Patent ID: 8216099

Claim:
A continuously variable transmission with supplemental high and low shift transmission pulley trains, comprising: a continuously variable different-shaft-type transmission device ( 100 ) having a CVT driving pulley and a CVT driven pulley, said CVT driving pulley and CVT driven pulley having a continuously variable speed ratio; a high shift transmission pulley train ( 202 ) connected to an input side of the continuously variable different-shaft-type transmission device ( 100 ), said high shift transmission pulley train ( 202 ) including a high shift driving pulley and a high shift driven pulley, said high shift driving pulley being directly connected to an input shaft ( 101 ) and connected to an output shaft ( 103 ) through a clutching device ( 222 ), wherein said high shift driving pulley and high shift driven pulley rotate in a same direction and have a fixed or multi-stage variable speed ratio; and a low shift transmission pulley train ( 102 ) connected to a unidirectional transmission device ( 111 ) and including a low shift driving pulley driven by an input shaft ( 101 ) and a low shift driven pulley connected to said output shaft, wherein said low shift driving pulley and said low shift driven pulley rotate in a same direction and have a fixed or multi-stage variable speed ratio, and wherein said unidirectional input device ( 111 ) is installed in one of the following two positions: (a) between the input shaft ( 101 ) and the low shift driving pulley; (b) between the low shift driving pulley and the output shaft ( 103 ), for engaging and disengaging said low shift driving pulley from either said input shaft ( 101 ) or said output shaft ( 103 ), said engagement and disengagement depending on a speed of said low shift driving pulley relative to said input shaft or output shaft, wherein said clutching device ( 222 ) is connected between said high shift driven pulley and said output shaft ( 103 ) for selectively connecting and disconnecting said high shift driven pulley and said CVT driven pulley; and further comprising one of the following two devices for engaging said continuously variable transmission device with either said input shaft ( 101 ) or said output shaft ( 103 ): (a) a second unidirectional transmission device ( 211 ) on an output side of the continuously variable transmission device, and (b) a torque limiting clutching device ( 212 ) installed between the high shift driven pulley and the output shaft on which the low shift driven pulley is installed.