a transfer ring meshing with said input gearset and receiving rotational input from said input gearset;
• an output gearset meshing with and receiving rotational input from said transfer ring;
• said transfer ring includes a guide mounted in a guide support structure;
• said guide is constrained to move about an endless path of generally fixed size and shape defined by said guide support structure;
• a plurality of adjacent segments are mounted within said guide, said guide interacting with said segments to allow said segments to be slidably displaced back and forth relative to each other in a first direction, said segments having opposite end faces which extend beyond said guide in said first direction,
• stop means acting between said guide and said adjacent segments to limit said back and forth displacement, and
• constraining means to constrain said guide to move with said segments about said path, said constraining means extending between and rigidly connecting an inner member of said guide and an outer member of said guide;
• at least one of said input and output gearsets includes a pair of bevel gears mounted with adjacent toothed bevel faces in a generally parallel spaced apart relationship on opposite sides of said guide, said pair of bevel gears are rotationally coupled to rotate in equal amounts but in opposite directions relative to each other with the teeth of one bevel gear in said pair of bevel gears registering with the spaces between the teeth of the other bevel gear of said pair of bevel gears and said bevel gears are mounted so as to capture some of said segments of said guide to move about said path;
• and
• said transfer ring is movable by the locator across said guide to vary to relative rotational speeds of said guide and said pair of bevel gears.

A continuously variable transmission comprising:

• an input gearset and an output gearset each having a pair of bevel gears constrained to rotate about generally coplanar respective axes of rotation with adjacent toothed bevelled faces in a spaces apart parallel relationship defining an opening therebetween;
• said input and output gearsets being mounted opposite each other with said openings aligned;
• said pairs of bevel gears of each said gearset being rotationally coupled to rotate in equal amounts but in opposite directions relative to each other about said respective axes of rotation and aligned with the teeth of one of said bevel gears corresponding to the spaces between adjacent teeth of the other of said bevel gears;
• a transfer ring having a plurality of radially aligned adjacent segments constrained to rotate about a transfer ring axis in an endless path of generally fixed size and shape and individually moveable parallel to said transfer ring axis by a predetermined amount between first and second stops;
• said segments tapering toward said transfer ring axis;
• said transfer ring being mounted between said input and output gearsets with portions of some of said segments interspersed in some of said spaces between adjacent teeth of said bevel gears in each said input and output gearsets;
• said transfer ring having annular inner and outer guide members, said inner guide member being disposed radially inwardly of said outer guide member relative to said transfer ring axis with said segments mounted therebetween and slidable relative thereto, said inner member being rigidly connected to said outer member by radially extending fixed segments which act as constraining means to prevent relative rotational and axial movement between said inner and outer guide members and to limit movement of said segments relative to said guide members about said path;
• said segments being axially moveable by individual teeth of one said bevel gears into the corresponding space of said spaces of the other of said bevel gears;
• an adjustable locator for moving said transfer ring laterally between said input and output gearsets with said transfer ring axis remaining generally coplanar with said axis of rotation of said bevel gears;
• whereby rotation of said bevel gears of said input gearset about said axes of rotation causes said transfer ring to rotate about said transfer ring axis to further cause rotation of said bevel gears of said output gearset in an amount determined by the lateral location of said transfer ring relative to said input and output gearsets, the portion of said transfer ring passing between said adjacent bevel gears conforming by said axial movement of said segments to the shape of the space defined between adjacent portions of said bevel gears.