Drive pulley for a continuously variable transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11306809-B2
Application number	US-201916274939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2019
Priority date	Nov 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A drive pulley for a CVT has a fixed sheave, a movable sheave, a spider, a biasing member biasing the movable sheave axially away from the fixed sheave, at least one centrifugal actuator and at least one slider assembly. The at least one slider assembly has a slider block connected to one of the movable sheave and the spider and abutting another one of the movable sheave and the spider. The slider block slides along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially. The at least one slider assembly transfers torque between the movable sheave and the spider. A slider block for a drive pulley of a CVT is also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive pulley for a continuously variable transmission comprising:
a fixed sheave having an axis of rotation;
a movable sheave axially movable relative to the fixed sheave;
a spider axially fixed relative to the fixed sheave and rotationally fixed relative to the movable sheave, the movable sheave being disposed axially between the spider and the fixed sheave;
a biasing member biasing the movable sheave axially away from the fixed 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 fixed sheave; and
at least one slider assembly including a slider block connected to one of the movable sheave and the spider and abutting another one of the movable sheave and the spider, the slider block sliding along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially, the slider block moving along a radially extending sliding axis,
the at least one slider assembly transferring torque between the movable sheave and the spider;
for each of the at least one slider assembly:
the other one of the movable sheave and the spider defining a passage between a first wall and a second wall;
the slider block being disposed in the passage;
the slider block having a first surface abutting and sliding along the first wall;
the slider block having second and third surfaces abutting and sliding along the second wall;
the first surface being larger than the second surface;
the first surface being disposed radially outward of the second surface relative to the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave;
the first and second surfaces being planar;
the first surface extending circumferentially further away from the sliding axis than the second surface;
the first surface being angled relative to the sliding axis;
the second surface being parallel to the sliding axis;
the third surface being angled relative to the sliding axis;
the first and third surfaces extending toward the sliding axis as they extend away from the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave;
a fourth surface of the first wall abutting the first surface of the slider block being angled relative to the sliding axis;
a fifth surface of the second wall abutting the second surface of the slider block being parallel to the sliding axis;
a sixth surface of the second wall abutting the third surface of the slider block being angled relative to the sliding axis; and
the fourth and sixth surfaces extending toward the sliding axis as they extend away from the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave.

2. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one slider assembly, the slider block is connected to the movable sheave.

3. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the at least one slider assembly further comprises a radially extending shaft connected to the movable sheave, the shaft defining a shaft axis, the sliding axis being the shaft axis; and
for each of the at least one slider assembly, the slider block is mounted to the shaft.

4. The drive pulley of claim 3 , wherein the shaft is cylindrical, and the slider block has a body defining a cylindrical aperture dimensioned to receive the shaft therein.

5. The drive pulley of claim 3 , wherein for each of the at least one slider assembly, the slider block is movable along the shaft.

6. The drive pulley of claim 5 , wherein each of the at least one slider assembly further comprises a bumper mounted to the shaft and being disposed radially outward of the slider block relative to the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave, the bumper being structured to abut the slider block and limit the movement of the slider block along the shaft.

7. The drive pulley of claim 6 , wherein for each of the at least one slider assembly, the third surface of the slider block abuts the sixth surface of the second wall before the slider block abuts the bumper.

8. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein:
a first angle is defined between the first surface and the sliding axis;
a second angle is defined between the third surface and the sliding axis; and
the second angle is greater than the first angle.

9. The drive pulley of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixed sheave shaft connected to the fixed sheave; and
a movable sheave shaft connected to the movable sheave, the fixed sheave shaft being disposed at least in part inside the movable sheave shaft;
wherein the movable sheave shaft is disposed at least in part inside the biasing member; and
wherein the biasing member is disposed at least in part inside the spider.

10. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one slider assembly, as the slider block wears, the slider block continues to abut and slide along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially.

11. A continuously variable transmission comprising:
the drive pulley of claim 1 ;
a driven pulley having:
a fixed sheave; and
a movable sheave axially movable relative to the fixed sheave; and

a drive belt looped around the fixed and movable sheaves.

12. A vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a motor connected to the frame;
the continuously variable transmission of claim 11 , the drive pulley being operatively connected to and driven by the motor;
a driven shaft connected to and driven by the driven pulley; and
at least one ground engaging member operatively connected to the driven shaft.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein:
the frame includes a tunnel; and
the at least one ground engaging member is a drive track disposed at least in part under the tunnel;
the vehicle further comprising:
at least one ski operatively connected to the frame; and
a straddle seat disposed above the tunnel.

14. A slider block for a drive pulley of a continuously variable transmission having first and second walls, the slider block comprising:
a slider block body defining an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture defining an aperture axis, the slider block being configured to slide along the aperture axis during operation of the continuously variable transmission,
the slider block body having a first surface and a second surface for abutting and sliding along the first and second walls of the drive pulley,
the first and second surfaces extending on opposite sides of the aperture axis,
the first surface being larger than the second surface,
the first and second surfaces being angled relative to the aperture axis, and
the first surface being axially offset relative to the second surface.

15. The slider block of claim 14 , wherein the first surface extends further away from the aperture axis than the second surface.

16. The slider block of claim 14 , wherein the first and second surfaces are planar.

17. The slider block of claim 14 , wherein:
a first angle is defined between the first surface and the aperture axis;
a second angle is defined between the second surface and the aperture axis; and
the first and second angles are greater than 10 degrees.

18. The slider block of claim 14 , further comprising a third surface for abutting and sliding along the second wall of the drive pulley, the third surface extending parallel to the apertu

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Aitcin Xavier-Pierre

Classifications

• B62M27/02

  power driven · CPC title

• F16H55/563 Primary

  actuated by centrifugal masses · CPC title

• F16H9/18 Primary

  only one flange of each pulley being adjustable · CPC title

• B62M11/12

  with frictionally-engaging wheels (B62M11/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62M23/00

  Transmissions characterised by use of other elements; Other transmissions · CPC title