CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION

BACKGROUND

[0001] Historically continuously variable transmissions (CVT) have consisted of variable diameter pulleys, conical rollers, toroidal disc and rollers, sun gears, hydrostatic, etc. Where as this concept departs from previous designs in that it uses a lever with a moving fulcrum (claim 1) to achieve the variable output. The innovative design is simple in that it uses one of the most efficient mechanical devices known making use of its mechanical advantage. It would use a minimum of parts so manufacturing costs would be lower than current CVTs.

SUMMARY

[0002] Power input from engine at Flywheel (1).

[0003] Flywheel ( 1 ) attached to Connecting Rod (2).

[0004] Connecting Rod (2) attached to one end of the Slider (3).

[0005] Slider (3) fits into Slider Channel (4) which limits Slider (3) to back and forth motion only. [Slider Channel (4) is a non-moving part attached to transmission housing].

[0006] Other end of Slider (3) is attached to Lever Pivot (5). [0007] One end of Lever (6) mates with Lever Pivot (5).

l [0008] Opposite end of Lever (6) is attached to the Output Rack (7).

[0009] Output Rack (7) fits into Output Rack Channel (8) which limits Output Rack

(7) to back and forth motion only. [Output Rack Channel (8) is a non-moving part attached to transmission housing].

[0010] The Fulcrum Pivot (9) mates to the Lever (6).

[0011] The Fulcrum Pivot (9) attaches to the Fulcrum Connector (10).

[0012] Fulcrum Connector (10) slides in the Fulcrum Pivot Channel ( 11 ) which

restrains the Fulcrum Pivot (9) and Fulcrum Connector (10) to back and forth motion only. [Fulcrum Pivot Channel (11) is a non-moving part attached to transmission housing].

[0013] The Fulcrum Pivot (9) movement is controlled by mechanical means such as a

Hydraulic Cylinder (12, shown) or a Stepper Motor (12 A, not shown) to push and pull it back and forth. [One end of the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) is attached to the Fulcrum Connector (10) with the other end attached to the transmission housing].

[0014] The Output Rack (7) gears mesh with the Pinion Gear (13).

[0015] Pinion Gear (13) is attached to the Pinion Shaft (14).

[0016] The Pinion Shaft (14) has Bearings (23) mounted on the ends which are

attached to the transmission housing.

[0017] Attached to the Pinion Shaft (14) are two One- Way (aka clutch or anti-reverse)

Bearings (15, 16) mounted so that they operate in opposite mechanical directions, i.e. one clockwise (CW) and one counterclockwise (CCW) when viewed from the end of the Pinion Shaft (14).

[0018] The CW One-Way Bearing (15) attaches to the CW Gear (17). [0019] The CCW One- Way Bearing (16) attaches to the CCW Gear (18).

[0020] The C W Gear ( 17) meshes with the Output Gear (19).

[0021] The Output Gear (19) is attached to the Power Output Shaft (22).

[0022] The Power Output Shaft (22) is mounted on Bearings (23) that are attached to the transmission housing.

[0023] The CCW Gear (18) meshes with the Idler Gear (20).

[0024] The Idler Gear (20) is attached to the Idler Shaft (21).

[0025] The Idler Shaft (21) has Bearings (23) mounted on the ends which are attached to the transmission housing.

[0026] The Idler Gear (20) meshes with the Output Gear (19).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0027] In operation the engine rotates the Flywheel (1) which is attached to the

Connecting Rod (2) which turns the rotating motion into reciprocating motion at the Slider (3) causing it to move back and forth in the Slider Channel (4) thru its full range of movement. The Slider (3) is attached to the Lever Pivot (5) with both moving back and forth in unison. One end of the Lever (6) slides inside the Lever Pivot (5) with the other end of the Lever (6) attaching to the Output Rack (7). When the Fulcrum Pivot (9) is centered over the Lever (6) and Output Rack (7) connection axis centerline this causes the Output Rack (7) to remain stationary (park/neutral position) in the Output Rack Channel (8) independent of the motion at the Slider (3) end of the Lever (6). In this condition the force exerted into the Lever (6) is not used as noted in Drawing Figs. 4 and 5. To achieve useful output a hydraulic pump (not shown) is engaged by the CPU (not shown) to push or pull the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) to move the Fulcrum Connector (10) and with it the Fulcrum Pivot (9) off the Lever (6) and Output Rack (7) connection axis centerline initiating the Output Rack (7) to move back and forth in the Output Rack Channel (8) illustrated in Drawing Figs 6 and 7. The further the Fulcrum Pivot (9) travels in the Fulcrum Channel (11), the larger the distance from the Lever (6) and Output Rack (7) connection axis centerline, the greater the Output Rack (7) stroke becomes as shown in Drawing Figs 8 and 9.

[0028] The operation explained above is the mechanism (claim 1) that takes the

constant stroke at the Slider (3) and converts into a variable stroke at the Output Rack (7).

[0029] Next in sequence as the Output Rack (7) moves back and forth with its gears meshing with the Pinion Gear (13), the Pinion Gear (13) and Pinion Shaft (14) will rotate both clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW).

[0030] When the stroke of the Output Rack (7) rotates the Pinion Shaft (14) in the direction that the internal locking mechanism of the CW One- Way Bearing (15) transmits power to rotate, the internal slipping mechanism of the CCW One-Way Bearing (16) would come into play with no power transmitted thru it. Reciprocally when the Output Rack (7) direction is reversed along with the Pinion Shaft (14) direction, the CW One- Way Bearing (15) mechanism would now slip and the CCW One- Way Bearing (1 ) mechanism would lock to receive power and rotate with the Pinion Shaft (14).

[0031] This mechanism (claim 2) is what converts the variable stroke at the Output

Rack (7) into rotating motion by the use of One- Way Bearings (15, 16). Thus no matter which direction the Pinion Shaft (14) rotates there is a rotational output to one of the One-Way Bearings (15, 16). [0032] Each One-Way Bearing (15, 16) transmits torque to its respective Gear (17, 18). The CW Gear (17) meshes with the Output Gear (19). The Output Gear (19) is attached to the Output Shaft (22). The CCW Gear (18) meshes with the Idler Gear (20). The Idler Gear (20) meshes with the Output Gear (19). The Idler Gear (20) reverses the rotational direction of the CCW Gear (18) to agree with the CW Gear (17) in meshing with the Output Gear (19) so that the Output Gear (19) and Output Shaft (22) always rotate in the same direction. The Output Shaft (22) would then be engaged with either the forward or reverse gearing (not shown) to power the vehicle.

[0033] The series of gears that changes the bidirectional rotation from the One- Way

Bearings (15, 16) into unidirectional rotation (claim 3) at the Output Shaft (22) to power a vehicle. One possible way to convert the variable stroke (claim 1) into useful rotating motion to power a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0034] SHEET 1, Fig. 1 : Illustration of the Moving Fulcrum CVT (continuously variable transmission) unit with internal working parts shown (some parts hidden behind others) in their respective positions (housing not illustrated).

[0035] SHEET 2, Fig. 2: Exploded view of the Moving Fulcrum mechanism (claim

1) of the transmission and the part to part relationship.

[0036] SHEET 3, Fig. 3: Exploded view of a mechanism that converts the variable stroke into rotating motion (claim 2) by the use of One- Way Bearings (15, 16) with the gear train the changes the bidirectional rotation into unidirectional rotation (claim 3) and the part to part relationship.

[0037] SHEET 4, Fig. 4: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1)

moving thru 180 degrees of rotation pushing the Connecting Rod (2) thru one- half of its back and forth stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the half stroke but there is no movement of the Output Rack (7) due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9).

[0038] SHEET 4, Fig. 5: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1)

moving thru the next 180 degrees of rotation pulling the Connecting Rod (2) thru the second half of its stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the second half stroke but there is no movement of the Output Rack (7) due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9).

[0039] SHEET 4, Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the neutral or park condition of the CVT.

[0040] SHEET 5, Fig. 6: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1) again moving thru 180 degrees of rotation pushing the Connecting Rod (2) thru one- half of its stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the half stroke with the Output Rack (7) moving and the Pinion Gear (13) rotating in the direction of the arrow due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9) which is positioned by the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) as controlled by the CPU (not shown).

[0041] SHEET 5, Fig. 7: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1) again moving thru next 180 degrees of rotation pulling the Connecting Rod (2) thru the second half of its stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the half stroke with the Output Rack (7) moving and the Pinion Gear (13) rotating in the direction of the arrow due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9) which is positioned by the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) as controlled by the CPU (not shown).

[0042] SHEET 5, Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the drive condition of the CVT.

[0043] SHEET 6, Fig. 8: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1) again moving thru 180 degrees of rotation pushing the Connecting Rod (2) thru one- half of its stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the half stroke with the Output Rack (7) moving and the Pinion Gear (13) rotating in the direction of the arrow to their full extent due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9) which is positioned by the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) as controlled by the CPU (not shown).

[0044] SHEET 6, Fig. 9: Illustration of rotary motion input from Flywheel (1) again moving thru next 180 degrees of rotation pulling the Connecting Rod (2) thru the second half of its stroke in direction of arrow shown. The Slider (3) moves thru the half stroke with the Output Rack (7) moving and the Pinion Gear (13) rotating in the direction of the arrow to their full extent due to the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9) which is positioned by the Hydraulic Cylinder (12) as controlled by the CPU (not shown).

[0045] SHEET 6, Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the overdrive condition of the CVT.

[0046] Figures 4 thru 9 show the constant stroke of the Slider (3) and how the stroke of the Output Rack (7) varies with the positioning of the Fulcrum Pivot (9). The greater the Output Rack (7) stroke, the more the Pinion Gear (13) rotates and consequently a proportional increase thru the gear train and rpm at the Output Shaft (22).