Patent ID: 8771125

Claim:
A continuously variable transmission apparatus comprising: an input shaft that is adapted to be rotated by a drive force received from a drive source; an output shaft that is placed coaxially with the input shaft and outputs a drive force in response to rotation of the input shaft; a continuously variable transmission mechanism that is placed between the input shaft and the output shaft; a differential gear mechanism that is placed between the continuously variable transmission mechanism and the output shaft; a bypass shaft that is placed coaxially with the input shaft and the output shaft; and a first rotation limiting mechanism, which is adapted to limit a rotational direction of the bypass shaft, wherein: the continuously variable transmission mechanism is adapted to conduct rotation of the input shaft to the differential gear mechanism after changing a speed of the rotation; the bypass shaft is adapted to conduct the rotation of the input shaft to the differential gear mechanism while bypassing the continuously variable transmission mechanism; the differential gear mechanism is adapted to conduct the rotation from the continuously variable transmission mechanism and the bypass shaft to the output shaft; the differential gear mechanism is formed as a single pinion planetary gear mechanism; the first rotation limiting mechanism limits rotation of the bypass shaft in a first rotational direction, which is the same as a direction of the rotation conducted from the continuously variable transmission mechanism to the differential gear mechanism; and the first rotation limiting mechanism enables rotation of the bypass shaft in a second rotational direction, which is opposite from first rotational direction.