CVT Airflow Housing for Sheave Cooling and Belt Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) face challenges in effectively cooling their components and monitoring temperature, which can lead to drive belt failure and reduced vehicle performance.
Innovation Solution
The CVT system incorporates a housing with air supply conduits providing non-recycled air to directly contact multiple sheaves, and an air diverter to optimize airflow, creating a low-pressure region that accelerates air to enhance cooling and temperature monitoring, with sensors to manage engine speed and prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ambient air is pulled into the housing to cool the drive clutch, driven clutch, and belt, then cooling is provided, but the cooling effectiveness is insufficient leading to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple cooling zones with separate air supply conduits for the drive clutch and driven clutch. Each clutch receives dedicated cooling airflow through individually positioned air supply openings, allowing independent temperature control and improved cooling effectiveness for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic cooling by introducing ambient air through air supply conduits and openings directly to the clutch components. The airflow is directed through the clutch assemblies to remove heat, and the heated air is expelled through exhaust openings, creating an effective thermal management system.
2Reliability
If air supply conduits are added to provide non-recycled air to multiple sheaves, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the air supply conduits, positions the air supply openings, and directs airflow to multiple sheaves simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and minimizes overall system complexity despite the enhanced cooling capability.
3Temperature
If air is directed to contact more sheaves, then cooling coverage is improved, but airflow management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces airflow management in the angular dimension by positioning air supply openings at different angular locations around the clutch assembly. Airflow is distributed to multiple sheaves by varying the angular position of openings and conduits, allowing comprehensive cooling coverage without requiring complex multi-level or stacked airflow paths.
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 solution effectively cools CVT components, reduces the risk of drive belt failure, and improves vehicle performance by maintaining optimal temperatures through efficient airflow and temperature management.
Implementation Method 1
a first number of air supply conduits coupled to the housing, each providing non-recycled air from an exterior of the housing to the interior of the housing through at least one air supply openings in the housing
Implementation Method 2
creating a low-pressure region that accelerates air to enhance cooling and temperature monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle may include a continuously variable transmission which requires non-recycled air. The continuously variable transmission may provide non-recycled air to a first number of sheaves of the continuously variable transmission with a second number of air supply conduits, the second number being less than the first number. A cover of the continuously variable transmission may have a unitary body.