04CVT-26

ABSTRACT

CVT USING A BELT WITH CHANGING THICKNESS

Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) have an infinitely variable ratio,

which allows the engine to operate more time in the optimum range given an appropriate
control of the engine valve throttle opening (VTO) and transmission ratio. In contrast,
traditional automatic and manual transmissions have several fixed transmission ratios
forcing the engine to operate outside the optimum range.
There are various types of CVTs but in this opinion a new concept for a CVT
using a belt with changing thickness is described. If the thickness of belt is not negligible
as compare to radius of pulley, the neutral axis of rotation is taken as radius of pulley plus
half the thickness of belt. Therefore the effective diameter of the pulley will change. If
the belt is made up such that its thickness decreases when stretched & increases when
compressed.
Consider that the smaller pulley is fixed and position of larger pulley can be
changed and Power is transmitted from smaller pulley to larger pulley. If distance
between pulleys is increased, the thickness of belt decreases & vice-versa. Normally the
Transmission ratio (G) is given by
G = D/d, where d and D are diameters of smaller and larger pulley
respectively.
But due to considerable thickness‘t’ of the belt ‘G’ changes to
G = (D + t) / (d + t),
Now G will vary continuously as‘t’ varies.
If the variation in transmission ratio is not sufficient then it can be enlarged by
increasing no. of belts in series. It can also be increased using power split transmission.
 INTRODUCTION

For a flat belt drive gear ratio ‘G’ is given by following equation
G = Nout/ Nin = (d+t)/ (D+t) ……………………………………………………[1]
Where N represents speed of pulleys, subscripts in & out represents for input
pulley and output pulley respectively and t represents thickness of the belt. This formula
is used only when change in thickness is negligible.
Now consider a belt transmitting power from one pulley to other which thickness
is varying by changing its length. This belt is made up of torsional springs which are
combined in series as shown in Fig.

In torsional spring angular ‘θ’ displacement is directly proportional to moment

‘M’ applied by tension. (It is proved later in this paper.)
M = Fr …………………………………………………………………………..[2]
Where F is force applied and r is distance from the centre of the spring to the
neutral axis of the belt. Length of the arm is L. Therefore
r = L cos θ
θ = FL cos θ
θ/ cos θ = FL.........................................................................................................[3]
Therefore θ/ cos θ is directly proportional to ‘F’. And
t = r/2+ds+dw .........................................................................................................[4]
t = L cos θ /2+ds+dw .............................................................................................[4]

In equation [4] only θ is variable. So thickness of the belt is depends only on θ.

 Now consider a position where tension in tight side & slack side is T1 & T2
respectively. So thickness of the belt in tight side will be less than the thickness in slack
side.
Now consider thickness of the belt is t1 in tight side & t2 in slack side.
So gear ratio ‘G’ will be
G = {d+ (t1+ t2)/ 2}/ {D+ ( t1+ t2)/ 2}
We can change gear ratio continuously by changing the distance between the
pulleys.
In this type of CVT a compound pulley
is used which is adjustable. Power is transmitted
from input pulley to compound pulley &
compound pulley to output pulley as shown in
figure. If distance between pulley is increased
belt’s length will increase and thickness will decrease and vise-versa.
So gear ratio will be
G= {(d+t)/ (D+t)}2
G= [{d+(t1+ t2)/ 2}/ {d+(t1+ t2)/ 2}]2
Assume
D=90mm
d=40mm
& (t1+ t2)/ 2 can vary between 20mm to 40mm.
When
(t1+ t2)/ 2 =20mm
G= {(90+10)/ (40+10)}2=4
And when (t1+ t2)/ 2 =20mm
G= {(90+20)/ (40+20)}2=3.36111
So gear ratio can vary between 4 & 3.36111 by adjusting centre distance between
pulleys. To amplify this variation power split technology is used.
 CALCULATION OF FINAL GEAR RATIO

Assume that [1] without power split transmission gear ratio can vary between 1 &
1.6. We apply a reduction ratio 0.8, so that gear ratio can vary between 0.8 & 1.28. To
increase the range of gear ratio we use power split transmission.
Final gear ratio is obtained by tabulation method as follows:

Conditions Gear Shaft Gear C Gear D & Gear F

A B Gear E
Shaft B’s speed is 0 & 1 0 -TA/TC -TA/TD (TA/TD)( TE/TF)
Gear A’s speed is 1 rpm
Shaft B’s speed is 0 & x 0 -x(TA/TC) -x(TA/TD) x(TA/TD)( TE/TF)
Gear A’s speed is x rpm
Shaft B’s speed is y & x+y y y-x(TA/TC) y-x(TA/TD) y+ x(TA/TD)( TE/TF)
Gear A’s speed is x rpm

Assume speed of input shaft is N, so speed of gear F will be NG where G is gear

ratio of CVT.
x + y = G…………………………………………………………………………………[1]
y + x (TA/TD) (TE/TF) =NG …………………………………………………………….[2]

Subtracting Eq. [1] from Eq. [2]

x {1-(TA/TD) (TE/TF)}=1-G
x= (1-G)/ {1-(TA/TD) ( TE/TF)}………………….…………………………………….[3]

Putting the value of x in Eq. [1] from Eq. [3]

y=1-x
y=1-(1-G)/ {1-(TA/TD) (TE/TF)}………………………………………………………[4]

No. of teeth on the gears are decided such that range of final gear ratio is grater
than the range of CVT.
 Now assume a set of no. of teeth on gears as follows:
TA = 40;
TD = 80;
TE = 48;
TF = 25;

Putting these values in Eq. [4]

y = 1-(1-G)/ {(40/80) x (48/25)}
y = 1-25(1-G)……………………………………………………………………………[6]

When G=0.8
y=1-25(1-0.8) =-4
y=-4;
When G=1.28
y=1-25(1-1.28) =7
y=7

So for this set of gears, final gear ratio can be varied from -4 to 7.
CVT ratio for final output is zero
G=1
So final gear ratio can be controlled by controlling CVT ratio ‘G’ by following
equation

y= 1-25(1-G)

DESIGN OF THE BELT

Requirements of the belt

1. Belt is designed such that its thickness can be varied by varying its length.
2. Its thickness should vary in controlled manner.
 3. Belt’s tensile strength should be high such that it can transmit power as
required.

Structure of the belt

In design of the belt, torsional springs (torsion helical springs) are combined in
series as shown in Fig. [1]

In the Fig. [1] one layer

of the belt is shown. If these
layers are combined each other,
it will look like as Fig. [2].

Fig. [1] (One layer of

belt)

Fig. [2] (Structure of

belt in tension)

The belt completes the requirements of the special belt as mentioned earlier.
These are advantages as follows:
1. Power transmission capacity can be increased by increasing no. of layers.
2. Fluctuation will reduce.
 HELICAL TORSION SPRING
Helical torsion spring is shown in Fig. [3].

Fig. [3]

F F

A torsional spring is subjected to the action of a bending moment M=Fr,

producing a normal stress in the wire. Note that this is in contrast to a compression or an
extension helical spring, in which the load produces a torsional stress in the wire. This
means that the residual stresses built in during winding are in same direction as but of
opposite sign to the working stresses which occur during use. These residual stresses are
useful in making the spring stronger by opposing the working stress, provided the load is
always applied so as to cause the spring to wind up. Because the residual stresses opposes
the working stress, torsional springs can be designed to operate at stress levels which
equal or even exceed the yield strength of the wire.
The bending stress can be obtained by using curved-beam theory. It is convenient
to write the expression in the form
σ=K (Mc/I)………………………………………………………………………[a]
Where K is stress concentration factor and, in this case, is treated as such, rather
than as a strength-reduction factor. The value of K depends upon the shape of the wire
and upon whether or not the stress is desired on the inner fiber of the coil or on the outer
fiber. Wahl has analytically determined the following values for K for round wire:
 Ki= (4C2-C-1)/ {4C(C-1)};
Ko= (4C2+C-1)/ {4C(C+1)};

Where C is the spring index and the subscripts i and o refer to the inner and outer
fibers, respectively. In the view of fact that Ko is always less than unity, we shall use only
Ki to determine stresses. When the bending moment M=Fr and the section modulus
I/c=πd3/32 are substituted in Eq. [a], we obtain

σ= Ki(32/πd3)
This gives the bending stress for a round-wire torsional spring.

The strain energy in bending is given by

dU/ dx = (M2/2EI)
For a torsional spring, M=Fr, and integration must be accomplished over the
length of the wire. The force F will deflect through the distance rθ, where θ is the total
angular deflection of the spring. Applying Castigliano’s theorem,
θ= 64(FrDN)/ (d4E)
Where θ is the angular deflection of the spring in radians. The spring rate is
therefore
K=Fr/θ = (d4E)/ (64DN)…………………………………………………………[7]
Using this equation we can calculate K & F. by this we can calculate tensile
strength of the belt. Using this we can calculate power transmission capacity.

CONCLUSION
This type of CVT is not used in automobile still. A lot of research has been left.
This paper will help to know about this idea of CVT.