Patent ID: 6575869
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
A traction drive comprising a torque input disc and a torque output disc, the discs having semi-toroidal surfaces disposed in juxtaposed relationship on a common rotary axis, one with respect to the other, to define a semi-toroidal cavity;torque-transmitting rollers located in the semi-toroidal cavity; the rollers contacting each disc surface at a torque-transmitting contact patch; a trunnion rotatably supporting each roller for rotation about a roller axis; a gimbal frame rotatably supported for adjustment about a gimbal frame axis parallel to the common rotary axis of the discs; each trunnion being supported on a separate gimbal frame for rotary adjustment about a trunnion axis transversely disposed relative to the common rotary axis; a fixed gimbal support for supporting each disc and the gimbal frame; and means for rotatably adjusting the gimbal frame angularly about the gimbal frame axis whereby the roller supported on each trunnion rotates in an angularly offset plane, thereby creating a roller steering moment that acts on the roller to tilt the roller to a new ratio position; means for drivably connecting together the trunnions for the rollers whereby angular adjustment of one roller under the influence of the steering moment acting thereon is duplicated with corresponding angular adjustment of another roller to achieve ratio synchronism; the gimbal frame of one roller being drivably connected to the gimbal frame of another roller whereby the one roller is tilted about its trunnion axis in steering synchronism with corresponding tilting movement of another roller.