A hydraulic continuous variable transmission is provided to connect a wind turbine and a generator. The hydraulic continuous variable transmission has a primary paddle wheel and a number of secondary paddle wheels for macro speed control. Also provided are pneumatic paddle wheels for micro speed control. A controller is included that measures AC electrical characterized output to load or line for speed control.

Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

A power transmitting chain that operates between continuously variable pulley sheaves, but which is retained by radial locking forces rather than by teeth, sprockets, strain forces, or tangential friction. The chain is comprised of three basic elements: 1) An inner drive-chain of conventional chain links, which transmits power, but which is free-floating with no contact with the sheaves; 2) an outer series of chocks which immovably wedge into place between the sheave faces; and 3) radial links that are arranged to form the connections between the drive-chain and each of the chocks. The connecting links pivot or swing longitudinally, in both directions at both ends, and are arranged radially, so only radial forces are transmitted between the drive-chain and the chocks. With the primary vectors nearly perpendicular and restricted to angles well below tangency, the chocks are immovably seated and will not slip. However, as the radial links are slightly angled, they also duplicate the necessary horizontal vector components to rotate the sheaves.

Disclosed is a pulley having: a shaft; a first shroud, called the fixed shroud, mounted so as to be unable to move in translation with respect to the shaft; a second shroud, called the movable shroud, mounted to be driven in rotation by the shaft but is able to move longitudinally with respect to the latter; a mechanism for mechanically controlling the longitudinal movement of the second shroud with respect to the shaft, having: —a first assembly, which is mounted on the shaft and driven in rotation by the latter, —a second assembly, which is mounted on the shaft by way of at least one torsion spring such that the relative angular position of the second assembly with respect to the shaft depends on the torque transmitted by the shaft, and —a device for locking in at least one position between the first assembly and the second assembly.

A belt-slippage diagnostic apparatus for a continuously-variable transmission that includes a primary pulley, a secondary pulley and a belt looped over the primary and secondary pulleys. The belt-slippage diagnostic apparatus includes a slippage determination portion configured to determine occurrence of slippage of the belt on at least one of the primary and secondary pulleys, when a first-order derivative of a gear ratio, which is a ratio of a rotational speed of the primary pulley to a rotational speed of the secondary pulley, is not smaller than a first threshold value and a second-order derivative of the gear ratio is not smaller than a second threshold value.

Disclosed is a pulley having: a shaft; a first shroud, called the fixed shroud, mounted so as to be unable to move in translation with respect to the shaft; a second shroud, called the movable shroud, mounted to be driven in rotation by the shaft but is able to move longitudinally with respect to the latter; a mechanism for mechanically controlling the longitudinal movement of the second shroud with respect to the shaft, having: —a first assembly, which is mounted on the shaft and driven in rotation by the latter, —a second assembly, which is mounted on the shaft by way of at least one torsion spring such that the relative angular position of the second assembly with respect to the shaft depends on the torque transmitted by the shaft, and—a device for locking in at least one position between the first assembly and the second assembly.

A primary clutch of a continuously variable transmission with a launch mechanism is provided. The primary clutch includes a central post, a fixed sheave assembly, a movable sheave assembly and a locking mechanism. The central post is configured to receive rotational torque from a motor. The fixed sheave assembly is statically mounted on the central post. The movable sheave assembly is mounted on the central post. The movable sheave assembly includes a movable sheave system that is configured to move axially on the central post towards the fixed sheave assembly as RPM of the primary clutch increase. The locking mechanism is configured and arranged to selectively prevent movement of the movable sheave system independent of the RPM of the primary clutch.

A CVT transmission device (1) comprises a drive pulley (4) provided with a mobile bushing (9), a fixed bushing (11), a cam system (95,111; 97,113) comprising at least one driven cam portion (95) of mobile bushing (9) and a cam portion (111) of the fixed bushing (11). The mobile bushing (9) comprises a main wall (91) annular with respect to the axis of rotation (X), having an inner surface (91a) which delimits a housing compartment (91c) and said driven cam portion (95) protrudes radially internally from said inner surface (91a). The drive cam portion (111) of the fixed bushing (11) is suitable to penetrate axially in said housing compartment of the mobile bushing (9).

A damper apparatus for a belt element of a belt transmission includes a sliding surface, a bearing receptacle, a first rail half and a second rail half. The sliding surface is arranged to contact a strand of the belt element to dampen the belt element. The bearing receptacle is arranged to align the sliding surface with the strand such that the sliding surface defines a strand travel direction, normal to a transversal direction. The first rail half has a first plunge opening with a first hook lid, and the second rail half has a second plunge opening with a second hook lid. The first rail half and the second rail half are interlockingly connected in contact to each other crosswise to the strand travel direction, and the first hook lid is arranged to plunge into the second plunge opening behind the second hook lid in a gripping manner.