CVT Metal Element Flange Design for Gap Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) experience efficiency losses due to gaps between metal elements when the belt travels from the driven sheave to the drive sheave, leading to slips and reduced driving force transmission, as air blowing techniques are ineffective in filling minute gaps with identical outer shapes and varying traveling speeds.
Innovation Solution
A CVT design with metal elements featuring flange or recessed portions on the outer and inner circumferential sides, combined with a fluid supply device that sprays lubricating oil onto these portions to adjust the posture of metal elements, reducing gaps and preventing slips by controlling the fluid's ejection force and direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air is blown against the CVT belt in its traveling direction to fill gaps between metal elements, then gap filling is attempted, but the blown air is hard to effectively work on the metal elements since an outer shape of each metal element is identical and every gap between the metal elements is minute
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces flange portions or recessed portions at specific locations (outer circumferential and inner circumferential sides) of metal elements. These localized structural features create larger fluid communication paths compared to the minute gaps between identical-shaped elements, allowing the fluid supply device to effectively reach and fill gaps through these enhanced local structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange portions and recessed portions act as intermediary structures between the fluid supply device and the minute gaps between metal elements. The fluid is supplied to these intermediary structures first, which then facilitate fluid penetration into the actual gaps, solving the problem of direct fluid application being ineffective on minute gaps.
2Manufacturing precision
If air is blown to fill gaps between metal elements, then some gap filling occurs, but the gaps between the metal elements in the stacking direction cannot be filled unless each metal element is arranged to make a traveling speed of a head part located at an outer circumferential side larger than a traveling speed of a body part located at an inner circumferential side
Solution Approach 1:
By providing flange portions or recessed portions at both the outer circumferential side and inner circumferential side of metal elements, the invention creates localized fluid communication paths that accommodate the speed differential between head and body parts. The fluid supplied to these localized structures effectively fills gaps even when different parts of the metal element have different traveling speeds.
3Manufacturing precision
If metal elements are arranged to make traveling speed of head part larger than traveling speed of body part, then gaps can be filled, but this complex arrangement is required to achieve effective gap filling
Solution Approach 1:
The flange portions and recessed portions serve as intermediary structures that simplify the overall system. Instead of requiring complex arrangements of metal elements with varying traveling speeds, the fluid is supplied to these intermediary structures which then facilitate gap filling through their enlarged fluid communication paths, reducing the complexity of metal element arrangement requirements.
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 controls the posture of metal elements, reduces gaps, and enhances driving force transmission efficiency by ensuring proper alignment and contact between metal elements and the drive sheave, thereby improving the overall performance of the CVT.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid supply device for spraying a fluid onto the flange portion or the recessed portion in a traveling direction of the continuously variable transmission belt
Implementation Method 2
the fluid sprayed from the fluid supply device directly acts on the flange portion or the recessed portion... gaps between the metal elements in the stacking direction can be surely reduced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
This continuously variable transmission (10) is obtained by winding, around a drive sheave (KS) and a driven sheave (JS), a continuously variable transmission belt (3) in which a plurality of metal elements (1) are stacked and supported on an endless ring (2). In at least one of the metal elements (1), flange parts (113a, 124a) are formed on a head part (11) positioned at an outer peripheral side of the endless ring (2) and a trunk part (12) positioned at an inner peripheral side of the endless ring (2). The continuously variable transmission (10) is provided with a fluid supply device (4) which, during movement of the continuously variable transmission belt (3) from the driven sheave (JS) to the drive sheave (KS), sprayed lubricating oil (4aw, 4bw) in a movement direction (the direction of arrow FB) of the continuously variable transmission belt (3), towards the flange parts (113a, 124a).