IP Library Granted Patent US 10,197,149
Granted Patent B2
US 10,197,149 · App. 15/077,984 · Granted Feb 5, 2019

V-belt type continuously variable transmission

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,197,149
App. No.
15/077,984
Granted
Feb 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A V-belt type continuously variable transmission of an air-cooled type mounted on a vehicle. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission includes an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, and an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission further includes at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct.

Claims (42)

1. An air-cooled V-belt type continuously variable transmission mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprising at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct, wherein

the intake port is configured to take air along an air flow path in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission,

the exhaust port is configured to exhaust air along the air flow path, and

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprises:

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft;

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft; and

a housing shaping an outline of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission,

wherein the air flow path includes an arcuate air flow path portion that guides air to a front portion of the outer periphery of the driving pulley along an inner periphery of the housing, and

the intake port is provided at the housing to be positioned just above the driving shaft, and has an axis extending backward and upward along a tangent at an upper front point of an outer periphery of the driving pulley so that the axis tangentially connects to the flow path portion.

2. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft;

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft; and

a fin provided to at least one of the driving pulley and the driven pulley, and configured to draw air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission.

3. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan control unit; wherein

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan, so that temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is to be less than a predetermined temperature,

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission has an input shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor, and

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan in accordance with temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, the temperature being estimated from at least one of rotational speed of the motor, an operation amount of an accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed.

4. The V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a driving shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

a driven shaft coupled to a drive axle configured to drive driving wheels or coupled to an input shaft of an auxiliary transmission;

a driving pulley provided at the driving shaft; and

a driven pulley provided at the driven shaft, wherein

the exhaust port has an axis extending frontward and upward along a tangent at an upper rear point of an outer periphery of the driven pulley.

5. An air-cooled V-belt type continuously variable transmission mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

an intake port for taking air into the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

a fan control unit, wherein:

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission further comprising at least one of an electric intake fan connected to the intake port directly or via an intake duct, and an electric exhaust fan connected to the exhaust port directly or via an exhaust duct;

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan, so that temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is to be less than a predetermined temperature;

the intake port is configured to take in air along an air flow path in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission;

the exhaust port is configured to exhaust air flowing along the air flow path;

the V-belt type continuously variable transmission has an input shaft coupled to an output shaft of a motor;

the fan control unit controls operation of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan in accordance with temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission, the temperature being estimated from at least one of rotational speed of the motor, an operation amount of an accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed;

the fan control unit has a temperature estimator configured to estimate temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission; and

the temperature estimator is configured to: estimate driving force transmitted from the motor to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission in accordance with rotational speed of the motor, the operational amount of the accelerator of the motor, and vehicle speed; estimate an amount of heat generated in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission in accordance with the estimated driving force; and estimate temperature in the V-belt type continuously variable transmission according to the estimated amount of heat.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2022
From: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060300/0504 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER 15/077,987 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENTERED AS 15/077,984 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038077 FRAME 0289. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 2, 2021
From: KUJI, YASUHIRO; ITOO, SEIJI; HAMADA, AYUMI
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 055815/0837 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038077 FRAME 0289. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE APPLICATION NUMBER NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED FROM Recorded Jun 15, 2016
From: KUJI, YASUHIRO; ITOO, SEIJI; HAMADA, AYUMI
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 039028/0219 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2016
From: KUJI, YASUHIRO; ITOO, SEIJI; HAMADA, AYUMI
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 038077/0289 →