Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Honda Giken Kogyo K.k.

Honda Giken Kogyo K.k. (honda Motor Co., Ltd. in English)

Honda Giken Koygo K.k.

Kohei Ohzono

Kiyotaka Hayashi

Mitsuru Saito

Yoshihiro Yoshida

Tsutomu Hayashi

Goroei Wakatsuki

Masaie Kato

Masanori Shibuya

Nobuyuki Yakigaya

Taiji Fujita

An infinitely variable transmission in which the pitches of a driving pulley and a driven pulley are variable by means of hydraulic fluid pressure to vary the velocity ratio between the two pulleys. A lower pressure fluid and a higher pressure fluid are created from a hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid supply source, with a constant pressure difference therebetween. The lower pressure fluid has its pressure value varied in response to the velocity ratio. The lower pressure fluid and the higher pressure fluid are selectively supplied to the movable pulley elements of the driving pulley and driven pulley. A hydraulic clutch and a pressure regulating valve are connected together by a hydraulic fluid supply passageway which is selectively closed and opened by a supply control valve. A drain passage is connected to the hydraulic fluid supply passageway to allow hydraulic fluid to escape from the hydraulic clutch when the passageway is closed by the supply control valve. In at least one movable pulley element, an orifice is formed through a sealing element which seals between an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion and a radially extending annular flange of a stationary piston element to communicate between first and second hydraulic pressure chambers defined within an annular space in a pulley main body at opposite sides of the annular flange of the stationary piston element.

Infinitely variable transmission utilizing hydraulic fluid pressure to

A hydraulic type starting clutch having an input rotating member rotatable in unison with an input shaft, an output rotating member rotatable in unison with an output shaft, and friction plates interposed between the input and output rotating members and adapted to transmit torque from the input rotating member to the output rotating member when engaged. An urging member urges the friction plates to cause transmission of torque from the input rotating member to the output rotating member, and a hydraulic pressure chamber is defined between the urging member and the output rotating member and supplied with a hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid source. A control device controls a pressure regulating valve in a manner such that the pressure in the hydraulic pressure chamber is regulated to values dependent upon the rotational speed of the input shaft.

Hydraulic type starting clutch

An infinitely variable transmission includes a driver shaft having a driver pulley, a driven shaft having a driven pulley, the driver and driven pulleys having fixed conical discs and movable conical discs, the movable conical discs having pressure chambers, an endless belt trained around said driver and driven pulleys, a device for supplying a fluid under pressure to the pressure chambers, a pressure regulating mechanism for regulating the fluid pressure at a prescribed pressure, and a fluid metering mechanism for regulating the amount of the fluid under the prescribed pressure in the pressure chambers. At least one of the pressure regulating mechanism and the fluid metering mechanism is disposed in the driver shaft or the driven shaft. The pressure regulating mechanism is arranged to discharge an excess amount of the fluid to a lower-pressure area when the supplied fluid pressure exceeds a prescribed level and also has passages for supplying the discharged amount of the fluid as lubricating oil to the endless belt. The fixed conical discs of the driver and driven pulleys are disposed on opposite sides of the endless belt. The fixed conical discs are arranged such that the central axis of the endless belt is inclined with respect to a line normal to pulley axes at an angle which is substantially zero at a power transmission speed ratio which is most frequently be used between the driver and driven pulleys.

Infinitely variable transmission

A friction clutch device comprising a clutch spring capable of springing friction plates in a preset direction, a hydraulic device capable of generating oil pressure for likewise pressing said friction plates in said preset direction, and a release device which, when in inoperative conditions, permits the springing force of said clutch spring and the oil pressure of said hydraulic device to act as said pressing force with respect to said friction plates and which, when in operative conditions, effects the discharge of oil pressure from said hydraulic device and the release of the springing force of said clutch spring with respect to said friction plates. With this arrangement, the engaging force of the clutch device is obtained by the sum of the springing force of the clutch spring with respect to a pressure plate and the pressing force by use of oil pressure of the hydraulic device whereas the disengaging position is obtained by the release of the springing force of the clutch spring resulting from the operation of a release mechanism and the release of oil pressure. Thus, it becomes possible to increase the capacity of load while controlling the clutch operating force to the minimal value as needed. In addition, the present device is advantageous because the required engaging force can be secured by the clutch spring even if no oil pressure is present in the source of oil pressure.

Friction clutch device

In an infinitely variable transmission equipped with a V-shaped pulley having a stationary pulley element and a movable pulley element fitted on a shaft, and an endless belt engaged between the pulley elements, a movable pulley element pinch force control device includes a plurality of through bores formed through the peripheral wall of the shaft in axially spaced relation, and a slider axially slidably received within a hydraulic fluid introducing passage in the shaft and urged by the fluid pressure in a direction of closing the through bores. The movable pulley element is urged by the fluid pressure in a direction of closing the through bores, and by the force of the belt in a direction of closing the through bores, whereby the total opening area of the through bores is automatically varied in response to changes in the positions of the slider and the movable pulley element, to control the pinch force of the movable pulley element in a stepwise manner.

Device for controlling pinch force of a pulley in an infinitely variable

A hydraulic servomechanism comprises a basic body having an axial hole formed therein, a stationary element provided on the outer peripheral surface of the basic body at a predetermined location, a sliding element fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the basic body and also fitted with the stationary element for axial sliding movement relative thereto. The sliding element cooperates with the basic body and the stationary element to define therebetween a hydraulic pressure chamber. A plurality of through bores are formed in the peripheral wall of the basic body and axially arranged at predetermined intervals for communicating between the axial hole of the basic body and the hydraulic pressure chamber. A communication hole is formed in the sliding element for communicating between the through bores and the hydraulic pressure chamber. A control element is axially slidably fitted in the axial hole of the basic body and formed therein with a first communication passage for communicating the through bores with a hydraulic fluid supply source which generates the pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic pressure chamber, and a second communication passage for communicating the through bores with a zone under a lower pressure. A driving device changes the axial position of the control element for controlling the pressure of hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic pressure chamber, to thereby control the axial position of the sliding element.

Hydraulic servomechanism

A parking lock system for a three-wheeled vehicle having front and rear vehicle bodies interconnected so as to be capable of rolling relative to each other. The parking lock system comprises a first engagement member mounted on one of the vehicle bodies so as to be rollable substantially integrally therewith, and a second engagement member provided for the other of the vehicle bodies so as to be rollable substantially integrally therewith and engageable with the first engagement member in at least one predetermined relative position only, such engagement serving to lock the relative rolling. The system also includes a wheel lock mechanism for locking the rotation of at least one road wheel of the vehicle, a cable member adapted to be pulled to actuate both the second engagement member and the wheel lock mechanism; and an engagement assuring mechanism for assuring the engagement between the first and second engagement members while the cable member is pulled. With such arrangement, both the rolling lock and the wheel lock states can be effected by a smooth operation.

Parking lock system for three-wheeled vehicles

A locking system for a tricycle, including a braking mechanism, a rolling restraint mechanism, a driving mechanism which drives the braking mechanism and the rolling restraint mechanism, a control mechanism for applying control signals, and a detecting mechanism for applying a speed signal to the driving mechanism when a vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value. The driving mechanism selectively or simultaneously drives the braking and restraint mechanisms in response to the control signal, and also drives the restraint mechanism upon receiving the speed signal. With such arrangement, maximum freedom is afforded the driver in assuming a desired posture, even when the tricycle is travelling under low inertia.

Growing community of inventors

Fujimi, Japan

Kohei Ohzono