Magnetic Inductance CVT

There are three main components--an input magbrake, an output magbrake, and an oval racetrack.

Each magbrake is simply a set of two permanent magnet discs on a shaft with a narrow gap between them.

The oval racetrack runs along inside the narrow gap, like a belt running between two pulleys. Within this racetrack, aluminum washers are free to roll around.

As the input shaft rotates, it induces eddy currents in the washers, propelling them up to speed. These coast along the racetrack until they encounter the output shaft, where induced eddy currents cause them to transfer momentum and energy to the output shaft.

The gear ratio is adjusted by shifting the oval racetrack's position. Moving it toward the output shaft increases mechanical advantage while moving it toward the input shaft decreases mechanical advantage.

Compared to mechanical friction CVTs, this CVT is very simple. There are no twisting or narrow frictional surfaces, nor does gear shifting involve fast rotating parts. Lubrication can be extremely simple, using a totally enclosed racetrack with a small amount of oil within.

There are some energy losses in leaving/entering the magnetic fields, so it may be desirable to use electromagnet loops to adjust the radius of the magnetic fields. This increases the cost of the CVT, of course.

Also, this system works best at high RPMs. It may be desirable to combine this CVT with a traditional geared transmission to translate high output RPMs to lower speeds. The output magbrake can be used as a clutch by adding an electromagnet.