A dog clutch operable to bypass a variator of a transmission is disclosed. The dog clutch includes a housing engaged with an input ring of the variator. The dog clutch also includes a piston engaged with the housing and movable from a first position in which the piston is disengaged from an output ring of the variator to a second position in which the piston is engaged with the output ring. The variator input ring and output ring are locked together when the dog clutch is in the second position to prevent the variator from producing continuously variable torque output. The variator is operable to produce continuously-variable torque output when the dog clutch is in the first position.

A variator suitable for an automotive continuously variable transmission utilizes a roller frictionally engaging two rotating plates. The plates are connected to an input such that they rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions. To change the ratio, the roller is moved along an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the two counter-rotating plates. Power from the roller is transmitted to a bevel gear which meshes with an output bevel gear. The output bevel gear rotated about the same axis as the plates.

A variator suitable for an automotive continuously variable transmission utilizes a roller frictionally engaging two rotating plates. The plates are connected to an input such that they rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions. To change the ratio, the roller is moved along an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the two counter-rotating plates. Power from the roller is transmitted to a bevel gear which meshes with an output bevel gear. The output bevel gear rotated about the same axis as the plates.

Inventive embodiments are directed to components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for infinitely variable transmissions (IVT). In one embodiment, a control system is adapted to facilitate a change in the ratio of an IVT. In another embodiment, a control system includes a carrier member configured to have a number of radially offset slots. Various inventive carrier members and carrier drivers can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of an IVT. In some embodiments, the traction planet assemblies include planet axles configured to cooperate with the carrier members. In one embodiment, the carrier member is configured to rotate and apply a skew condition to each of the planet axles. In some embodiments, a carrier member is operably coupled to a carrier driver. In some embodiments, the carrier member is configured to couple to a source of rotational power. Among other things, shift control interfaces for an IVT are disclosed.

A transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The transmission provides multiple powerpaths and can be combined with electrical components to provide motor/generator functionality, which reduces the overall size and complexity of the motor and transmission compared to when they are constructed separately. In one embodiment, rotatable components of a continuously variable transmission are coupled separately to an electrical rotor and to an electrical stator so that the rotor and stator rotate simultaneously in opposite directions relative to one another. In other embodiments, an electrical rotor is configured to transfer torque to or from a disc that is in contact with a plurality of speed adjusters, while an electrical stator is configured to transfer torque to a shaft that is operationally coupled to the speed adjusters via an idler.

A transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The transmission provides multiple powerpaths and can be combined with electrical components to provide motor/generator functionality, which reduces the overall size and complexity of the motor and transmission compared to when they are constructed separately. In one embodiment, rotatable components of a continuously variable transmission are coupled separately to an electrical rotor and to an electrical stator so that the rotor and stator rotate simultaneously in opposite directions relative to one another. In other embodiments, an electrical rotor is configured to transfer torque to or from a disc that is in contact with a plurality of speed adjusters, while an electrical stator is configured to transfer torque to a shaft that is operationally coupled to the speed adjusters via an idler.

A continuously variable transmission ring driving mechanism, including a cylinder having a ring-shaped recess with a ring-shaped bottom-wall and two ring-shaped sidewalls, the ring-shaped bottom-wall having axial guide-holes each for receiving a continuously variable transmission rod; rollers pivotally disposed at the ring-shaped bottom-wall and the ring-shaped sidewalls and exposed partially from the ring-shaped recess; and a continuously variable transmission annular unit movably received in the ring-shaped recess, wherein an inner ring-shaped surface of the continuously variable transmission annular unit is in contact with the rollers of the ring-shaped bottom-wall, and two opposing ring-shaped surfaces of the continuously variable transmission annular unit are in contact with the rollers of the ring-shaped sidewalls, the continuously variable transmission annular unit having oblique guide-holes, allowing the oblique guide-holes to guide the continuously variable transmission rod along axial direction of the cylinder when the continuously variable transmission annular unit rotates about the cylinder.

A continuously variable transmission ring driving mechanism, including a cylinder having a ring-shaped recess with a ring-shaped bottom-wall and two ring-shaped sidewalls, the ring-shaped bottom-wall having axial guide-holes each for receiving a continuously variable transmission rod; rollers pivotally disposed at the ring-shaped bottom-wall and the ring-shaped sidewalls and exposed partially from the ring-shaped recess; and a continuously variable transmission annular unit movably received in the ring-shaped recess, wherein an inner ring-shaped surface of the continuously variable transmission annular unit is in contact with the rollers of the ring-shaped bottom-wall, and two opposing ring-shaped surfaces of the continuously variable transmission annular unit are in contact with the rollers of the ring-shaped sidewalls, the continuously variable transmission annular unit having oblique guide-holes, allowing the oblique guide-holes to guide the continuously variable transmission rod along axial direction of the cylinder when the continuously variable transmission annular unit rotates about the cylinder.

A continuously variable transmission mechanism includes a speed-changing frame having innermost annularly-arranged guide-slots, outermost annularly-arranged cruciform-guide-slots, and intermediate annularly-arranged receiving-holes communicating with the guide-slots and cruciform-guide-slots; speed-changing units having speed-changing spheres movably-received in and exposed from the receiving-holes, speed-changing rods movably, penetratingly disposed at the speed-changing spheres, and speed-changing slide-bars perpendicularly connected to exposed ends of the speed-changing rods, wherein the speed-changing slide-bars and rods are exposed from end-portions of the speed-changing spheres and slide within the cruciform-guide-slots, whereas the speed-changing rods are exposed from other end-portions of the speed-changing spheres and slide within the guide-slots; two oblique support-units having oblique support-rings with outward-tilted support-annular-surfaces for supporting the speed-changing spheres and inward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces, oblique supporters having outward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces, and truncated-conical ball-rings clamped between the inward-tilted and outward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces; power-input and power-output rotators with power-input and power-output inward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces for clamping the speed-changing spheres from the receiving-holes, respectively.

A continuously variable transmission mechanism includes a speed-changing frame having innermost annularly-arranged guide-slots, outermost annularly-arranged cruciform-guide-slots, and intermediate annularly-arranged receiving-holes communicating with the guide-slots and cruciform-guide-slots; speed-changing units having speed-changing spheres movably-received in and exposed from the receiving-holes, speed-changing rods movably, penetratingly disposed at the speed-changing spheres, and speed-changing slide-bars perpendicularly connected to exposed ends of the speed-changing rods, wherein the speed-changing slide-bars and rods are exposed from end-portions of the speed-changing spheres and slide within the cruciform-guide-slots, whereas the speed-changing rods are exposed from other end-portions of the speed-changing spheres and slide within the guide-slots; two oblique support-units having oblique support-rings with outward-tilted support-annular-surfaces for supporting the speed-changing spheres and inward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces, oblique supporters having outward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces, and truncated-conical ball-rings clamped between the inward-tilted and outward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces; power-input and power-output rotators with power-input and power-output inward-tilted clamping-annular-surfaces for clamping the speed-changing spheres from the receiving-holes, respectively.