CVT Air Blocking Plate Suppresses Flow Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional belt-type continuously variable transmission's cooling air flow interferes with each other in a complex manner inside a narrow case, making it difficult to direct cooling air from the drive pulley to the driven pulley effectively.
Innovation Solution
An air blocking plate is positioned between the drive and driven pulley assemblies to block interfering air flows, allowing the cooling air to intensify around the drive pulley and flow smoothly towards the driven pulley, enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling air is blown toward the outer periphery of both drive pulley and driven pulley simultaneously, then both pulleys receive cooling air, but the cooling air flows interfere with each other in a complex manner inside the narrow case space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling air supply into two separate systems: one for the drive pulley and another for the driven pulley. By segmenting the cooling air paths and using separate intake ducts and flow control mechanisms, the interference between cooling air flows is reduced, allowing each pulley to be cooled effectively without complex flow interactions.
2Volume of moving object
If the case space is made narrow to compact the transmission, then the transmission is more compact, but it becomes difficult to form a directed flow of cooling air from drive pulley to driven pulley
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air guide members that extend in the axial direction of the pulleys to direct cooling air flow. By utilizing the axial dimension and creating three-dimensional flow paths with guide members, the system achieves effective cooling air directionality within the compact radial space, overcoming the limitations of narrow case space.
3Temperature
If cooling air flow is intensified around drive pulley, then cooling efficiency of drive pulley improves, but interference with cooling air flow in vicinity of driven pulley increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air blocking plates or deflectors as intermediary elements between the drive pulley and driven pulley cooling zones. These intermediaries redirect the intense cooling air flow from the drive pulley region, preventing it from directly interfering with the driven pulley cooling flow, while still maintaining effective cooling at both locations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration suppresses interference between air flows, intensifies the cooling air around the drive pulley, and directs it efficiently to the driven pulley, improving the overall cooling efficiency of the pulleys and belt.
Implementation Method 1
the drive pulley assembly has fins for generating a flow of air moving toward an outer periphery of the drive pulley assembly according to rotation of the drive pulley assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A belt-type continuously variable transmission comprises a drive pulley assembly mounted to a drive shaft; a driven pulley assembly mounted to a driven shaft; a belt connecting the two; and a case assembly for accommodating these components. The drive pulley assembly has fins for generating a flow of air moving toward an outer periphery of the drive pulley assembly. When viewed in an axial direction of the drive shaft, an air blocking plate is positioned at a forward side in a rotational direction of the drive pulley assembly relative to an imaginary line segment connecting a center axis of the drive pulley assembly to a center axis of the driven pulley assembly, between the drive pulley assembly and the driven pulley assembly such that the air blocking plate surrounds the outer periphery of the drive pulley assembly over a predetermined range.