A metal element, which is pressed and punched by a mold, includes: a neck section positioned between a pair of right and left ring slots; an ear section continuous to a radially outer side of the neck section; and a body section continuous to a radially inner side of the neck section. A locking edge extending in a right-left direction is formed at a radially outer end of the front surface of the body section, and the metal element includes a projection section extending in the right-left direction on a back surface of the body section at a position backward of the locking edge.

A method for controlling a pulley of a vehicle having a continuously variable transmission may include: determining, by a controller, a pulley target torque and a target pulley ratio, upon detecting disturbance of the vehicle; determining, by the controller, target pressures of a driving pulley and a driven pulley based on the pulley target torque and the target pulley ratio and comparing the target pressures with each other; and controlling, by the controller, a pressure of a pulley having a larger target pressure in the comparing to be a maximum pressure generatable depending on a traveling situation of the vehicle and controlling a pressure of the other pulley to be increased to a correction pressure for implementing the target pulley ratio.

A pulley assembly for a high-speed continuously variable transmission includes a drive pulley, a shaft sleeve, a movable pulley, rollers, and a back pressure disc. The movable pulley has a shaft portion fitted on the shaft sleeve. The movable pulley has a disc chamber radially formed with multiple pairs of retaining wall pieces. A receiving room is defined between each pair of the retaining wall pieces. The bottom of the receiving room has an inclined push surface. The rollers are received in the receiving rooms. The back pressure disc includes a disc body having a complete inner conical surface. The back pressure disc is subject to the shaft sleeve and unable to be axially displaced along an output shaft. The peripheral edge of the disc body is embedded into the disc chamber of the movable pulley. The inner conical surface is pressed against the rollers.

A pulley assembly for a high-speed continuously variable transmission includes a drive pulley, a shaft sleeve, a movable pulley, rollers, and a back pressure disc. The movable pulley has a shaft portion fitted on the shaft sleeve. The movable pulley has a disc chamber radially formed with multiple pairs of retaining wall pieces. A receiving room is defined between each pair of the retaining wall pieces. The bottom of the receiving room has an inclined push surface. The rollers are received in the receiving rooms. The back pressure disc includes a disc body having a complete inner conical surface. The back pressure disc is subject to the shaft sleeve and unable to be axially displaced along an output shaft. The peripheral edge of the disc body is embedded into the disc chamber of the movable pulley. The inner conical surface is pressed against the rollers.

A cover for a transmission having improved airflow path is disclosed. The interior of the cover has a progressively narrowing airflow path to reduce pressure drop through the cover, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the airflow through the cover. The cover includes a diverter sheltering the air inlet to the cover to prevent air in the cover from exerting outward pressure on the incoming air.

A cover for a transmission having improved airflow path is disclosed. The interior of the cover has a progressively narrowing airflow path to reduce pressure drop through the cover, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the airflow through the cover. The cover includes a diverter sheltering the air inlet to the cover to prevent air in the cover from exerting outward pressure on the incoming air.

An electric axle assembly is disclosed. The electric axle assembly includes a common housing with an electric motor, a continuously variable transmission, and a planetary differential. The electric motor includes an output shaft and the continuously variable transmission is connected to the output shaft. The continuously variable transmission includes a drive shaft configured to be variably driven by the output shaft. The planetary differential is connected to the drive shaft, and the planetary differential includes a carrier configured to be driven by the drive shaft and dual sun gears configured to be driven by the carrier. Wheel axles are in independent driving engagement with a respective one of the dual sun gears.

An apparatus and methods are provided for a CVT primary clutch that provides enhanced adjustability and performance to off-road vehicle drivetrain. The clutch comprises a stationary sheave attached to a center post coupled to an output end of an engine crankshaft. A moveable sheave slides along the center post toward and away from the stationary sheave in response to engine RPM. A spider portion mounted onto the center post is coupled with the moveable sheave by multiple shift arms and ramps. The shift arms roll along the ramps to push the moveable sheave toward the stationary sheave in response to engine RPM. The weight of the shift arms and the angle of the ramps may be adjusted to affect the engine RPM at which the moveable sheave begins to move toward the stationary sheave. A face plate is fastened onto the moveable sheave for protecting internal components of the clutch.

A hybrid drive apparatus is provided to allow setting a variety of driving modes while achieving improvement in transmission efficiency. The hybrid drive apparatus includes an engine, first and second motor generators and a planetary gear mechanism. An output shaft of the first motor generator, an output shaft of an engine and an output shaft of the second motor generator, and an input shaft of the continuously variable transmission mechanism are coupled respectively to a sun gear, ring gear and carrier of the planetary gear mechanism. The hybrid drive apparatus includes first, second and third clutches which can switch engagement/disengagement respectively between the output shaft of the engine and the ring gear, between the carrier and the ring gear, and on the input shaft of the continuously variable transmission mechanism.

A continuously variable transmission includes four shift elements to establish three forward driving ranges and one reverse driving range. Two of the forward driving ranges utilize recirculating power flow paths in which the power transmitted through the variator is much smaller than the power transmitted by the transmission. Both variator sheaves rotate about axes that are offset from the input axis such that neither sheave is partially submerged in transmission fluid.