Method and system for controlling continuously variable v-belt transmission

Claim 1

A system for controlling a continuously variable transmission having a V-belt connecting a drive and a driven pulley, said drive pulley having a first cylinder chamber and first and second conical discs, said driven pulley having a second cylinder chamber and third and fourth conical discs, the first conical disc being secured to a drive shaft, the third conical disc being secured to a driver shaft, the second conical disc being controllably movable in an axial direction with respect to the drive shaft in response to a fluid pressure in the first cylinder chamber, the fourth conical disc being controllably movable in an axial direction with respect to the driven shaft in response to a fluid pressure in the second cylinder chamber, the hydraulic control system comprising: means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said first and second cylinder chambers; and a shift control valve means connected to said supplying means for receiving the hydraulic fluid and for regulating a fluid supply to and discharge from the first and second cylinder chambers, said shift control valve means having a valve bore formed with a first port connected to receive the hydraulic fluid from said supplying means, a second port communicating with the first cylinder chamber and a third port communicating with the second cylinder chamber, the second and third ports being spaced from and disposed on opposite sides of the first port, the shift control valve means including a spool means operable for maintaining the fluid pressure within said first cylinder chamber substantially constant when varying the fluid pressure within said second cylinder chamber and for maintaining the fluid pressure within said second cylinder chamber substantially constant when varying the fluid pressure in said first cylinder chamber, said spool means being slidable within the valve bore, the spool means having a first land and a second land which cooperate with the second and third ports respectively, the first and second lands having axial lengths which are shorter than axial widths of the second and third ports respectively, and wherein an axial distance between outer side edge faces of the first and second lands is substantially equal to an axial distance between outer side walls of the second and third ports, such that said first and second lands cooperate with said second and third ports in a first position to provide a substantially equal pressure to both the first cylinder chamber and the second cylinder chamber, and such that, as said spool begins to move in a first direction from said first position, the pressure in one of said cylinder chambers constantly varies while the pressure in the other of said cylinder chambers remains constant, and as said spool begins to move in an opposite direction from said first position, the pressure in the other of said chambers constantly varies while the pressure in said one chamber remains constant.

Claim 2

A system for controlling a continuously variable transmission having a V-belt connecting a drive and a driven pulley, said drive pulley having a first cylinder chamber and first and second conical discs, said driven pulley having a second cylinder chamber and third and fourth conical discs, the first conical disc being secured to a drive shaft, the third conical disc being secured to a driver shaft, the second conical disc being controllably movable in an axial direction with respect to the drive shaft in response to a fluid pressure in the first cylinder chamber, the fourth conical disc being controllably movable in an axial direction with respect to the driven shaft in response to a fluid pressure in the second cylinder chamber, the hydraulic control system comprising: means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said first and second cylinder chambers; and a shift control valve means connected to said supplying means for receiving the hydraulic fluid and for regulating a fluid supply to and discharge from the first and second cylinder chambers, said shift control valve means having a valve bore formed with a first port connected to receive the hydraulic fluid from said supplying means, a second port communicating with the first cylinder chamber and a third port communicating with the second cylinder chamber, the second and third ports being spaced from and disposed on opposite sides of the first port, the shift control valve means including a spool means operable for maintaining the fluid pressure within said first cylinder chamber substantially constant when varying the fluid pressure within said second cylinder chamber and for maintaining the fluid pressure within said second cylinder chamber substantially constant when varying the fluid pressure in said first cylinder chamber, said spool means being slidable within the valve bore, the spool means having a first land and a second land which cooperate with the second and third ports respectively, the first and second lands having axial lengths which are shorter than axial widths of the second and third ports respectively, and wherein an axial distance between outer side edge faces of the first and second lands is substantially equal to an axial distance between outer side walls of the second and third ports, such that said first and second lands cooperate with said second and third ports in a first position to provide a substantially equal pressure to both the first cylinder chamber and the second cylinder chamber, and such that, as said spool begins to move in a first direction from said first position, the pressure in one of said cylinder chambers constantly varies while the pressure in the other of said cylinder chambers remains constant, and as said spool begins to move in an opposite direction from said first position, the pressure in the other of said chambers constantly varies while the pressure in said one chamber remains constant.