Patent ID: 7004860

Claim:
A variable-speed drive comprising: a pulley mounted on a rotary shaft, said pulley being defined by a fixed pulley member having a belt-receiving surface and a movable pulley member having a belt-receiving surface, with said belt-receiving surface of said fixed pulley member facing said belt-receiving surface of said movable pulley member; a transmission belt on said pulley; a ball-screw mechanism for axially moving said movable pulley member along said rotary shaft so as to change a diameter of said transmission belt in a step-less manner, said ball screw mechanism including (i) an axially movable shaft having a helical thread groove in an outer peripheral surface thereof, said axially movable shaft being coupled to said movable pulley member, (ii) an immovable nut having a helical thread groove in an inner peripheral surface thereof and at least one ball circulating portion, said immovable nut being mounted on said axially movable shaft such that said helical thread groove of said immovable nut opposes said helical thread groove of said axially movable shaft, and (iii) balls rollably received between said helical thread groove of said immovable nut and said helical thread groove of said axially movable shaft, wherein said balls are to be infinitely circulated between said helical thread groove of said immovable nut and said helical thread groove of said axially movable shaft via said at least one ball circulating portion, such that upon rotation of said axially movable shaft said axially movable shaft moves axially along said rotary shaft, whereby said movable pulley member also moves axially along said rotary shaft; a coupling member fixed to one end of said threaded shaft, said coupling member including a flange extending away from an outer periphery of said threaded shaft and an overhang extending from said flange along the outer periphery of said threaded shaft such that an annular space is defined between said threaded shaft and said overhang, within which annular space said immovable nut is receivable; and a gear, for transmitting a driving force to said threaded shaft, surrounding said overhang, wherein a length of said overhang along the outer periphery of said threaded shaft is greater than a maximum stroke of relative axial movement between said threaded shaft and said immovable nut such that said immovable nut is not completely removed from said annular space during the relative axial movement between said threaded shaft and said immovable nut, wherein the maximum stroke of relative axial movement between said threaded shaft and said immovable nut corresponds to a minimum distance between said belt-receiving surface of said fixed pulley member facing said belt-receiving surface of said movable pulley member, and wherein said seal is for sealing said annular space between the inner periphery of said overhang and the outer periphery of said immovable nut at the maximum stroke of relative axial movement between said threaded shaft and said immovable nut.