Excelermatic Inc.

Other

Incelermatic, Inc.

Excclermatic Inc.

Charles E Kraus

Charles B Lohr

Daniel J Dawe

Paul L Horton

James H Kraus

In an infinitely variable traction roller transmission, wherein two toric traction disks are rotatably supported opposite one another and define a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the two toric disks and supported by trunnions, the trunnions being pivotally supported to permit changing the ratio of motion transmission between the toric disks, the toric disks each have a different cavity radius, thus causing the circles of contact of the traction rollers with the toric disk to change as the trunnions pivot to various transmission ratio positions, thereby distributing the loads on the traction rollers over a relatively large surface area thus extending the fatigue life of the traction rollers, and consequently, of the transmission.

Extended life infinitely variable traction roller transmission with

The invention resides in an infinitely variable traction roller transmission with coaxial input and output shafts, a main transmission shaft rotatably supported in spaced parallel relationship with the input and output shafts and with an input traction roller drive interconnecting the input shaft and the main shaft and further an infinitely variable traction roller transmission structure disposed on the main shaft for transmitting motion from the main shaft at variable relative speed to the output shaft via an output traction roller drive wherein the input and output traction roller drives include traction gears mounted in radial alignment respectively on the input shaft and the main shaft and an output shaft of he infinitely variable traction roller transmission and hollow shaft surrounding the input shaft and connected to one of the ring and the planet carrier of a planetary-type transmission whose other of the ring and planet carrier is connected to the output shaft and whose sun is disposed on the input shaft and the traction roller drives include motion transmitting traction structures arranged so as to be engageable with both traction gears of the traction roller drive and it also resides specifically in the traction roller drive structures used in the transmission.

Traction roller transmission

In an axial loading cam arrangement wherein two axial thrust members are supported opposite one another so as to be rotatable relative to one another at least one of the thrust members has a plurality of concentric annular races with annular cam structures formed thereon opposite the other thrust member and in radial symmetry and a plurality of rollers are disposed between the thrust members on said races for generating axial forces on said thrust members upon relative rotational movement thereof. The arrangement is particularly intended for use in a toroidal traction roller transmission wherein the traction rollers are forced into firm engagement with the traction discs between which they are disposed when a torque is transmitted through the transmission.

Axial loading cam arrangement in or for a traction roller transmission

In an infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, means are provided for controllably pivoting the trunnions about a control axis which is essentially tangential to the center circle of the toric cavity and wherein the pivot trunnions have support rollers supported on partial circular track structures with end sections extending inwardly from the circular track structure so as to apply increased engagement forces to the traction rollers in the pivotal end positions of the trunnions while at the same time limiting their pivotal movement.

Infinitely variable traction roller transmission

In a traction roller transmission which has disposed in a housing two planetary type transmission structures each having traction rollers disposed between spaced concentric sun rollers and traction rings and supported by support members of which one which is associated with one of the transmission structures carries the sun of the other transmission structure and the other is connected to the transmission output shaft while the input shaft carries the sun of the one transmission structure (the planetary rollers are supported in an inclined position), and the traction rings are axially curved and forced toward one another so as to engage therebetween the planetary rollers which are supported at predetermined angles selected such that their engagement forces with the sun rollers and traction rings correspond to the torque to which they are subjected during operation.

High ratio planetary type traction roller transmission

In an infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported in a housing opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, each pivot trunnion is provided with a single support roller disposed on a track section and has an axial control end which is supported so as to be slightly movable in a plane normal to the axis of the toric discs and means are provided for controllably moving the trunnion control ends in unison for initiation of a transmission ratio change.

In an infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, and in which each pivot trunnion is provided with a single support roller disposed on a track section and has an axial control end which is supported so as to be movable in a plane normal to the axis of the toric discs, the support rollers are engaged by track members which are tiltably supported and associated with the control ends of the trunnions so as to transmit transmission torque reaction forces to the track members for forcing the traction rollers into engagement with the toric discs and means are provided for controllably moving the trunnion control ends for initiation of a transmission ratio change.

In an infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, means are provided for controllably pivoting the trunnions for a transmission ratio change, and cross-links are mounted to the end faces of the trunnions so as to permit pivotal motion of the trunnions only in unison and in an opposite sense, the cross-links have overlapping center sections with stop surfaces arranged to engage one another in the pivotal end positions of the trunnions for limiting their pivotal movement.

In a infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported in a housing opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, each pivot trunnion is provided with a single support roller disposed on a track section and has an axial control end which is supported so as to be slightly movable in a plane normal to the axis of the toric discs and means are provided for controllably moving the trunnion control ends in unison for initiation of a transmission ratio change.

In an infinitely variable transmission wherein two toric traction discs are rotatably supported in a housing opposite one another so as to define therebetween a toric cavity in which at least two motion transmitting traction rollers are disposed in engagement with the toric discs and supported by pivot trunnions, each pivot trunnion is provided with a single support roller disposed on a track section and has an axial control end which is supported so as to be slightly movable in a plane normal to the axis of the toric discs and hydraulic control means are provided for controllably moving the trunnion control ends for initiation of a transmission ratio change and a feedback structure is further associated with the trunnion ends and with the hydraulic control means for terminating ratio changing tilting of the trunnions when the necessary transmission ratio change has been executed.

Traction roller transmission ratio control arrangement

A multimode infinitely variable traction roller transmission including a toroidal traction roller transmission for infinitely varying the transmission ratio in each of the modes. Power is transmitted from an input shaft to the planet carrier of a planetary transmission whose ring is associated with the output shaft of the transmission and through the toroidal traction roller transmission to the sun of the planetary transmission selectively by way of a chain gear or spur gear transmission provided with clutches for selective engagement thereof, that is, for rotation of the sun in one or the opposite direction. A brake structure is provided for locking the planet carrier in one of the transmission modes. Output shaft speed is increased by increasing output speed of the infinitely variable transmission in the first mode (direct mode), it is further increased by subsequently decreasing the output speed of the infinitely variable transmission in the second mode (inverse regeneration mode) and it is then further increased by again increasing the output speed of the infinitely variable transmission in the third mode (split torque mode). The changeover is smooth thereby providing for a wide ratio range infinitely variable transmission.

Multimode infinitely variable transmission

An infinitely variable traction roller transmission with at least two traction rollers arranged between, and in engagement with, opposite toric traction discs for the transmission of motion therebetween includes, for each traction roller, a pivotal support trunnion provided with support rollers at opposite ends thereof and the housing of the transmission has partial circular tracks for supporting the support rollers and the trunnions to provide the engagement forces for the traction rollers with the toric discs.

In a planetary type traction roller transmission which comprises a sun, a traction ring and planetary traction rollers disposed in the space between, and in engagement with, the traction ring and the central sun, the traction surfaces of the sun, the traction rollers and the ring members are all somewhat conical and the members are so arranged that their axes and all tangential axial lines of the traction surfaces intersect in a single point on the axis of the transmission and a device is provided for urging the sun member toward that point of intersection and between the planetary rollers for forcing the planetary rollers into engagement with the sun and the traction ring.

A hydraulic speed control arrangement for an infinitely variable transmission which is coupled to an engine and adapted to drive auxiliary equipment including a hydraulic fluid displacement pump includes a spool valve provided with an inlet cavity at one end of the valve spool in the valve body and connected to the hydraulic fluid displacement pump and has a spring disposed at the opposite end and biasing the valve spool against the pressure of the fluid in the inlet cavity, whereby the valve spool is adapted to control the flow of pressurized fluid from the inlet cavity to the transmission ratio control mechanism of the infinitely variable transmission in such a manner that the output shaft speed of the transmission is maintained essentially at a predetermined value. The valve spool had a face portion at its one end provided with a flow orifice structure at its circumference and, further there is a pressuzized fluid cavity disposed adjacent the valve spool face portion so as to control the fluid flow through the orifice structure depending on the position of the face portion which for some applications is in communication with the area of the valve at the other end of the valve spool and the fluid cavity is connected to a pressurized hydraulic fluid user to supply thereto the pressurized fluid needed thereby.

Hydraulic control arrangement for an infinitely variable transmission

In an adiabatic internal combustion engine with a piston movably disposed in a cylinder to which air and fuel are admitted for combustion therein and from which the gases generated during combustion are discharged after extraction of energy therefrom, the cylinder includes a piston guide and seal structure having piston seal rings associated therewith and has a wall structure of heat resistant material and the piston has a guided section adapted to move back and forth through the guide and seal structure and a cap of heat resistant material disposed on top of the guided piston section and having a cylindrical side wall slightly spaced from the heat resistant cylinder wall.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Charles E Kraus