Provided is a continuously variable transmission that uses friction clutches as power transmission switching mechanisms but without increasing the number of shafts and the overall length. The power transmission switching mechanisms are configured to switch between establishing and interrupting power transmission in the power transmission paths within the continuously variable transmission. A continuously variable transmission includes an input shaft, a first output shaft, a second output shaft, a continuously variable transmission device, and four friction clutches. The continuously variable transmission device includes, a first pulley, mounted to the first output shaft, a second pulley, mounted to the second output shaft, and an endless belt, looped around the first pulley and the second pulley. A first friction clutch and a second friction clutch are coaxial with the input shaft. A third friction clutch is coaxial with the second output shaft. A fourth friction clutch is coaxial with the first output shaft.

A flywheel assembly 10 comprising: at least one flywheel mass support 14, the or each said support having a shaft 19 that extends along a rotational axis 18 about which the support 14 can rotate in use, the or each said support 14 comprising a plurality of openings 24 that are each offset from said rotational axis 18, a flywheel mass 12 comprising a plurality of openings 16 that are each arranged to align with a corresponding opening in said support; and means 23 for coupling said flywheel mass 12 to the or each said support 14 so that the mass 12 can rotate with the or each support 14 in use, said coupling means 23 being configured to extend through the aligned openings in the or each support 14 and said flywheel mass 12; wherein said flywheel mass 12 comprises a plurality of generally planar flywheel mass elements sandwiched together to form a stack of elements, each said element including a plurality of openings 16 that align with the openings 24 in the or each said support 14 and with openings in neighbouring elements in said stack, said flywheel elements being coupled together and aligned with one another to form said flywheel mass solely by means of the coupling means 23 that extends through the aligned openings in said elements and the or each said support 14.

A flywheel assembly 10 comprising: at least one flywheel mass support 14, the or each said support having a shaft 19 that extends along a rotational axis 18 about which the support 14 can rotate in use, the or each said support 14 comprising a plurality of openings 24 that are each offset from said rotational axis 18, a flywheel mass 12 comprising a plurality of openings 16 that are each arranged to align with a corresponding opening in said support; and means 23 for coupling said flywheel mass 12 to the or each said support 14 so that the mass 12 can rotate with the or each support 14 in use, said coupling means 23 being configured to extend through the aligned openings in the or each support 14 and said flywheel mass 12; wherein said flywheel mass 12 comprises a plurality of generally planar flywheel mass elements sandwiched together to form a stack of elements, each said element including a plurality of openings 16 that align with the openings 24 in the or each said support 14 and with openings in neighbouring elements in said stack, said flywheel elements being coupled together and aligned with one another to form said flywheel mass solely by means of the coupling means 23 that extends through the aligned openings in said elements and the or each said support 14.

A seat member includes a pressing part to be pressed by at least either of a first rotary member and a second rotary member. The seat member also includes a sliding part. The seat member is disposed to be changeable in posture between a first posture and a second posture, the first posture causing a radially outer part of the pressing part to be contacted to the at least either of the first rotary member and the second rotary member when an absolute value of a rotational angle of the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member is less than a predetermined value, the second posture causing the sliding part to partially slide against the first rotary member when the absolute value of the rotational angle of the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

A seat member includes a pressing part to be pressed by at least either of a first rotary member and a second rotary member. The seat member also includes a sliding part. The seat member is disposed to be changeable in posture between a first posture and a second posture, the first posture causing a radially outer part of the pressing part to be contacted to the at least either of the first rotary member and the second rotary member when an absolute value of a rotational angle of the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member is less than a predetermined value, the second posture causing the sliding part to partially slide against the first rotary member when the absolute value of the rotational angle of the second rotary member with respect to the first rotary member is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

Reaction wheel assemblies having relatively compact and lightweight form factors (referred to as “small scale” RWAs) are disclosed. Such small scale RWAs are well-suited for deployment onboard relatively small satellites, but are not restricted to usage within any particular device or platform. In one embodiment, the small scale RWA includes a primary support platform to which a rotor is coupled for rotation about a spin axis. An axially-expanded face-to-face (DF) duplex bearing pair is disposed between the rotor shaft and the support platform. The DF duplex bearing pair includes first and second rolling element bearings positioned around an intermediate portion of the rotor shaft. The first and second rolling element bearings have first and second bearing load lines, respectively, which are spaced by a tailored bearing load line separation (SLL).

An inertia flywheel assembly and a system thereof are disclosed. The inertia flywheel assembly of the present invention comprises at least one inertia flywheel and at least one transmission member. The inertia flywheel has a flywheel body and an axle core, and the flywheel body could spin via the axle core. The axle core is fixed to the axis of the flywheel body. The at least one transmission member is coupled to the axle core. The flywheel body is an arc-shaped plate, which has a first curved surface and a second curved surface. The tangent planes of the first curved surface and the second curved surface include an angle.

An inertia flywheel assembly and a system thereof are disclosed. The inertia flywheel assembly of the present invention comprises at least one inertia flywheel and at least one transmission member. The inertia flywheel has a flywheel body and an axle core, and the flywheel body could spin via the axle core. The axle core is fixed to the axis of the flywheel body. The at least one transmission member is coupled to the axle core. The flywheel body is an arc-shaped plate, which has a first curved surface and a second curved surface. The tangent planes of the first curved surface and the second curved surface include an angle.

A multifunctional rotating element is usable as various parts of a powertrain. The multifunctional rotating element includes a body and a plurality of contact elements. The body has an axis of rotation and is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation, and defines a rim portion. The plurality of contact elements are arranged around the rim portion. Each of the contact elements is independently movable between a raised position and a depressed position and biased to the raised position. Each of the contact elements is configured to move to the depressed position when engaged with an object.

A centrifugal pendulum absorber for a torque converter is provided. The centrifugal pendulum absorber includes a center plate; a roller received in a roller slot formed in the center plate; and a first mass on a rear axial side of the center plate and a second mass on a front axial side of the center plate. The first and second masses are slidable with respect to the center plate along the slot roller. The first mass includes a first radially extending section and a first axial protrusion extending axially past a rear-side axial surface of the first radially extending section. The second mass includes a second radially extending section and a second axial protrusion extending axially past a front-side axial surface of the second radially extending section. A torque converter and a method of forming a centrifugal pendulum absorber are also provided.