Rotary variator for a continuously variable transmission

A continuously variable transmission pulley, comprising:

• a body defining a hollow tube having a longitudinal central bore;
• multiple cylinders fixed to the body each having a cylinder bore in fluid communication with the longitudinal central bore;
• a piston slidably positioned in the cylinder bore of each of the cylinders, such that a pressurized fluid present in the longitudinal central bore acts equally against each of the pistons to equally outwardly displace the pistons;
• a biasing member connected to each piston and in direct contact with the pressurized fluid;
• and
• a friction member connected to a free end of each of the pistons, wherein diametrically opposed ones of the friction members define a diameter that varies depending on a portion of the diametrically opposed ones of the pistons extending outwardly from the cylinders.

A continuously variable transmission pulley unit, comprising:

• first and second pulleys, each including:
• a body defining a hollow tube having a longitudinal central bore;
• multiple cylinders fixed to the body having successive ones of the cylinders equally spaced about a perimeter of the body;
• a central axis of each of the cylinders aligned with a longitudinal center axis of the central bore of the body;
• a piston slidably positioned in a cylinder bore of each of the cylinders, the piston co-axially aligned with the central axis of the cylinder;
• a pressurized fluid present in the central bore, the pressurized fluid acting equally against each of the pistons to equally outwardly slidably displace the pistons;
• a biasing member connected to each piston, each biasing member in direct contact with the pressurized fluid and positioned partially within one of the cylinder bores as the piston outwardly extends;
• and
• a friction member connected to each of the pistons;
• and
• an endless member in frictional contact with the friction member of at least two of the pistons of both the first pulley and the second pulley.