Design Squad
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Clip | 34sVideo has Closed Captions
See how a vehicle's CVT delivers different amounts of power to a wheel.
See how a vehicle's CVT delivers different amounts of power to a wheel.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Design Squad
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Clip | 34sVideo has Closed Captions
See how a vehicle's CVT delivers different amounts of power to a wheel.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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A continuously variable transmission works like this.
One spool wound with cable is attached to the wheel's axle.
A take-up spool is attached to the drill.
With each turn of the drill, the spool takes up more cable and grows in diameter, while the wheel spool that's feeding cable shrinks in diameter, and must turn faster to keep up.
That spins the wheel, and the wagon accelerates.
A CVT design may have a speed advantage over a direct drive design, because the CVT can spin the wheels faster than a direct drive.
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