Continuously variable transmission drive pulley

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500264-B2
Application number	US-201514784477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

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 roller assembly. The at least one roller assembly has first and second rollers rotationally connected to one of the movable sheave and the spider and abutting another one of the movable sheave and the spider, the first roller rolling along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially, the second roller rolling along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially. The first and second rollers transfer torque between the movable sheave and the spider.

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 roller assembly, the at least one roller assembly comprising:
a first roller rotationally connected to one of the movable sheave and the spider and abutting another one of the movable sheave and the spider, the first roller rolling along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially; and
a second roller rotationally connected to the one of the movable sheave and the spider and abutting the other one of the movable sheave and the spider, the second roller rolling along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially,
the first and second rollers being disposed on a same side of a first plane containing the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave,
the first and second rollers being disposed on a same side of a second plane containing the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave and being perpendicular to the first plane,
the first and second rollers transferring torque between the movable sheave and the spider.

2. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly the first and second rollers are rotationally connected to the movable sheave.

3. The drive pulley of claim 2 , wherein each of the at least one roller assembly further comprises a radially extending axle connected to the movable sheave;
wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly the first and second rollers are rotationally mounted to the axle and are rotatable about an axis of the axle.

4. The drive pulley of claim 3 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly the first and second rollers are slidable along the axle.

5. The drive pulley of claim 2 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly:
the spider defines a passage between a first wall and a second wall;
the first and second rollers are disposed in the passage;
the first roller abuts and rolls along the first wall and is spaced from the second wall; and
the second roller abuts and rolls along the second wall and is spaced from the first wall.

6. The drive pulley of claim 5 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly: the first roller is larger than the second roller; and
the first roller is disposed radially outward of the second roller.

7. The drive pulley of claim 5 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly:
the first roller is heavier than the second roller; and
the first roller is disposed radially outward of the second roller.

8. The drive pulley of claim 5 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly:
a first surface of the first roller abutting the first wall is angled relative to an axis of rotation of the first roller;
a second surface of the first wall abutting the first surface of the first roller is angled relative to the axis of rotation of the first roller;
a third surface of the second roller abutting the second wall is angled relative to an axis of rotation of the second roller; and
a fourth surface of the second wall abutting the third surface of the second roller is angled relative to the axis of rotation of the second roller.

9. The drive pulley of claim 8 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly:
a fifth surface of the second roller abutting the second wall is parallel to the axis of rotation of the second roller; and
a sixth surface of the second wall abutting the fifth surface of the second roller is parallel to the axis of rotation of the second roller.

10. The drive pulley of claim 8 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly:
the first and second surfaces extend toward the axis of rotation of the first roller as they extend away from the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave; and
the third and fourth surfaces extend toward the axis of rotation of the second roller as they extend away from the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave.

11. The drive pulley of claim 5 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly, the first and second rollers rotate about a common axis of rotation.

12. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly, the first and second rollers rotate about a common axis of rotation, the common axis of rotation being perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of rotation of the fixed sheave.

13. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly, the first roller has a larger diameter than the second roller.

14. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly, a contact surface between the first roller and the other one of the movable sheave and the spider is larger than a contact surface between the second roller and the other one of the movable sheave and the spider.

15. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein the at least one centrifugal actuator is three centrifugal actuators disposed at 120 degrees from each other;
wherein the at least one roller assembly is three roller assemblies disposed at 120 degrees from each other;
wherein the centrifugal actuators and roller assemblies are arranged in an alternating arrangement and are disposed at 60 degrees from each other.

16. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein the arm of the at least one centrifugal actuator abuts a third roller rotationally connected to the other one of the movable sheave and the spider.

17. The drive pulley of claim 1 , further comprising a damper connecting the fixed sheave to the spider and transferring torque between the fixed sheave and the spider.

18. 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.

19. The drive pulley of claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least one roller assembly, as the first and second rollers wear, the first and second rollers continue to roll along the other one of the movable sheave and the spider as the movable sheave moves axially.

20. 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.

21. A vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a motor connected to the frame;
the continuously variable transmission of claim 20

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Aitcin Xavier-Pierre
• Bourgeois Yan

Classifications

• F16H55/563 Primary

  actuated by centrifugal masses · CPC title

• F16H9/18 Primary

  only one flange of each pulley being adjustable · CPC title

• B62M27/02

  power driven · CPC title

• B62M9/08

  involving eccentrically- mounted or elliptically-shaped driving or driven wheel; with expansible driving or driven wheel · CPC title

• F16H2055/366

  with means providing resilience or vibration damping · CPC title