High efficiency, high output transmission

• US 10,584,778 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Peterson, Paul, Jackson, Graeme Andrew, Smith, Timothy Scott, Wilson, Paul, Chimner, Christian, Wota, Andrzej, Wink, Carlos H., Sheen, Benjamin S., McGovern, Kevin, Wadas, David L., Reinoehl, Troy Scott, Whitaker, James Lee, Peterson, Steven Michael, McClellan, Clinton Lee, Fernald, Paige Elizabeth, David, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Jacob S.
• Application Number:
  US15/663,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20180180148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/06 from the transmission power take-off transmissions having power-take-off B60K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 13/38 with flat clutching surfaces, e.g. discs
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 13/50 in which the clutching pressure is produced by springs only
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 13/583 Diaphragm-springs, e.g. Belleville co-operation with a disengaging thrust ring or bearing F16D23/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2023/141 characterised by using a fork; Details of forks
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2048/0293 Hydraulic circuits combining clutch and transmission actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/126 adjustment for wear or play
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 69/025 Compositions based on an organic binder
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/08 the members having helical, herringbone, or like teeth
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/0931 each countershaft having an output gear meshing with a single common gear on the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02026 Connection of auxiliaries with a gear case; Mounting of auxiliaries on the gearbox
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/0206 for commercial vehicles, e.g. buses or trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/308 Modular hydraulic shift units, i.e. preassembled actuator units for select and shift movements adapted for being mounted on transmission casing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/005 Preassembled gear shift units for mounting on gear case for hydraulic shift units F16H2061/308
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/3093 Final output elements, i.e. the final elements to establish gear ratio, e.g. dog clutches or other means establishing coupling to shaft fluid actuated clutches F16H63/3026; electromagnetic clutches F16H2063/3046
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0004 comprising a power take off shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0078 the gear ratio comprising twelve or more forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/091 including a single countershaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/093 with two or more countershafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/046 : with an additional planetary gear train, e.g. creep gear, overdrive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/02 : Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/021 : Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/032 : characterised by the materials used
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0423 : Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes means for guiding lubricant into an axial channel of a shaft F16H57/0426; lubrication by injection, injection nozzles or tubes therefore F16H57/0456
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/043 : within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0441 : Arrangements of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0471 : Bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0478 : Synchromesh devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0484 : with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0494 : with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/30 : Hydraulic or pneumatic motors or related fluid control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/682 : with interruption of drive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/24 : each of the final output mechanisms being moved by only one of the various final actuating mechanisms constructional features of the final output mechanisms F16H63/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/345 : using friction brakes, e.g. a band brakes

Abstract

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift actuator selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. An integrated actuator housing is operationally coupled to the shift actuator and a linear clutch actuator. The linear clutch actuator is a self-adjusting actuator, and the transmission includes a self-adjusting clutch.

Claims

1. An automated truck transmission, comprising:

an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover;

a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;

a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;

an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;

a shift actuator structured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;

an integrated actuator housing, wherein the shift actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing, and

further comprising a clutch actuator housing, wherein a linear clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing and wherein the linear clutch actuator is a self-adjusting actuator, the transmission further comprising a self-adjusting clutch.

2. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the self-adjusting actuator compensates for wear in at least one of the self-adjusting clutch, the linear clutch actuator, a clutch yoke, and a release bearing;

and

wherein the clutch yoke and the release bearing are configured to operationally link the self-adjusting actuator and the self-adjusting clutch.

3. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the self-adjusting clutch comprises a diaphragm spring.

4. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single external power access for the shift actuator and the linear clutch actuator.

5. The transmission of claim 4, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port, and wherein the transmission does not include any external pneumatic hoses.

6. The transmission of claim 3, further comprising wherein the linear clutch actuator comprises a progressive actuator, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the self-adjusting clutch.

7. The transmission of claim 6, the wherein the linear clutch actuator is pneumatically activated, wherein the linear clutch actuator has a first extended position and a second retracted position, and wherein the linear clutch actuator includes a near zero dead air volume in the second retracted position.

8. The transmission of claim 7, wherein the self-adjusting clutch comprises an organic clutch.

9. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising a cast aluminum housing.

10. The transmission of claim 9, further comprising a first PTO interface comprising a side housing access to a gear of the countershaft, and a second PTO interface comprising a rear housing access to a rear of the countershaft.

11. The transmission of claim 9, wherein the countershaft comprises helical gears.

12. The transmission of claim 11, wherein the helical gears have a gear tooth configuration having flat tops.

13. The transmission of claim 12, wherein the transmission further comprises a lubrication system.

14. The transmission of claim 13, wherein the transmission does not include a cooler.

15. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the transmission comprises a cast aluminum housing.

16. The transmission of claim 15, wherein the countershaft comprises helical gears.

17. The transmission of claim 16, further comprising a planetary gear set comprising a sun gear and a ring gear, wherein the ring gear is coupled to the output shaft, and wherein the sun gear is selectively coupled to the ring gear, the transmission further comprising a ball bearing operatively positioned between the sun gear and the ring gear, and wherein the helical gears are configured to apply thrust loads to the ball bearing.

18. The transmission of claim 16, wherein gear teeth on the countershaft comprise a flattened top geometry.

19. The transmission of claim 18, wherein the gear teeth are ground with a worm wheel.

20. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the transmission comprises a 12-speed truck transmission.

21. The transmission of claim 2, further comprising an actuator assembly comprising the clutch actuator housing and the integrated actuator housing, and wherein the actuator assembly is mounted on a vertically upper side of the transmission.

22. The transmission of claim 21, wherein the shift actuator comprises a plurality of valve banks, wherein the linear clutch actuator comprises at least one valve, and wherein no hoses are present between either a single air supply port of the integrated actuator housing and the plurality of valve banks, or the single air supply port and the at least one valve.

23. The transmission of claim 22, wherein the shift actuator comprises the plurality of valve banks operationally coupled to a plurality of shift forks, and at least one position sensing device structured to determine a rail position of each of the plurality of shift forks.

24. The transmission of claim 21, wherein the actuator assembly is mounted on a vertically upper side of the transmission, and wherein the shift actuator and the linear clutch actuator are accessible without decoupling the input shaft from the prime mover.

25. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the transmission comprises an 18-speed truck transmission.

26. The transmission of claim 25, wherein the transmission comprises a 3×

3×

2 architecture.

27. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the driveline of the transmission does not include any tapered bearings, and wherein enclosure bearings of the housing of the transmission do not take thrust loads of the transmission.

28. The transmission of claim 22, further comprising a friction brake configured to engage the countershaft, and wherein the friction brake is powered through the single air supply port.

29. An automated truck transmission, comprising:

an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover by a clutch;

a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;

a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;

an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;

a shift actuator structured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;

an integrated actuator housing, wherein the shift actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing, and

further comprising a clutch actuator housing, wherein a linear clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing for actuating the clutch and wherein at least one of the linear clutch actuator and the clutch is self-adjusting, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single external power access for the shift actuator and the linear clutch actuator.

30. The transmission of claim 29, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port, and wherein the transmission does not include any external pneumatic hoses.

31. The transmission of claim 29, wherein the transmission comprises an 18-speed truck transmission.

32. The transmission of claim 31, wherein the transmission comprises a 3×

3×

2 architecture.

33. An automated truck transmission, comprising:

an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover by a clutch;

a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;

a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;

an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;

a shift actuator structured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;

an integrated actuator housing, wherein the shift actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing, and

further comprising a clutch actuator housing coupled to the integrated actuator housing, wherein a linear clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing for actuating the clutch and wherein at least one of the linear clutch actuator and the clutch is self-adjusting.