Multi-speed planetary transmission
First Claim
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1. A transmission comprising:
- at least one stationary member;
an input member;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset;
a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the plurality of selective couplers including a first number of clutches and a second number of brakes, the first number being equal to the second number; and
an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, the output member being fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the input member is operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets only through a subset of the first number of clutches, the first number of clutches including a first clutch, a second clutch, and a third clutch, the subset including the first clutch and the second clutch, whereinthe first clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a first group of the plurality of planetary gearsets,the second clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a second group of the plurality of planetary gearsets, anda first interconnector which fixedly couples the sun gear of the first planetary gearset to the sun gear of the third planetary gearset.
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Abstract
A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have four planetary gearsets and six selective couplers. The six selective couplers may include three clutches and three brakes.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the plurality of selective couplers including a first number of clutches and a second number of brakes, the first number being equal to the second number; and an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, the output member being fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the input member is operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets only through a subset of the first number of clutches, the first number of clutches including a first clutch, a second clutch, and a third clutch, the subset including the first clutch and the second clutch, wherein the first clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a first group of the plurality of planetary gearsets, the second clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a second group of the plurality of planetary gearsets, and a first interconnector which fixedly couples the sun gear of the first planetary gearset to the sun gear of the third planetary gearset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member rotatable relative to the at least one stationary member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first gearset component, a second gearset component, and a third gearset component, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset; an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets and rotatable relative to the at least one stationary member, the output member is fixedly coupled to the second gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset and to the third gearset component of the second planetary gearset; a first interconnector which fixedly couples the third gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset and the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset together; a second interconnector which fixedly couples the first gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the second gearset component of the third planetary gearset; a third interconnector which fixedly couples the first gearset component of the first planetary gearset to the first gearset component of the third planetary gearset; a fourth interconnector which fixedly couples the second gearset component of the first planetary gearset to the third gearset component of the third planetary gearset; and a plurality of selective couplers, wherein the plurality of selective couplers includes; a first selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the third gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset and the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a second selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the first gearset component of the first planetary gearset and the first gearset component of the third planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a third selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the second gearset component of the first planetary gearset and the third gearset component of the third planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a fourth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to the first gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset; a fifth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to the third gearset component of the first planetary gearset; and a sixth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the third gearset component of the first planetary gearset to the third gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset and the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member including a housing, the housing having a first end and a second end; an input member accessible proximate the first end of the housing; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, the first planetary gearset positioned between the first end of the housing and the second planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset positioned between the first planetary gearset and the third planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset positioned between the second planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset positioned between the third planetary gearset and the second end of the housing, each of the first planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset comprising a simple planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the plurality of selective couplers including a first number of clutches and a second number of brakes, the first number being equal to the second number; and an output member accessible proximate the second end of the housing and operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, the output member being fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the input member is operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets only through a subset of the first number of clutches, the first number of clutches including a first clutch, a second clutch, and a third clutch, the subset including the first clutch and the second clutch, wherein the first clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a first group of the plurality of planetary gearsets; and the second clutch, when engaged, fixedly couples the input member to a second group of the plurality of planetary gearsets. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification