Patent ID: 7338398

Claim:
A continuously variable transmission or clutch device, comprising: a) at least one pulley rotatable on a pivot and having a pair of adjustable sheaves including a movable sheave movable along the pivot; and b) an ortho-planar compliant mechanism further comprising: 1) a base operatively coupled to the movable sheave; 2) a center platform, movably coupled to the base, and movable linearly along at least a portion of an axial direction without substantial pivoting about the axial direction with respect to the base; and 3) a resilient and flexible connecting structure, connected to and between the base and center platform, and bendable to develop (i) an axial force along the axial direction to bias the platform in a stable position with respect to the base, and (ii) non-axial forces which substantially sum to zero to preserve the orientation of the platform with respect to the base; and c) wherein the ortho-planar compliant mechanism can bias the movable sheave towards or away from the other sheave.