LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Variable-Diameter Pulley CVT. 2. Hydrostatic CVT. 3. Ratcheting CVT. 4. VDP CVT Performance Improvements. 5, Pulley Sheave Definition 6. Contour Plot of Kies Ts etinate) 7. Speed Sensitive CVT. 8. Torque Sensitive CVT 9. Hydraulically Actuated CVT 10. Electromechanically Actuated CVT 411. Inertia Dynamometer 12. Model 790 CVT vs. Ideal CVT Shift Profile 13. Engine HP Curve 14, Engine Torque Curve 415. Model 790 CVT vs. Ideal CVT Power Transmitted 16. Computer Controlled Actuated CVT Experiment Diagram 17. Model 790 CVT vs. Electromechanical CVT Shift Profile 18. Model 790 CVT vs. Electromechanical CVT Flywheel Acceleration 19. Linear Actuator Power Consumption 20. Model 790 CVT vs. Electromechanical CVT Flywheel Acceleration vi Page 10 " 12 1B 4 16 16 "7 "7 18 23 24 25 25 26CHAPTER | INTRODUCTION What is a CVT? A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a transmission which can gradually shift to any effective gear ratios between a set upper and lower limit. In contrast, most transmissions equipped on production cars have only 4-6 specific gear ratios that can be selected. The almost infinite variabilty of a CVT allows the engine to maintain a constant speed while the vehicle increases in velocity. This can result in better vehicle performance if the CVT is shifted such that the engine is held at the RPM that it runs most efficiently at and/or produces the most power. Because there are no steps between effective gear ratios, CVTs operate smoottly with no sudden jerks commonly experienced when a typical transmission is shifted to a different gear This apparent advantage has ironically been one of the major factors to why they haven't been Used more in production vehicles today. Since drivers expect a car to jerk or the engine sound to change as they press the accelerator pedal further, itis very confusing for them when the car smoothly accelerates without the engine revving faster. Drivers have unfortunately perceived this as the car lacking power which is causing a marketing prablem for the transmissions. Physical limitations of strength and friction have in the past restricted the CVT transmission torque handling capabilities to light-duty applications such as lawn mowers, ATVs, and snowmobiles. There was very little desire to develop them to their full potential. However, a renewed public outcry for improved vehicle efficiency combined with advancements in lubricants and materials have sparked new interests in CVTs. They have now been proven to support the torque requirements for production vehicles, buses, heavy trucks, and earth-moving equipment.Friction CVTs The most common types of CVTs are based on friction between two or more rotating components in which the radius for the point of contact can be varied. This is typically archived with a variable-diameter pulley (VDP) (see figure #1) also known as a Reeves drive. In this system there are two V-belt pulleys comprised of a stationary and movable sheave separated perpendicular to their axes of rotation, with a V-belt running between them. The effective gear ratio is changed by moving the sheaves of one pulley closer together while farther separating the other. Due to the V-shaped cross section of the bet, it will be forced to ride the pulleys at a different radius than before, thus the effective diameters of the pulleys changes. Since the center of rotation for each pulley and length of the belt doesn’t change in the process, the movable sheaves of both pulleys must adjust simultaneously in opposite directions in order to maintain the proper belt tension se BYC Figure 1. Variable-Diameter Pulley CVTHydrostatic CVT Hydrostatic CVTs (see figure #2) use a variable displacement pump to vary the fluid flow into a hydrostatic motor. These types can generally transmit more torque since hydraulic fluid is not limited by tensile strength, but can be sensitive to contamination. Typically the hydraulic motor(s) are mounted directly to the wheel hub. Doing this eliminates the efficiency losses from friction in the drive train components. No additional gear boxes are required after this transmission to archive a reverse gear since flow to the hydraulic motors can easily be reversed Using valves. Dotto the heat generated by the flowing hydraulic fluid, hydrostatic CVTs are generally not used for extended duration high torque applications. Slow moving agricultural equipment is a typical application for a hydrostatic CVT, such as tractors, combines, and foragers. They can be commonly found in many riding lawn mowers and garden tractors designed to pull equipment lke a reverse tine tiller or bladed plow. There is even a variety of heavy earth-moving equipment manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. which currently uses hydrostatic CVT transmissions. aa wruTy ourpur Pump 3 MOTOR, Figure 2. Hydrostatic CVTRatcheting CVT The ratcheting CVT (see figure #3) is based on a set of elements that repeatable engage and disengage based on the variable stroke of a reciprocating component connected to a one- way clutch or ratchet. The ratchet only allows the work to be transmitted in the forward motion when itis locked into static friction such that the driving and driven surfaces momentarily move together with out slipping. The effective gear ratio is adjusted by changing linkage geometry of the oscillating elements, Ratcheting CVTs can transfer lots of torque because they are based on static friction which increases relative to the transmitted torque. In a properly designed system slippage is impossible. Efficiency is generally higher than friction CVTs, such as VDP, which are based on dynamic friction that wastes energy through slippage of twisting surfaces. The major drawbacks to ratcheting CVTs are their complexity and the vibration caused by the oscillating elements. Adjustable we Strake a wi? Figure 3. Ratcheting CVTCVT applications for small vehicles The transmission setup of a small vehicle is very critical for determining the performance. There are two main choices, a manual transmission or a CVT. Many small vehicle designers have chosen to use a CVT over a manual transmission because it automatically shift its effective gear ratio to what is hopefully an optimum effective gear ratio thus improving performance, efficiency, and drivabilty CVTs can be deceptively simple mechanisms. As previously discussed a VDP CVT (see figure #1) is comprised of a primary drive pulley and secondaty drive pulley transmitting power through a belt. Each pulley has a set of circular sheaves that forms a V shaped groove where the belt wraps around. Depending on the position of the sheaves, the belt will ride the spinning pulleys at a certain diameter to create the effective gear ratio. Controlling the position of the sheaves in mechanical actuated VDP CVTs is a system of weights, springs, and cams forcing the sheaves of the pulleys to slide in or out depending on the rotational speed of the unit In an ideal situation the weight, spring, and cam system will control the CVT effective gear ratio such that the engine is always running at a desired RPM for peak power and/or efficiency. In reality itis very likely the CVT doesn't maintain the best possible effective gear ratio at all times because the car has to perform on various surfaces, various inclines, and numerous other situations that likely require a completely different setup for optimum performance. Finding the optimum CVT setup can be dificult (One way to improve the CVT is to replace the clumsy springs, weights, and cams with something that can precisely control the CVT in any situation. A computer controlled actuation system for shifting the CVT's ratio based on input parameters should be able to ensure the transmission is close to the ideal effective gear ratio in any situation. This could improve the performance and efficiency of the CVT for small vehicle use Some of today’s most advanced vehicles are exploring the benefits of precisely controlled hydraulically actuated VDP CVTs (see figure #8) to improve fuel efficiency and performance by using an optimum ratio at all times. These vehicles use a dedicated pump connected to the engine to constantly pressurize and actuated the VDP CVT. This system can 5require several horsepower to operate. In a large vehicle the increase in the efficiency of the ‘VDP CVT can out weigh the power requirements of the pump (see figure #4). For a small vehicle with a small motor, itis not practical to divert several horsepower to the operation of the transmission. This would greatly reduce the overall efficiency of the system. This thesis proposes that an electromechanical actuation system may be able to deliver the performance gains for small vehicles with an acceptable amount of engine power dedicated to operation of the transmission [== Manual Transmission = Automatic Transmission Continuously Variable Transmission ‘Average Fuel Consumption Figure 4. VDP CVT Performance Improvements