CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM HAVING VARIABLE DIAMETER PULLY ASSEMBLIES RESPONSIVE TO AXIALLY DIRECTED FORCES

摘要

A continuously variable transmission having a belt transmitting a torque between at least one variable diameter pulley assembly and at least a second pulley. The variable diameter pulley assembly has an array of belt engaging elements arranged in a circular pattern having a diameter variable as a function of the relative rotational orientation of supporting inner disk members and outer disk members, one inner disk member and one outer disk member being disposed on opposite sides of the belt engaging members. A hub connected to the outer disk members has a plurality of helical slots concentric with the axis of rotation and a disk drive member connected to the inner disk members circumscribes the hub. The disk drive member has a plurality of helical slots which rotate in the opposite direction of the helical slots in the hub. Each helical slot in the disk drive member crosses one of the helical slots in the hub to form a plurality of through apertures. An actuator pin disposed in each through aperture locks the disk drive member to the hub for rotation. An axially displaceable pin cage connected to the actuator pins permits the actuator pins to be displaced along the axis of rotation. The axial displacement of the actuator pins in the crossing helical slots rotates the disk drive member and the inner disk members relative to the hub and the outer disk members causing the diameter of the circular pattern of the belt engaging members to change. An alternate embodiment has crossing helical grooves in place of the crossing helical slots and a ball received in the intersection of the crossing helical grooves.