Components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT) having a control system adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of a CVT are described. In one embodiment, a control system includes a stator plate configured to have a plurality of radially offset slots. Various traction planet assemblies and stator plates can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. In some embodiments, the traction planet assemblies include planet axles configured to cooperate with the stator plate. In one embodiment, the stator plate is configured to rotate and apply a skew condition to each of the planet axles. In some embodiments, a stator driver is operably coupled to the stator plate. Embodiments of a traction sun are adapted to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT.

Components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT) having a control system adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of a CVT are described. In one embodiment, a control system includes a stator plate configured to have a plurality of radially offset slots. Various traction planet assemblies and stator plates can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. In some embodiments, the traction planet assemblies include planet axles configured to cooperate with the stator plate. In one embodiment, the stator plate is configured to rotate and apply a skew condition to each of the planet axles. In some embodiments, a stator driver is operably coupled to the stator plate. Embodiments of a traction sun are adapted to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT.

A pulley assembly having a body, a shaft mount and a plurality of bolts is disclosed. The body is aligned to the shaft mount by providing a tight tolerance between a shoulder portion of the bolt and a neck portion of a counter sunk hole formed in the body. Additionally, an outer surface of the body may have a pattern of friction lines or patches formed by fusing particulate matter to the outer surface with heat generated by a laser beam.

In one example, a wheel includes an annular body having a central axis; and multiple concentric grooves in the body surrounding the central axis. A first one of the grooves penetrates the body from a first side and a second one of the grooves penetrates the body from a second side opposite the first side.

In one example, a wheel includes an annular body having a central axis; and multiple concentric grooves in the body surrounding the central axis. A first one of the grooves penetrates the body from a first side and a second one of the grooves penetrates the body from a second side opposite the first side.

A flexible friction driving device has a driving gear, a driven gear, a hexagonal sleeve, a damping ring, an elastic ring and two bearing seats, wherein the driving gear is mounted below the driven gear and engaged with the driven gear; the hexagonal sleeve is disposed between the two bearing seats, and the damping ring and the driven gear are successively sheathed on the hexagonal sleeve; a cap and the elastic ring are placed in an opening at one end of the driven gear; the elastic ring compresses the damping ring onto a cylindrical outer surface of the hexagonal sleeve; power from a motor is transferred to the driven gear by the driving gear; and, the power is flexibly transferred to the hexagonal sleeve by the friction of the inner holes of the damping ring and the driven gear against the cylindrical outer surface of the hexagonal sleeve.

A flexible friction driving device has a driving gear, a driven gear, a hexagonal sleeve, a damping ring, an elastic ring and two bearing seats, wherein the driving gear is mounted below the driven gear and engaged with the driven gear; the hexagonal sleeve is disposed between the two bearing seats, and the damping ring and the driven gear are successively sheathed on the hexagonal sleeve; a cap and the elastic ring are placed in an opening at one end of the driven gear; the elastic ring compresses the damping ring onto a cylindrical outer surface of the hexagonal sleeve; power from a motor is transferred to the driven gear by the driving gear; and, the power is flexibly transferred to the hexagonal sleeve by the friction of the inner holes of the damping ring and the driven gear against the cylindrical outer surface of the hexagonal sleeve.

A variety of transmission mechanisms are provided that include split pulleys nested within each other in order to reduce the size of the transmissions, to provide infinitely variable transmission ratios that include forward and reverse ratios, or to provide some other benefits. These transmissions includeW-shaped belts, having both contact surfaces that are directed outward from the belt and inward, toward a center-line of the belt, to contact the pulleys with respective different inward- and outward-directed contact surfaces. Accordingly, the surfaces at which the belt contacts the different pulleys may be substantially the same with respect to a hinge or other structure of the belt. This improvement may permit higher levels of power transmission, increased efficiency, and increased transmission lifetime. Additionally, variable-eccentricity variable transmissions are provided wherein the eccentricity of rotation of an inner, nested pulley varies with changes in the transmission ratio of the transmission.

Self-locking lock-up means (20, 21) for a transmission mechanism (1) comprising at least one wheel and a transmission linkage collaborating with said wheel, the lock-up means comprises at least one lock-up support (22) exhibiting at least one first bearing surface and at least one wedging element (201, 211) comprising:a second bearing surface collaborating with the first bearing surface,a lock-up surface (213, 203) able to collaborate temporarily with a driving surface opposite, the wedging element being able to move in a direction of insertion along the first bearing surface between a minimum position in which the lock-up surface is furthest away from the drive surface opposite and a nominal position in which the lock-up surface is in contact with the drive surface.

A slide member is provided with a base material and a slide layer. The slide layer is disposed on at least a portion of the base material. The slide layer contains a solid lubricant and a plurality of hard particles, the hard particles being harder than the solid lubricant.