CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
3. Conversion of a CVT into an IVT
4. Infinitely Variable Transmission
6. Conclusion
7. References



















































1. INTRODUCTION
After more than a century of research and development, the gear transmission is nearing both
perfection and obsolescence: engineers continue to explore the outer limits of efficiency and
performance. Attempts have been made to overcome these limitations through replacing the
sources of friction with mechanisms to duplicate their functions. This leads to the
development of PIV. PIV is an infinitely variable transmission which is a sub category of
continuously variable transmission, which has got many industrial applications especially in Textile
Industries, Packaging & Corrugating Industries, Food Processing Industries, Rubber Machinery,
Rotary Printing Machinery, and Chemical & Pharmaceuticals. It is a step less speed control. It is
mainly a chain drive. It contains sprockets which are two pairs of wheels. It is mounted on splined
shafts which are radically grooved and cone shaped. Chains are such that chain links contain self-
tooth-forming hardened steel slats.

2. CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT)
After more than a century of research and development, the internal combustion (IC) engine is
nearing both perfection and obsolescence: engineers continue to explore the outer limits of IC
efficiency and performance, but advancements in fuel economy and emissions have effectively
stalled. While many IC vehicles meet Low Emissions Vehicle standards, these will give way to new,
stricter government regulations in the very near future. With limited room for improvement,
automobile manufacturers have begun full-scale development of alternative power vehicles. Still,
manufacturers are loath to scrap a century of development and billions or possibly even trillions of
dollars in IC infrastructure, especially for technologies with no history of commercial success. Thus,
the ideal interim solution is to further optimize the overall efficiency of IC vehicles.
One potential solution to this fuel economy dilemma is the continuously variable transmission
(CVT), an old idea that has only recently become a bastion of hope to automakers. CVTs could
potentially allow IC vehicles to meet the first wave of new fuel regulations while development of
hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles continues. Rather than selecting one of four or five gears, a
CVT constantly changes its gear ratio to optimize engine efficiency with a perfectly smooth torque-
speed curve. This improves both gas mileage and acceleration compared to traditional
transmissions.
The fundamental theory behind CVTs has undeniable potential, but lax fuel regulations and
booming sales in recent years have given manufacturers a sense of complacency: if consumers are
buying millions of cars with conventional transmissions, why spend billions to develop and
manufacture CVTs?
Although CVTs have been used in automobiles for decades, limited torque capabilities and
questionable reliability have inhibited their growth. Today, however, ongoing CVT research has led
to ever-more robust transmissions, and thus ever-more-diverse automotive applications. As CVT
development continues, manufacturing costs will be further reduced and performance will
continue to increase, which will in turn increase the demand for further development. This cycle of
improvement will ultimately give CVTs a solid foundation in the worlds automotive infrastructure.


2.1 Background and History
To say that the continuously variable transmission (CVT) is nothing new would be a gross
understatement: Leonardo da Vinci sketched his idea for CVT in 1490. In automotive applications,
CVTs have been around nearly as long as cars themselves, and certainly as long as conventional
automatics. General Motors actually developed a fully toroidal CVT in the early 1930s and
conducted extensive testing before eventually deciding to implement a conventional, stepped-gear
automatic due to cost concerns. General Motors Research worked on CVTs again in the 1960s, but
none ever saw production . British manufacturer Austin used a CVT for several years in one of its
smaller cars, but it was dropped due to its high cost, poor reliability, and inadequate torque
transmission . Many early CVTs used a simple rubber band and cone system, like the one
developed by Dutch firm Daf in 1958.
However, the CVT could only handle a 0.6 L engine, and problems with noise and rough starts
hurt its reputation. Uninspired by these early failures, automakers have largely avoided CVTs until
very recently, especially in the United States.



2.2 CVT Theory and Design
Todays automobiles almost exclusively use either a conventional manual or automatic
transmission with multiple planetary gear sets that use integral clutches and bands to achieve
discrete gear ratios . A typical automatic uses four or five such gears, while a manual normally
employs five or six. The continuously variable transmission replaces discrete gear ratios with
infinitely adjustable gearing through one of several basic CVT designs.

Push Belt
This most common type of CVT uses segmented steel blocks stacked on a steel ribbon, as shown
in Figure (1). This belt transmits power between two conical pulleys, or sheaves, one fixed and one
movable . With a belt drive:


In essence, a sensor reads the engine output and then electronically increases or decreases the
distance between pulleys, and thus the tension of the drive belt. The continuously changing
distance between the pulleystheir ratio to one anotheris analogous to shifting gears. Push-
belt CVTs were first developed decades ago, but new advances in belt design have recently drawn
the attention of automakers worldwide.

Toroidal Traction-Drive
These transmissions use the high shear strength of viscous fluids to transmit torque between an
input torus and an output torus. As the movable torus slides linearly, the angle of a roller changes
relative to shaft position, as seen in Figure (2). This results in a change in gear ratio.



Variable Diameter Elastomer Belt
This type of CVT, as represented in Figure (2), uses a flat, flexible belt mounted on movable
supports. These supports can change radius and thus gear ratio. However, the supports separate
at high gear ratios to form a discontinuous gear path, as seen in Figure (3). This can lead to the
problems with creep and slip that have plagued CVTs for years .

This inherent flaw has directed research and development toward push belt CVTs.

2.3 Inherent Advantages & Benefits
Certainly, the clunk of a shifting transmission is familiar to all drivers. By contrast, a continuously
variable transmission is perfectly smoothit naturally changes gears discreetly and minutely
such that the driver or passenger feels only steady acceleration. In theory, a CVT would cause less
engine fatigue and would be a more reliable transmission, as the harshness of shifts and discrete
gears force the engine to run at a less-than-optimal speed.
Moreover, CVTs offer improved efficiency and performance. Table (1) below shows the power
transmission efficiency of a typical five-speed automatic, i.e. the percentage of engine power
translated through the transmission. This yields an average efficiency of 86%, compared to a
typical manual transmission with 97% efficiency. By comparison, Table (2) below gives efficiency
ranges for several CVT designs.



These CVTs each offer improved efficiency over conventional automatic transmissions, and their
efficiency depends less on driving habit than manual transmissions. Moreover:

Because the CVT allows an engine to run at this most efficient point virtually independent of
vehicle speed, a CVT equipped vehicle yields fuel economy benefits when compared to a
conventional transmission. Testing by ZF Getriebe GmbH several years ago found that the CVT
uses at least 10% less fuel than a 4- speed automatic transmission for U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency city and highway cycles.
Moreover, the CVT was more than one second faster in 0-60 mph acceleration tests . The
potential for fuel efficiency gains can also be seen in the CVT currently used in Hondas Civic. A
Civic with a traditional automatic averages 28/35 miles per gallon (mpg) city/highway, while the
same car with a CVT gets 34/38 mpg city/highway. Honda has used continuously variable
transmissions in the Civic for several years, but these are 1.6 liter cars with limited torque
capabilities. Ongoing research and development will inevitably expand the applicability of CVTs to
a much broader range of engines and automobiles.
CVTs can compensate for changing vehicle speeds, allowing the engine speed to remain at its
level of peak efficiency. This improves fuel economy and by effect, exhausts emissions. CVTs
operate smoothly since there are no gear changes which cause sudden jerks. Very few problems
have been reported with the CVT transmission, lowering cost of ownership. There are 25% fewer
moving parts to a CVT transmission It is also cheaper to repair. The fluids do not have to be
changed as often as automatic transmission Disadvantages Many early CVT driven cars had
disappointing performance. The original Ford Fiesta 1.1 CTX, for example, used 8.2 percent more
gasoline than the manual transmission version in city driving. CVTs operate smoothly. This can give
a perception of low power, because many drivers expect a jerk when they begin to move the
vehicle. The expected jerk of a non-CVT can be emulated by CVT control software though,
eliminating this marketing problem.
Since the CVT keeps the engine turning at constant RPM over a wide range of vehicle speeds,
pressing on the accelerator pedal will make the car move faster but doesn't change the sound
coming from the engine as much as a conventional automatic transmission gear-shift. This confuses
some drivers and, again, leads to an impression of a lack of power.
CVT torque handling capability is limited by the strength of their transmission medium (usually a
belt or chain), and by their ability to withstand friction wear between torque source and
transmission medium for friction-driven CVTs. CVTs in production prior to 2005 are predominantly
belt or chain driven and therefore typically limited to low powered cars and other light duty
applications. Units using advanced lubricants, however, have been proven to support any amount
of torque in production vehicles, including that used for buses, heavy trucks, and earth moving
equipment.
Because automotive CVTs are automatic, they are stigmatized in some regions; while automatic
transmissions are common in the Americas, places such as southern Europe do not generally accept
automatic transmissions of any kind. Japan with its generally smaller cars and stop-and-go traffic,
has proven a much better market for CVT driven cars.

2.4 Applications
Tractors just as cars have the need for a flexible system to convey power from their engine to
their wheels. The C.V.T. will provide just this and at high fuel savings with low atmospheric
pollution.

Golf Carts stand to benefit from the C.V.T. as well in the way electric cars do. that is: Large range
of speeds, longer driving range between charges, Fewer batteries, lower maintenance cost, less
weight.
Motorized Wheelchairs. Battery run, speed controlled by a rheostat. Going up a ramp slowly
causes a drop in power (when it's most needed). C.V.T. is a form of transmission, lower speed
means MORE POWER.
Bicycles. Ever try to shift gears while pedaling uphill? Good news; the KINESIS C.V.T. will
automatically select the appropriate for the situation "gear" ratio. No hassle, no trouble. End of
story.
Power tools and household appliances, that vary from bench top drills to wash machines and
blenders need to depart from the centuries old belt and pulley configuration for smoother
operation and more reliability.
Industrial Equipment and production machinery often use either gears or cumbersome belt and
pulley configurations. C.V.T. can do away with all that and additionally give them infinite ratios.
Mini machines Small devices that need to operate in a wide range of speeds, as the need arises.
Our unique design allows the production of an inexpensive miniature C.V.T. to enable them do just
those.

2.5 Challenges & Limitations
CVT development has progressed slowly for a variety of reasons, but much of the delay in
development can be attributed to a lack of demand: conventional manual and automatic
transmissions have long offered sufficient performance and fuel economy. Thus, problems
encountered in CVT development usually stopped said progress. Designers have unsuccessfully
tried to develop [a CVT] that can match the torque capacity, efficiency, size, weight, and
manufacturing cost of step-ratio transmissions. One of the major complaints with previous CVTs
has been slippage in the drive belt or rollers.
This is caused by the lack of discrete gear teeth, which form a rigid mechanical connection
between to gears; friction drives are inherently prone to slip, especially at high torque. With early
CVTs of the 1950s and 1960s, engines equipped with CVTs would run at excessively high RPM
trying to catch up to the slipping belt. This would occur any time the vehicle was accelerated
from a stop at peak torque: For compressive belts, in the process of transmitting torque, micro
slip occurs between the elements and the pulleys. This micro slip tends to increase sharply once
the transmitted torque exceeds a certain value
For many years, the simple solution to this problem has been to use CVTs only in cars with
relatively low-torque engines. Another solution is to employ a torque converter (such as those
used in conventional automatics), but this reduces the CVTs efficiency.
Perhaps more than anything else, CVT development has been hindered by cost. Low volume and
a lack of infrastructure have driven up manufacturing costs, which inevitably yield higher
transmission prices. With increased development, most of these problems can be addressed
simply by improvements in manufacturing techniques and materials processing. For example,
Nissans Extroid is derived from a century-old concept, perfected by modern technology,
metallurgy, chemistry, electronics, engineering, and precision manufacturing.
In addition, CVT control must be addressed. Even if a CVT can operate at the optimal gear ratio
at any speed, how does it know what ratio to select? Manual transmissions have manual
controls, where the driver shifts when he or she so desires; automatic transmissions have
relatively simple shifting algorithms to accommodate between three and five gears. However,
CVTs require far more complex algorithms to accommodate an infinite division of speeds and gear
ratios.

2.6 CVT Varieties
Several other types of CVTs have been developed over the course of automotive history, but
these have become less prominent than push belt and toroidal CVTs. A mutating traction drive
uses a pivoting, conical shaft to change gears in a CVT. As the cones change angle, the inlet
radius decreases while the outlet radius increases, or vice versa, resulting in an infinitely variable
gear ratio. A variable geometry CVT uses adjustable planetary gear-sets to change gear ratios, but
this is more akin to a flexible traditional transmission than a conventional CVT.

2.7 Existing CVT Designs

Ratcheting
Hydrostatic
Toroidal
V-Belt & Pulley
Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT)








3. CONVERSION OF A CVT INTO AN IVT

CVTs only provide positive ratios. Therefore, a reverse gear and a clutch (or a torque converter) is
necessary. IVTs (Infinitely Variable Transmissions) provide a full range of ratio from reverse,
through stationary, and from extremely low speeds, up to high overdrive. The engine is
permanently connected to wheels. Clutch and reverse gear are not required.
-
Fig 4

A planetary gear set (epicyclic) can be used to convert a CVT into a IVT by power split.The planetary
gear set "subtracts some RPMs" from the CVT output. Thus, the overall ratio spread can be freely
customized.

The planetary gear set formula:

WP (DR + DS) = WR DR - WS DS
(W: angular velocities; D: primitive diameters)


.

Fig 5 CVT with planetary gear set

Fig 6 CVT with epicyclic gear set

3.1 Determination of IVT speed:
(Win = engine speed ; Rcvt = CVT ratio)
What will be the IVT overall ratio?


(Ratios are input speed/output speed )

3.2 Six combinations of a CVT and a planetary gear set:
IVT is a combination of CVT with an epicyclic gear system (power split).The different combinations of a
CVT and a planetary gear set are as shown below. The input can be given to planets, sun gear or to ring
gear and the out put can also be taken from these three gears. The input and and the output can be
interchanged so that we can get six different combination for an effective IVT.

Fig 7 Different combination of CVT and planetary gear set.
4. INFINITELY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (IVT)
A specific type of CVT is the infinitely variable transmission (IVT), in which the range of ratios of
output shaft speed to input shaft speed includes a zero ratio that can be continuously approached from
a defined "higher" ratio. A zero output speed with a finite input speed implies an infinite input-to-output
speed ratio, which can be continuously approached from a given finite input value with an IVT. Low
gears are a reference to low ratios of output speed to input speed. This ratio is taken to the extreme
with IVTs, resulting in a "neutral", or non-driving "low" gear limit, in which the output speed is zero,
although, unlike neutral in a normal automotive transmission, the output torque may be non-zero: the
output shaft is rigidly fixed at zero speed rather than being freely rotating.
Most IVTs result from the combination of a CVT with an epicyclic gear system (which is also known as
a planetary gear system) which enforces an output shaft rotation speed which is equal to the difference
between two other speeds. If these two other speeds are the input and output of a CVT, there can be a
setting of the CVT that results in an output speed of zero. The maximum output/input ratio can be
chosen from infinite practical possibilities through selection of additional input or output gear, pulley or
sprocket sizes without affecting the zero output or the continuity of the whole system. The IVT is always
engaged, even during its zero output adjustment.
IVTs can in some implementations offer better efficiency when compared to other CVTs as in the
preferred range of operation because most of the power flows through the planetary gear system and
not the controlling CVT. Torque transmission capability can also be increased. There's also possibility to
stage power splits for further increase in efficiency, torque transmission capability and better
maintenance of efficiency of a wide gear ratio range.
An example of a true IVT is the Hydristor because the front unit connected to the engine can displace
from zero to 27 cubic inches per revolution forward and zero to -10 cubic inches per revolution reverse.
The rear unit is capable of zero to 75 cubic inches per revolution.
The IVT moves away from the constraints of stepped ratio automatic transmissions and unlike
Continuously Variable Transmissions there is no torque limitation. The ratio range is provided not by a
system of gears, as found in a conventional automatic transmission, but by a variator which consists of a
set of discs and rollers.
The IVT technology allows control of the complete power train enabling optimisation of the efficiency
of the engine. In conventional transmissions the engine and transmission are controlled separately.
The IVT is torque controlled rather than ratio controlled. The software determines the torque required
at the road wheels and then requests torque from the transmission rather than setting a specific ratio.
The engine can then be used to deliver the power at its most efficient operating point. In conventional
automatics where the gear ratios are fixed the engine only runs at its most efficient operating points for
short periods of time.
This optimisation of the entire power train brings about a fuel economy benefit in three ways:
Due to the geared neutral feature of the IVT the engine can be directly connected to the road
wheels whilst the vehicle is stationary. There is no need for a separate starting device such as an
inefficient torque converter.

Due to its wide ratio spread the IVT provides the ability for the engine to run at a high overdrive
of 74mph/1000rpm.

Because the IVT does not have discrete ratio steps it can run the engine at optimum conditions
for fuel economy and emissions.

Fig 8 An IVT Machine

An IVT machine includes an input shaft, a drive wheel on the input shaft, an output shaft, a ratio
changing device which is mounted on the output shaft, an endless belt which passes over the drive
wheel and in an open loop on the ratio changing device, control elements for enlarging and reducing the
belt loop dimension about the output shaft axis, belt guide elements providing a throat through which
the belt enters and leaves its loop on the ratio changing device, and a drive arrangement on the ratio
changing device for the transmission of drive power to the output shaft and is engaged with the belt in a
portion of its loop on the device and engageable with the belt on both sides of the throat in its transition
across the throat during rotation of the ratio changing device.

4.1 Advantage:
1. Improved Transmission Ratios
2. Zero TR without zero input
3. Negative TR for reverse
4. Wider range of + TR values

4.2 Components:
1. V-Belt and Pulley CVT
2. Planetary Gear Train
3. Fixed Ratio Mechanism
Input Power is Split through CVT to Fixed Ratio Mechanism and Planetary Gear




4.3 Problems with current IVT Design:
Internally less efficient than manual and automatic transmissions
Friction driven components for variable control
High Losses
High Stresses
Low Durability
High Maintenance

4.4 Proposed Design Qualities:
Use high internally efficient components to achieve transmission ratios
Have two separate power inputs
Have both positive and negative (reverse) transmission ratios without large change in
variable controller speed
Eliminate friction driven components