Variator

1. A variator for ratio adjustment of a continuously variable chain drive transmission, the variator comprising:

a variator shaft ( 1 );

a variator pulley ( 2 ) supported on the variator shaft ( 1 ) and axially movable by pressurization supplied to at least one variator pressure chamber ( 31 );

the variator shaft ( 1 ) having an axial hole ( 10 ), formed in one end thereof, through which a supply of pressurized fluid to both the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) and a second pressure chamber ( 8 ) can be provided independent of one another, a non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) being located within the axial hole ( 10 ) and have a central passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the second pressure chamber ( 8 );

wherein an exterior surface of the non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) and an inwardly facing surface of the axial hole ( 10 ) define therebetween a variator passageway, communicating with a radial hole ( 14 ) in the variator shaft ( 1 ), for suppling pressurized fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ); and the central passage and the variator passage are sealed with respect to one another;

the exterior surface of the pipe ( 7 ) has two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ) for dynamic sealing of the central passageway, which supplies pressurized fluid to the second pressure chamber ( 8 ), from the variator passage, which supplies pressure fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ); and a vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) is formed in the variator shaft ( 1 ) and a first end of the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) communicates with an area of the non-rotating pipe located between the two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ) while a second end of the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) communicates with a transmission inner space ( 93 , 94 ) to facilitate venting to the transmission inner space ( 93 , 94 ) of any pressurized fluid which flows into the area located between the two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ).

2. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) has an outlet which discharges radially into the transmission inner space ( 94 ) adjacent a drive chain of the variator.

3. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) is one of a radially extending hole and a diagonally extending hole.

4. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the variator shaft ( 1 ) is a primary shaft of the variator.

5. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the variator shaft ( 1 ) is a secondary shaft of the variator.

6. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) is a clutch pressure space which is loadable with a modulatable shifting pressure.

7. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) is a pressure compensation space which is loadable with a lubrication pressure.

8. The variator according to claim 1 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) is a radially extending hole and further comprises another hole ( 92 ) extending parallel to the vent hole ( 9 ).

9. A variator for ratio adjustment of a continuously variable chain drive transmission, the variator comprising:

a variator shaft ( 1 );

a variator pulley ( 2 ) supported on the variator shaft ( 1 ) and axially movable by pressurization supplied to at least one variator pressure chamber ( 31 );

the variator shaft ( 1 ) having an axial hole ( 10 ), on one end thereof, through which the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) and a second pressure chamber ( 8 ) can be supplied with pressurized fluid independent of one another, the supply of pressurized fluid to the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) occurring via a non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) and the supply of pressurized fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) occurring between an exterior surface of the non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) and an inwardly facing surface of the axial hole ( 10 ), the pipe ( 7 ) being located within a first hole section ( 13 ) of the axial hole ( 10 ) and the supply of pressurized fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) and to the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) are reciprocally sealed;

wherein the pipe ( 7 ) has two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ) for dynamic sealing of the supply of pressurized fluid to the second pressure space ( 8 ) from the supply of pressure fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) and the variator shaft ( 1 ) has a vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) which discharges, on one side, between the two sealing rings ( 73 ) and, on the other side, to a transmission inner space ( 93 , 94 ); and

the variator shaft ( 1 ) is supported by a transmission housing ( 5 ), and the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) discharges in the transmission inner space ( 93 ) in an area of the transmission housing supporting the variator shaft ( 1 ).

10. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) has an outlet which discharges radially in the transmission inner space ( 94 ) adjacent a drive chain of the variator.

11. The variator according to claim 10 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) is one of a radially extending hole and a diagonally extending hole.

12. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) discharges in the transmission inner space ( 93 ) on a front side of the end of the variator shaft ( 1 ) which has the axial hole ( 10 ).

13. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) has an outlet which discharges radially into the transmission inner space ( 94 ) adjacent a drive chain of the variator.

14. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) is one of a radially extending hole and a diagonally extending hole.

15. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the variator shaft ( 1 ) is a primary shaft of the variator.

16. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the variator shaft ( 1 ) is a secondary shaft of the variator.

17. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) is a clutch pressure space which is loadable with a modulatable shifting pressure.

18. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the second pressure chamber ( 8 ) is a pressure compensation space which is loadable with a lubrication pressure.

19. The variator according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole ( 9 ) is a radially extending hole and further comprises another hole ( 92 ) extending parallel to the vent hole ( 9 ).

20. A variator for ratio adjustment of a continuously variable chain drive transmission, the variator comprising:

a variator shaft ( 1 );

a variator pulley ( 2 ) supported on the variator shaft ( 1 ) and axially movable by pressurization supplied to at least one variator pressure chamber ( 31 );

the variator shaft ( 1 ) having an axial hole ( 10 ), formed in one end thereof, through which a supply of pressurized fluid to both the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ) and a second pressure chamber ( 8 ) can be provided independent of one another, a non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) being located within the axial hole ( 10 ) and having a central passage for supplying pressurized fluid to the second pressure chamber ( 8 );

wherein an exterior surface of the non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) and an inwardly facing surface of the axial hole ( 10 ) solely define a variator passageway therebetween, communicating with a radial hole ( 14 ) in the variator shaft ( 1 ), for suppling pressurized fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ); and the central passage and the variator passage are sealed with respect to one another;

wherein the exterior surface of the pipe ( 7 ) has two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ) which engage with both the exterior surface of the non-rotating pipe ( 7 ) and the inwardly facing surface of the axial hole ( 10 ) for dynamic sealing of the central passageway, which supplies pressurized fluid to the second pressure chamber ( 8 ), from the variator passage, which supplies pressure fluid to the variator pressure chamber ( 31 ); and a vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) is formed in the variator shaft ( 1 ) and a first end of the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) communicates with an area of the non-rotating pipe located between the two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ) while a second end of the vent hole ( 9 , 92 ) communicates with a transmission inner space ( 93 , 94 ) to facilitate venting to the transmission inner space ( 93 , 94 ) of any pressurized fluid which flows into the area located between the two axially adjacent sealing rings ( 73 ).