Patent ID: 7727106
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A variable ratio transmission for mechanically coupling an input member to an output member, said variable ratio transmission allowing the conversion of an input rotational motion of said input member into an output rotational motion of said output member, said input rotational motion having an input speed and an input torque and said output rotational motion having an output speed and an output torque, said variable ratio transmission comprising: a variable ratio transmission assembly mechanically coupled to the input member and to the output member for rotating the output member at the output speed in response to the input member being rotated at the input speed, said variable ratio transmission assembly defining a transmission ratio between the output speed and the input speed, said transmission ratio being variable; and a ratio controller mechanically coupled to said variable ratio transmission assembly and to the input member for automatically adjusting the transmission ratio as a function of the input torque, said ratio controller including: said ratio defining component including a substantially cylindrical shell defining a longitudinal axis, said cylindrical shell defining a shell internal surface and a shell external surface, said cylindrical shell including an aperture extending between said shell internal surface and said shell external surface, said ratio defining surface extending at the periphery of said aperture between said shell internal surface and said shell external surface, said ratio defining surface having a pitch relatively to said longitudinal axis; said variable ratio transmission assembly including a toroidal transmission stage, said toroidal transmission stage including: wherein said support members are mechanically coupled to said actuating member so that said movement of said actuating member relatively to said ratio defining surface causes said predetermined variation of said transmission ratio by changing an orientation of said roller longitudinal axes relatively to said input and output discs.