The efficiency of this pre-production type would exceed the 91 % with a slip in the order of 1 %. If the ratio span of the variator itself reaches 5, it is widened up to the infinite (vehicle stopped) and inversion by the regrouping epicyclical gear set.
TOROTRAK
Founded in 1988 as a BTG department, the firm employs at present a hundred highly qualified persons and holds more than 250 patents. It took up the technology developed separately by different teams – notably Leyland Trucks – brought together the engineers and the competent executives, invested in a building and brand new installations involving notably a workshop equipped to assemble simultaneously 10 transmissions, 7 transmission test benches, 2 rollers test benches for vehicles, 4 vehicles lifts and an assembly hall. Its funds results mainly from the £ 50 million obtained in 1998 at a stock exchange flotation during its demerger from BTG.
Since the beginning of 2002 more than 300 engineers and executives of different OEMs and transmission manufacturers test-drove the prototypes during demonstrations in Germany, in Japan and at the factory itself. Torotrak engineers presented their latest developments at the CVT 2002 Congress in Munich and at the SAE 2003 Transmission & Driveline Systems Symposium in March 2003 at Detroit. They stated that the power recirculation in low regime had been greatly reduced toghether with a largely improved acceleration from standing still.
See : http://www.torotrak.com/technical_papers.html
ADVANTAGES
- Absolute progressiveness
- Outstanding creeping ability up and downhill
- Lightning fast transient response
- Relaxed driving
- Low revs in cruising
- Optimal engine use
- Mileage improved by 20%
DRAWBACKS
- Not yet in production
- Lack of a direct drive
- Power recirculation in low regime
|