Continuously variable transmission

A variable speed transmission comprising:

• a rotatable drive sleeve;
• a rotatable driving member;
• a rotatable driven member;
• a plurality of power adjusters, frictionally interposed between the rotatable driving member and the rotatable driven member and adapted to transmit power from the driving member to the driven member;
• a rotatable and axially movable support member frictionally engaged to the plurality of power adjusters, so that the power adjusters make three point frictional contact against the driving member, the driven member, and the support member;
• a first compression member rotatable mounted and adapted to direct the driving member toward the driven member;
• wherein the first compression member includes a roller cage assembly having a plurality of rollers each of the rollers configured to engage one of a plurality of shallow grooves in the driving member;
• and
• wherein each of the plurality of rollers are cylindrical and extend radially from a mid-point of the roller cage assembly at least two bearings;
• and two platforms, one of the bearings and one of the platforms positioned on each end of the rotatable support member so that each bearing is between one of the platforms and one end of the rotatable support member.

A transmission, comprising:

• a rotatable driving member rotatably mounted;
• a rotatable driven member rotatably mounted on the same axis of rotation as the rotatable driving member;
• a rotatable support member rotatably mounted on the same axis of rotation as the rotatable driving member and also capable of axial movement;
• three or more spherical power adjusters frictionally interposed between the rotatable driving member, the rotatable driven member and the rotatable support member, and adapted to transmit power from the driving member to the driven member;
• a first compression member rotatably mounted on the same axis as the rotatable driving member and adapted to direct the rotatable driving member toward the rotatable driven member;
• a second compression member rotatably mounted on the same axis as the rotatable driving member and adapted to direct the rotatable driven member toward the rotatable driving member;
• a drive sleeve rotatably mounted on the same axis as the rotatable driving member and adapted to direct the rotatable driven member toward the rotatable driving member, said drive sleeve contacting the first compression member;
• a hub driver rotatably mounted on the same axis as the rotatable driving member and contacting the second compression member;
• and
• one pivot support for each of the spherical power adjusters, each pivot support having at least four apertures that are positioned on the same plane and at 90 degree intervals on the pivot support, wherein two of the apertures are oppositely opposed and define an axis of rotation for a spherical power adjuster, and wherein the other two of the apertures are oppositely opposed and define an axis of rotation for the pivot support.

A transmission comprising:

• a rotatable driving member rotatably mounted;
• a rotatable driven member rotatably mounted on the same axis as the rotatable driving member;
• three or more spherical power adjusters;
• three or more pivot supports mounting the spherical power adjusters, wherein each pivot support surrounds one spherical power adjuster on a plane through the center of the spherical power adjuster, the plane defined by the axis of rotation of the spherical power adjuster and the axis of rotation of the pivot support;
• a plurality of immobilizers interconnecting and defining an axis of rotation for each of the pivot supports;
• and
• at least one stationary support having three or more stationary support legs, each of the stationary support legs preventing the pivot supports from moving about the axis of rotation of the rotatable driving member.

A transmission comprising:

• a rotatable driving member;
• a plurality of spherical power adjusters;
• a rotatable substantially cylindrical support member capable of axial movement, wherein the support member has an outer surface that is in frictional contact with each of the power adjusters;
• at least two bearings;
• and
• two platforms, one of the bearings and one of the platforms positioned on each end of the rotatable support member so that each bearing is between one of the platforms and one end of the rotatable support member.