A continuously variable transmission in which a circular driver, positioned between and frictionally engaged with op posing surfaces of two oppositely rotatable disks, which are urged towards each other with a biasing mechanism, is mounted to, and is movable axially along, a drive shaft which extends radially from an input shaft which rotates the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis of the input shaft, and wherein output drive is taken from the disks via a speed balancing system.

A transmission includes an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing torque output to a driveline. A controller determines a shaft displacement angle representing an angle value of rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and performs a transmission operation responsive to the shaft displacement angle.

A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.

Provided herein is a variator having a rotatable input shaft operably coupleable to a source of rotational power; a variator assembly having a first traction ring assembly and a second traction ring assembly in contact with a plurality of balls, wherein each ball of the plurality of balls has a tiltable axis of rotation, the variator assembly is coaxial with the rotatable input shaft; a first axial thrust bearing coupled to the rotatable input shaft and the first traction ring assembly; a bypass clutch coupled to the rotatable input shaft and configured to selectively engage the rotatable input shaft and the first traction ring assembly; a rotatable output shaft operably coupled to the rotatable input shaft and the second traction ring assembly; and a second axial thrust bearing coupled to the rotatable output shaft and the second traction ring assembly.

A variator unit of a power-split continuously variable transmission is fixed to a rotationally fixed component and has a primary side rotationally fixed to an input shaft and a secondary side rotationally fixed to a first element of a second planetary gear set via a third shaft. A third element of a first planetary gear set is rotationally fixed via a fourth shaft to a second element of the second planetary gear set, which is fixable to the rotationally fixed component via a first shift element and connectable to the input shaft via a second shift element. A third element of the second planetary gear set is rotationally fixed via a fifth shaft to a first element of the first planetary gear set fixable to the rotationally fixed component via a third shift element. The second element of the first planetary gear set is rotationally fixed to an output shaft.

A powertrain including: a main shaft; a first variator having a first plurality of balls in contact with a first traction ring assembly and a second traction ring assembly, and each ball operably coupled to a first carrier assembly; a second variator having a second plurality of balls in contact with a third traction ring assembly and a fourth traction ring assembly, and each ball operably coupled to a second carrier assembly; and a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a planet carrier supporting a plurality of planet gears coupled to the ring gear, and a sun gear coupled to the plurality of the planet gears. The first variator, second variator, and planetary gear set are arranged coaxially along the main shaft. The first traction ring assembly is coupled to the planetary gear set and the second traction ring assembly is coupled to the third traction ring assembly.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for the transmission of power in motor vehicles. Power can be transmitted in a smoother and more efficient manner, with smaller and even less mechanical components, by splitting torque into two or more torque paths. A power transmission apparatus comprises a power input shaft, a planetary gear set coupled to the power input shaft, and a variator, such as a continuously variable transmission (CVT), coupled to the gear set. The various components of the planetary gear set and the variator are arranged such that torque is split between two or more torque paths and then recombined before power is output to a gear box and a differential of the motor vehicle.

A transmission includes an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing torque output to a driveline. A controller determines a shaft displacement angle representing an angle value of rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and performs a transmission operation responsive to the shaft displacement angle.

A variable transmission includes an input shaft, a planetary gear set drivingly engaged with a variator comprising, a variator carrier assembly, a first ring assembly, and a second ring assembly; and the output shaft, arranged with various combinations of brakes and clutches to produce transmissions with continuously variable or infinitely variable torque output ratios.

A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.