This CONSTANT-INPUT-TORQUE, CONTINUOUSLY-VARIABLE-SPEED, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION USING JUXTAPOSED CONES, AND AN INCLINED PLANE TORQUE COUPLER (herein: “Transmission”) is a simple, light weight, ‘constant input torque’, infinitely-variable speed, automatic transmission which uses two oppositely oriented (juxtaposed) cones and control mechanisms, appropriately interconnected by a serpentine belt. The output of the Transmission is connected to the useful load for which the Transmission is used. This Transmission has the inherent property that, regardless of the load resistance connected, the torque at the Transmission input remains approximately constant, while output rotational velocity (speed) varies as load increases or decreases.

A continuously variable transmission including an input pulley having a first subassembly supported upon a first rotatably driven shaft and an output pulley having a second subassembly supported upon a second rotatable shaft. Each subassembly includes a plurality of left link elements extending from segmented pulley segments to a first shaft supported rotating element, along with a plurality of right link elements extending from the segmented pulley segments to a second shaft supported rotated element for positioning the segmented pulley segments in an outwardly circumferentially arrayed fashion about each of the first and second shafts. Axial displacement of a first and second pairs of said first and second shaft supporting elements in each of the input and output pulley subassemblies inversely varying a collective diameter formed by said arrangements of segmented pulley segments in order to maintain a constant circumference of a belt supported about the segmented pulley segments for each of the input and output pulleys.

A clutch weight for a continuously variable transmission is disclosed. The clutch weight, in certain examples, includes a body having a first end having a pivot pin opening and a second end opposite the first end, a curvilinear surface disposed between the first end and the second end configured to engage a roller, and wherein the roller contacts the curvilinear surface at least at a first contact position, and a center of mass of the body disposed a distance Y from a center of the pivot pin opening and a distance X from the first contact position, and where a ratio of X to Y is in the range of between about 0.526 and 0.558.

A flyweight comprises a body. The body of the flyweight comprises a pivot, a cam surface, and a first coupler. The first coupler is configured to selectively couple at least one first weight to the body distal from the cam surface. A flyweight comprises a body having at least 20% of its mass positioned to contribute negative torque about a pivot related to an acceleration of a CVT clutch from an idling condition. A method of tuning a flyweight comprises attaching at least one first weight to a first coupler of a body of the flyweight distal from a cam surface of the body. A CVT clutch comprises at least one flyweight with a first coupler configured to selectively couple at least one first weight to a body of the flyweight distal from a cam surface.

Inventive embodiments are directed to components, subassemblies, systems, and/or methods for continuously variable transmissions (CVT). In one embodiment, a main axle is adapted to receive a shift rod that cooperates with a shift rod nut to actuate a ratio change in a CVT. In another embodiment, an axial force generating mechanism can include a torsion spring, a traction ring adapted to receive the torsion spring, and a roller cage retainer configured to cooperate with the traction ring to house the torsion spring. Various inventive idler-and-shift-cam assemblies can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. Embodiments of a hub shell and a hub cover are adapted to house components of a CVT and, in some embodiments, to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT. Among other things, shift control interfaces and braking features for a CVT are disclosed.

A continuously variable transmission including an input pulley having a first subassembly supported upon a first rotatably driven shaft and an output pulley having a second subassembly supported upon a second rotatable shaft. Each subassembly includes a plurality of left link elements extending from segmented pulley segments to a first shaft supported rotating element, along with a plurality of right link elements extending from the segmented pulley segments to a second shaft supported rotated element for positioning the segmented pulley segments in an outwardly circumferentially arrayed fashion about each of the first and second shafts. Axial displacement of a first and second pairs of said first and second shaft supporting elements in each of the input and output pulley subassemblies inversely varying a collective diameter formed by said arrangements of segmented pulley segments in order to maintain a constant circumference of a belt supported about the segmented pulley segments for each of the input and output pulleys.

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a drive pulley for a continuously variable transmission including a stationary sheave with a stationary shaft, a movable sheave axially movable relative to the stationary sheave and in contact with the stationary shaft; a spider in contact with at least the moveable sheave and stationary shaft; a spring member, biasing the movable sheave axially away from the stationary sheave; at least one centrifugal actuator including an arm pivotally connected to one of the movable sheave and the spider, the arm pivoting away from the one of the movable sheave and the spider as a speed of rotation of the drive pulley increases, the arm pushing against another one of the movable sheave and the spider as the arm pivots away from the one of the movable sheave and the spider, thereby moving the movable sheave axially toward the stationary sheave, the at least one centrifugal actuator being disposed radially outward of the stationary sheave shaft; and a torque transfer assembly operatively connected to at least one of the spider and the movable sheave, the torque transfer assembly transferring torque between the spider and the movable sheave, the torque transfer assembly including, a torque bearing assembly and at least one roller assembly, positioned on a helixed torque pin, the torque pin connected to the spider; wherein as the roller assembly wears, the at least one roller assembly tracks along a helixed path of the torque pin in a distal direction from the bearing assembly.

An automatic transmission is provided, which includes a variator having a first pulley, a second pulley and a belt wound around the first and second pulleys, a first motor configured to give a pulley thrust force for shifting the variator to the first or second pulley, a second motor configured to cause a belt clamping force to be generated in the variator, and a power transmission mechanism provided between the second motor and the variator, to transmit an output torque of the second motor to the variator. The power transmission mechanism includes a cycloid decelerator configured to decelerate an input torque from the second motor, and transmit the decelerated input torque to the variator.

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.

An automatic transmission may include a rotating shaft; a slider portion provided on the rotating shaft; a first connecting member having one end hinged to the rotating shaft and the other end rising or falling by a centrifugal force as the rotating shaft rotates; a second connecting member having one end hinged to the first connecting member and the other end connected to a slider portion to vertically slide the slider as the first connecting member rises or falls; a diaphragm spring coupled to the slider portion and deformed in an axial direction of the rotating shaft depending on position of the slider portion; a shift fork connected to the slider portion or the diaphragm spring and engaging a synchronizer with a shift stage gear depending on position of the slider portion; an elastic regulator controlling an elastic force of the diaphragm spring; and a controller controlling the elastic regulator.