Continuously variable transmission

Claim 1

In an infinitely variable power transmission for a wheeled vehicle having an internal combustion engine disposed longitudinally with respect to the vehicle median plane and a driven shaft; a hydrokinetic torque converter on the axis of said engine including an impeller connected to said engine and a turbine; a planetary gear unit comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, a carrier and a planet pinion assembly on said carrier having pinions in meshing engagement with said sun and ring gear; a first cone pulley assembly comprising an axially adjustable cone pulley part mounted on a primary countershaft parallel with the axis of said converter and gear unit; a second cone pulley assembly comprising an axially adjustable cone pulley part mounted on a secondary countershaft parallel with the axis of said converter and gear unit; a traction member drivably connecting the first and second cone pulley assemblies; first fixed gearing located between said planetary gear unit and said torque converter connecting a torque output element of said planetary gear unit to said first cone-pulley assembly, a torque input element of said planetary gear unit connected to said turbine; clutch and brake means for selectively locking together for rotation in unison the elements of said planetary gear unit and for selectively braking a reaction element of said planetary gear unit; a sleeve shaft connected to said sun gear, said clutch means being located between said torque converter and said sun gear and adapted to connect said sun gear to said carrier to effect said locking of said elements of said planetary gear unit; a torque input shaft extending through said sleeve shaft and connecting said turbine with said torque input element of said planetary gear unit; and second fixed gearing connecting drivably said second cone-pulley assembly to said driven shaft.