Fallbrook, Hydro-Gear sign manufacturing license agreement
The NuVinci continuously variable planetary transmission is the core of the IVT under development by Hydro-Gear.Fallbrook Technologies Inc. (Fallbrook), a pioneering technology company dedicated to improving the performance and flexibility of transmissions for engine- and human-powered devices, announced Aug. 31 that it signed a manufacturing license agreement with Hydro-Gear, a manufacturer of drive systems for lawn and garden equipment.
Under the agreement, the companies will develop new applications using Fallbrook’s NuVinci continuously variable planetary transmission (CVP): an infinitely variable transmission (IVT). Hydro-Gear has exclusive rights to manufacture and sell IVT NuVinci products in the residential and commercial lawn and garden market.
An IVT is a type of continuously variable transmission that includes forward, reverse and zero output speeds all within its range of ratios of input to output speeds. For applications such as zero-turn-radius mowers, an IVT is a good choice because the mower must be able to move quickly in both forward and backward directions without manual shifting.
“We see the potential to leverage the NuVinci IVT benefits in targeted applications,” said Hydro-Gear President Ray Hauser. “It supports our long-term strategy of developing engineered solutions and delivering innovation to the outdoor power equipment market.”
“Hydro-Gear chose NuVinci technology because of its IVT capabilities, and because we clearly demonstrated that it was the best IVT drive system available,” said William G. Klehm III, Fallbrook’s chairman and CEO. “The fact that Hydro-Gear — the world’s leader in lawn and garden drive systems — selected NuVinci technology says a lot about its game-changing potential.”
NuVinci technology is a universally adaptable continuously variable transmission for human- and motor-powered vehicles and machines. The NuVinci CVP uses a set of rotating and tilting balls positioned between the input and output components of a transmission. Tilting the balls changes their contact diameters and varies the speed ratio.
The NuVinci CVP can be used in virtually any transmission-based vehicle or device, including bicycles, cars, trucks and wind turbines. Fallbrook recently has enjoyed major success in the bicycle industry, with the NuVinci drivetrain now available on more than 40 bike models by more than 20 manufacturers in the United States and Europe. The company plans to leverage the knowledge and expertise gained in the bicycle business to speed the development of the IVT application with Hydro-Gear.
To learn more about Fallbrook and its NuVinci technology, visit www.fallbrooktech.com.
