Infinitely variable toroidal drive

US6244985A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG · DE

Inventors

• Jürgen Wafzig · Bermatingen, DE
• Walter Kuhn · Friedrichshafen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 12, 2001
• Expiry date: Dec 15, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16H15/38
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to an infiflely variable toroidal drive comprising a housing 1, an input shaft 3, a torque shaft 34, two input discs 5, 15 with toroidal inner surfaces and two output discs 6, 16 with toroidal inner surfaces. One input disc and one output disc each form a pair and the two output discs are arranged next to each other and in mirror symmetry. The toroidal drive also comprises several friction wheels for transmitting a torque from the input disc to the corresponding output disc, an output shaft 10 and a gear wheel system 8, 9 between the output discs and the output shaft. A holding frame 2 is removably fastened to the drive housing 1,which frame consists of an upper frame clamp 28, a lower frame clamp 29 and a cup-shaped bearing support member 7. The lowerframe clamp 29 has a recess 45 and one end of the output shaft 10 is mounted via a bearing 32 in a rotating manner.