A transmission element for a transmission such as a continuously variable transmission, including an elongate flexible endless carrier element provided with a number of receiving spaces with an opening and with a passage extending through the number of receiving spaces in the longitudinal direction of the carrier element, a number of engaging elements which are each received in a receiving space for movement between an active position and a passive position and which in the active position protrude further inward than in the passive position and at least out of the opening of this receiving space so as to be able to engage in the active position with a pulley of the transmission, and a spring element for providing resistance for each of the number of engaging elements during movement from the active position in the direction of the passive position.

A transmission element for a transmission such as a continuously variable transmission, including an elongate flexible endless carrier element provided with a number of receiving spaces with an opening and with a passage extending through the number of receiving spaces in the longitudinal direction of the carrier element, a number of engaging elements which are each received in a receiving space for movement between an active position and a passive position and which in the active position protrude further inward than in the passive position and at least out of the opening of this receiving space so as to be able to engage in the active position with a pulley of the transmission, and a spring element for providing resistance for each of the number of engaging elements during movement from the active position in the direction of the passive position.

In one example, a portion of a transmission includes a first shaft, and a first gear cluster that includes a first group of coaxial nested gears that are movable in an axial direction relative to each other. The first group of coaxial nested gears includes a first gear that is fixed to the first shaft. The portion of a transmission further includes a self-centering mechanism that accommodates tolerance gaps between two successive gears of the first gear cluster.

A transmission mechanism has a set of two composite sprockets, each having pinion sprockets (210) supported movably in a radial direction with respect to a rotation shaft 1 that inputs or outputs power and a movement mechanism radially moving the pinion sprockets (210) in synchronization with each other while maintaining equidistance of the pinion sprocket (210) from a shaft center (C.sub.1) of the rotation shaft 1, and a chain wound around the two composite sprockets. Transmission ratio is changed by changing a circumcircle radius that is a radius of a circle encircling and circumscribing all the pinion sprockets (210). The pinion sprocket (210) is formed into a sector gear shape having a teeth portion (212) that is arranged along a circumference of a minimum radius circumcircle (A.sub.1) and meshes with the chain. With this configuration, torque can surely be transmitted.

A transmission mechanism has a set of two composite sprockets, each having pinion sprockets (210) supported movably in a radial direction with respect to a rotation shaft 1 that inputs or outputs power and a movement mechanism radially moving the pinion sprockets (210) in synchronization with each other while maintaining equidistance of the pinion sprocket (210) from a shaft center (C.sub.1) of the rotation shaft 1, and a chain wound around the two composite sprockets. Transmission ratio is changed by changing a circumcircle radius that is a radius of a circle encircling and circumscribing all the pinion sprockets (210). The pinion sprocket (210) is formed into a sector gear shape having a teeth portion (212) that is arranged along a circumference of a minimum radius circumcircle (A.sub.1) and meshes with the chain. With this configuration, torque can surely be transmitted.

Transmission mechanism has set of two composite sprockets (5, 5), each having pinion sprockets (20) supported movably in radial direction with respect to rotation shaft (1) inputting or outputting power and movement mechanism radially moving pinion sprockets (20) in synchronization with each other while maintaining equidistance of pinion sprocket (20) from shaft center (C.sub.1) of rotation shaft (1), and chain (6) wound around two composite sprockets. Transmission ratio is changed by changing circumcircle radius that is radius of circle encircling and circumscribing all the pinion sprockets (20). Each guide rod (29) has first guide rod (291) guiding chain (6) all the time regardless of circumcircle radius size, and second guide rod (292) guiding chain (6) at least when circumcircle radius is a maximum and positioned at radial direction inner side with respect to first guide rod (291) when circumcircle radius is a minimum. With this, ratio coverage can be expanded.

Transmission mechanism has set of two composite sprockets (5, 5), each having pinion sprockets (20) supported movably in radial direction with respect to rotation shaft (1) inputting or outputting power and movement mechanism radially moving pinion sprockets (20) in synchronization with each other while maintaining equidistance of pinion sprocket (20) from shaft center (C.sub.1) of rotation shaft (1), and chain (6) wound around two composite sprockets. Transmission ratio is changed by changing circumcircle radius that is radius of circle encircling and circumscribing all the pinion sprockets (20). Each guide rod (29) has first guide rod (291) guiding chain (6) all the time regardless of circumcircle radius size, and second guide rod (292) guiding chain (6) at least when circumcircle radius is a maximum and positioned at radial direction inner side with respect to first guide rod (291) when circumcircle radius is a minimum. With this, ratio coverage can be expanded.

A vehicle includes a power plant, continuously variable transmission (CVT), drive wheels, sensors, and controller. The CVT achieves a fixed gear/positive engagement and friction drive modes, and includes an input member that receives input torque from the power plant, an output member, and a variator assembly having drive and driven variator pulleys. The pulleys are connected to each other via an endless rotatable drive element, and to a respective one of the input and output members. Pulley actuators change a CVT speed ratio. The controller calculates a relative slip of the pulleys using measured speeds and displacements from the sensors, reduces the relative slip until the relative slip is below a calibrated speed limit or within a calibrated speed range via actuator control signal to the pulley actuators, and commands the fixed gear/positive engagement mode via positive engagement control signals to the CVT until the relative slip reaches zero.

A vehicle includes a power plant, continuously variable transmission (CVT), drive wheels, sensors, and controller. The CVT achieves a fixed gear/positive engagement and friction drive modes, and includes an input member that receives input torque from the power plant, an output member, and a variator assembly having drive and driven variator pulleys. The pulleys are connected to each other via an endless rotatable drive element, and to a respective one of the input and output members. Pulley actuators change a CVT speed ratio. The controller calculates a relative slip of the pulleys using measured speeds and displacements from the sensors, reduces the relative slip until the relative slip is below a calibrated speed limit or within a calibrated speed range via actuator control signal to the pulley actuators, and commands the fixed gear/positive engagement mode via positive engagement control signals to the CVT until the relative slip reaches zero.

A slide rail for a belt-drive transmission includes a slide channel and a pivoting receptacle. The slide channel includes a first slide surface for damping contact on a strand of a belt of the belt-drive transmission, a second slide surface for damping contact on the strand, antagonistic to the first slide surface, and a channel height formed by the first slide surface and the second slide surface. The pivoting receptacle is arranged for pivoting support of the slide rail on a pivoting means of the belt-drive transmission. A one of the first slide surface or the second slide surface includes an elevation extending toward the belt such that the one of the first slide surface or the second slide surface is displaced over a profile along a longitudinal direction in a transversal direction.