Patent ID: 7201701

Claim:
A power roller supporting structure for a toroidal continuously variable transmission, the power roller supporting structure comprising: a moveable disk rotatable about a first axis and axially moveable; a stationary disk rotatable about the first axis and axially fixed, each of the moveable and stationary disks having a contact surface; power rollers disposed between the moveable and stationary disks in contact with the contact surfaces thereof, each of the power rollers being rotatable about a second axis and pivotally moveable about a third axis extending perpendicular to the second axis upon rotation of the moveable and stationary disks, the power rollers having a friction contact position relative to the moveable and stationary disks in which a speed ratio between rotational speeds of the moveable and stationary disks is determined, the friction contact position including a low speed ratio position where a reduced speed ratio is obtained and a high speed ratio position where an increased speed ratio is obtained; trunnions supporting the power rollers so as to allow the rotation of the power rollers about the second axis and the pivotal movement thereof about the third axis, each of the trunnions having end portions opposed in a direction of the third axis, wherein the arrangement comprises: a first link including a first periphery defining a first trunnion connection hole engaged with one of the end portions of each of the trunnions; and a second link including a second periphery defining a second trunnion connection hole engaged with the other of the end portions of each of the trunnions; at least one of the first and second trunnion connection holes being arranged to allow the power rollers to move closer to the first axis along the second axis when the power rollers are placed in the low speed ratio position than when the power rollers are placed in the high speed ratio position.