An automated manual transmission, comprising: a transmission control unit, a shift rod movable between a predetermined first position in which it engages a first gear combination of the transmission, a predetermined second position in which it engages a second gear combination of the transmission, and a predetermined neutral position in which it does not engage any gear, an actuator for moving the shift rod between the first position, the second position and the neutral position by applying a fluid pressure acting on the shift rod in response to signals from the transmission control unit, mechanical engagement means for maintaining the first and second positions of the shift rod without applying any fluid pressure by means of the actuator,
wherein the transmission is adapted to maintain the neutral position of the shift rod solely by applying fluid pressure acting on the shift rod.

This invention relates to controlling the speed ratio of a Continuous Variable Transmission with a hydraulic method. The Ball Planetary CVT design is adapted with a mechanical and hydraulic addition. The carrier of the ball-type variator is supported by hydraulic actuators. The result is that the speed ratio is controlled by both a set speed ratio and the torque flowing through the CVT. Subsequently, torque peaks are avoided and controllability of the CVT is increased.

Methods and systems for improving operation of a vehicle driveline that includes an engine and an automatic transmission with a torque converter are presented. In one non-limiting example, the engine may be stopped while a vehicle in which the engine operates is rolling. A transmission coupled to the engine may be shifted as the vehicle rolls so that vehicle response may be improved if a driver requests an increase of engine torque.

A vehicle continuously transmission mechanism includes a seal mechanism to seal a hydraulic chamber defined by fixed and movable members on a back surface side of a movable sheave of a pulley or seal an oil passage communicating with the hydraulic chamber. This seal mechanism has an annular seal member normally brought into intimate contact with an opposing surface of the sliding contact part and a lip seal member formed with an annular lip such that a tip end of the annular lip is directed toward the outside and a side surface of the annular lip located closer to the hydraulic chamber or oil passage is brought into elastic contact with the opposing surface of the sliding contact part.

A fast indexing mechanism that can be used to quickly and accurately change the axial position of a cone of a CVT. Said indexing mechanism comprises of a Rotation Providing Mechanism that is powered by springs that are tensioned by a pneumatic/hydraulic actuator (see FIGS. 41 and 42), a Rotation to Linear Converting Mover Mechanism (see FIG. 44), and an Indexing and Clutching Mechanism (see FIG. 43).

A modular shifting system is provided. The modular shifting system comprises a transmission including an input shaft and an output shaft, a transmission housing, gear trains accommodated in the transmission housing and constituting at least two shiftable gear ratios for establishing a transmission ratio between the output shaft and the input shaft, and a shift device for shifting between the at least two gear ratios. The shift device is detachably attached to the transmission housing. The shift device is one of an electrically actuated shift device and a pneumatically actuated shift device. The modular shifting system is configured such that the electrically actuated shift device is interchangeable with the pneumatically actuated shift device and vice versa.

A continuously variable transmission 1 includes: a primary pulley 20 including a nipping groove 22 receiving a V belt 12 wound across pulleys, the primary pulley 20 including a fixed half pulley 21 having a back side, opposite to the nipping groove 22, provided with a hollow part S; and a reinforcing member 41 having a center hole receiving a driving shaft 11 and tapering from an outer circumference side toward an inner circumference side to have an annular conical shape. The reinforcing member 41 has an outer circumference side end portion 41a brought into contact with and attached to an outer circumference side end surface Sa of the hollow part S and has an inner circumference side end portion 41b attached to an inner circumference side end surface Sb of the hollow part S via a holding member 42 having a wedge-shaped cross section.

A powertrain has a continuously variable transmission including a shaft rotatable about an axis. The CVT further comprises a variator assembly that includes a pulley supported on the shaft. The pulley has a movable sheave with a ramp surface. The movable sheave is axially movable on the shaft. The variator assembly also includes an endless rotatable device frictionally engaged with the movable sheave. An actuator mechanism includes a wedge component supported on the shaft. The wedge component has a wedge surface that automatically engages the ramp surface when torque on the shaft is in a first direction. The wedge surface applies a wedge force on the ramp surface. The actuator mechanism further includes an actuator that is operatively connected to the movable sheave and is activatable to apply a force on the movable sheave.

A system and method of controlling a continuously variable transmission with variator speed ratio (VSR) closed-loop feedback is provided. The method includes determining a desired VSR based on at least one of the driver and vehicle inputs, determining a motor position adjustment needed to adjust the position of a roller to achieve the desired VSR, driving the motor based on the determined motor position adjustment needed, sensing a transmission output speed as the motor is being driven, determining an actual VSR as the motor is being driven, and providing closed-loop feedback corresponding to any difference between the actual VSR and the desired VSR and driving the motor to eliminate the difference, thereby achieving the desired VSR.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) clutch is provided that includes a CVT gearing control assembly that is configured to move a movable sheave of the CVT clutch axially on a post independent of movement caused by a reactive assembly of the CVT clutch. A slave cylinder housing of the CVT gearing control assembly forms an oil chamber that includes a plurality of slave push piston cylinders. A slave push piston is received in each slave push piston cylinder in the slave cylinder housing. Each slave push piston is in operational communication with an engaging member that is configured to selectively engage and move the movable sheave. An actuator assembly adjusts pressure to selectively move the slave push pistons.