Transmission Having a Low Launch Gear

• US 20110314962A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Thomas, Steven G., Frait, Steven A., Maurer, Jeffrey E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,474,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/665.F
• 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 2200/0026 comprising at least one creep low gear, e.g. additional gear for extra low speed or creeping
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0047 the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0052 the gear ratios comprising six forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0056 the gear ratios comprising seven forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/006 the gear ratios comprising eight forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/006 power being selectively transmitted by either one of the parallel flow paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19074 Single drive plural driven
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19233 Plurality of counter shafts

Abstract

Gearing for a vehicle transmission includes meshing forward gears and an idler, a reverse gear engaging the idler, a low gear engaging the reverse gear, a final drive, and a low gear drive path including the idler, the forward, reverse and low gears and the final drive.

Claims

1. A vehicle transmission, comprising:

a pinion secured to an input shaft;

a gear meshing with the pinion;

an idler secured to the gear;

a reverse gear engaged with the idler;

a low gear supported on a layshaft and engaged with the reverse gear;

a coupler connecting the low gear to the layshaft.

2. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising:

a first layshaft supporting the idler and the gear;

a first coupler secured to the first layshaft for connecting the idler to the first layshaft;

a second layshaft supporting the reverse gear thereon;

a second coupler secured to the second layshaft for alternately releasing and connecting the reverse gear to the second layshaft.

3. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising:

a first layshaft;

a first coupler secured to the first layshaft for releasably connecting the idler to the layshaft;

a second layshaft;

a second coupler secured to the second layshaft for releasably connecting the reverse gear to the second layshaft;

a final drive pinion secured to the layshaft.

4. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising:

a first clutch for connecting and releasing a drive connection between the input shaft and a power source.

5. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the pinion and gear comprise a second speed pinion and a second speed gear, the idler being secured to the second speed gear.

6. A vehicle transmission, comprising:

an input shaft;

an output;

a pinion secured to the input shaft;

a gear meshing with the pinion and driving the output at a forward speed;

an idler secured to the gear;

a reverse gear engaged with the idler and driving the output in reverse;

a low gear engaged with the reverse gear;

a low gear engaged with the reverse gear and driving the output at a lower forward speed than the gear.

7. The transmission of claim 6, further comprising:

a first, second and third layshafts, the gear and idler supported on the first layshaft;

the reverse gear supported on the second layshaft;

the low gear supported on the third layshaft;

a final drive including a low output pinion secured to the third layshaft and meshing with the output.

8. The transmission of claim 7, further comprising:

a first speed pinion secured to a second input shaft;

a first speed gear meshing with a first speed pinion and supported on the first layshaft;

a first coupler for alternately releasing and connecting the first speed gear and the idler to the first layshaft;

the final drive including a first output pinion secured to the first layshaft and meshing with the output.

9. The transmission of claim 7, further comprising:

a third speed pinion and a fifth speed pinion secured to a second input shaft;

a third speed gear meshing with the third speed pinion and supported on the second layshaft;

a fifth speed gear meshing with the fifth speed pinion and supported on the second layshaft;

a second coupler for alternately releasing and connecting the third speed gear and the fifth speed gear to the second layshaft;

the final drive including a second output pinion secured to the second layshaft and meshing with the output.

10. The transmission of claim 7, further comprising:

a fourth speed pinion secured to the first input shaft;

a fourth speed gear meshing with the fourth speed pinion and supported on the second layshaft;

a third coupler for alternately releasing and connecting the fourth speed gear and the reverse gear to the second layshaft;

the final drive including a second output pinion secured to the second layshaft and meshing with the output.

11. The transmission of claim 7, further comprising:

a fourth speed pinion secured to the first input shaft;

a sixth speed gear meshing with the fourth speed pinion and supported on the first layshaft;

a first coupler for alternately releasing and connecting the sixth speed gear and the idler to the first layshaft;

the final drive including a first output pinion secured to the first layshaft and meshing with the output.

12. The transmission of claim 7, further comprising:

a seventh speed pinion secured to a second input shaft;

a seventh speed gear meshing with the seventh speed pinion and supported on the first layshaft;

a fourth coupler for alternately releasing and connecting the first speed gear and the seventh speed gear to the first layshaft;

the final drive including a first output pinion secured to the first layshaft and meshing with the output.

13. A vehicle transmission, comprising:

an input and output;

first, second and third layshafts;

meshing gears of a forward drive path supported on the input and first layshaft;

an idler secured to one of said gears;

a reverse gear engaged with the idler and supported on the second layshaft;

a low gear engaged with the reverse gear and supported on the third layshaft;

a final drive comprising a pinion secured to the third layshaft and meshing with the output.

14. The transmission of claim 15, further comprising:

a first coupler for alternately releasing and securing one of the idler and one of the meshing gears to the first layshaft;

a second coupler for alternately releasing and securing the reverse gear to the second layshaft;

a third coupler for alternately releasing and securing the low gear to the third layshaft;

the third coupler alternately connecting the fifth speed gear and the reverse gear to the second layshaft;

the second coupler alternately connecting the seventh speed gear and the idler to the first layshaft.