HEAVY DUTY TRANSMISSION ARCHITECTURE

• US 20150267778A1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Joseph D., Peterson, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,989,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/008 comprising means for selectively driving countershafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/123 using a brake
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/045 comprising a separate gearing unit for shifting between high and low ratio range
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/006 power being selectively transmitted by either one of the parallel flow paths
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/08 exclusively or essentially with continuously meshing gears, that can be disengaged from their shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/0915 with coaxial input and output shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/095 with means for ensuring an even distribution of torque between the countershafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/097 the input and output shafts being aligned on the same axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/043 without gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/046 with an additional planetary gear train, e.g. creep gear, overdrive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0037 Special features of coaxial shafts, e.g. relative support thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19223 Disconnectable counter shaft

Abstract

A transmission includes a main shaft having two or more main shaft clutches that couple gears to at least one countershaft, and an automated manual transmission coupled to the main shaft via the at least one countershaft. The automated manual transmission includes a front input shaft coupled directly to a main clutch and having a first clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft, and a rear input shaft coupled to the front input shaft and having a second clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft. The automated manual transmission is operable to selectively engage the first clutch and the second clutch.

Claims

1. A transmission, comprising:

a main shaft having two or more main shaft clutches that couple gears to at least one countershaft;

an automated manual transmission splitter section coupled to the main shaft via the at least one countershaft, the splitter section comprising;

a front input shaft coupled directly to a main clutch and having a first clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft; and

a rear input shaft coupled to the front input shaft and having a second clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft;

wherein the automated manual transmission splitter section is operable to selectively engage the first clutch and the second clutch.

2. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the front input shaft and the rear input shaft are coupled via a spline joint positioned between the front input shaft and the rear input shaft, the spline joint having teeth that coaxially locate a drive gear of the second input shaft without radial displacement via a rear input shaft synchronizer clutch hub.

3. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the spline joint is located within a bore of the first input shaft.

4. The transmission of claim 1, the automated manual transmission further comprising:

the first clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft via one clutch mechanism; and

the second clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft via two clutch mechanisms;

wherein the one clutch mechanism and the two clutch mechanisms are selectively engageable via operation of the automated manual transmission splitter section using the main clutch.

5. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising a two speed range gearbox section operable via a range clutch and coupled to the main shaft.

6. The transmission of claim 5, wherein gear selection defined by the first clutch, the second clutch, the two or more main shaft clutches, and the range clutch include 18 selectable gear ratios.

7. The transmission of claim 6, wherein the 18 selectable gear ratios include at least one overdrive gear ratio in which a total ratio of the gears is less than 1.000.

8. The transmission of claim 6, wherein at least one of the two or more main shaft clutches and the range clutch is a synchronized clutch.

9. The transmission of claim 6, wherein at least one of the two or more main shaft clutches and the range clutch is a non-synchronized clutch.

10. The transmission of claim 9, further comprising an inertial brake coupled to the at least one countershaft.

11. A method of manufacturing a transmission, comprising:

fabricating a main shaft having two or more main shaft clutches that couple gears to at least one countershaft;

fabricating an automated manual transmission using steps that include;

a. coupling a front input shaft directly to a main clutch, the front input shaft having a first clutch coupleable to the at least one countershaft;

b. coupling a rear input shaft directly to the front input shaft, the rear input shaft having a second clutch coupleable to the countershaft;

wherein the automated manual transmission splitter section is operable to selectively engage the first clutch and the second clutch.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning a spline joint between the front input shaft and the rear input shaft, the spline joint having teeth that coaxially locate a drive gear of the second input shaft without radial displacement via a rear input shaft synchronizer clutch hub.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning the spline joint within a bore of the first input shaft.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein fabricating the automated manual transmission further comprises:

fabricating the first clutch to be coupleable to the countershaft via one clutch mechanism;

fabricating the second clutch to be coupleable to the countershaft via two clutch mechanisms; and

fabricating the one clutch mechanism and the two clutch mechanisms to be selectively engageable via operation of the automated manual transmission splitter section using the main clutch.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling a two speed range gearbox section to the main shaft, the two speed range gearbox section operable via a range clutch.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein gear selection defined by the first clutch, the second clutch, the two or more main shaft clutches, and the range clutch include 18 selectable gear ratios.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the 18 selectable gear ratios include at least one overdrive gear ratio in which a total ratio of the gears is less than 1.000.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the two or more main shaft clutches and the range clutch is a synchronized clutch.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the two or more main shaft clutches and the range clutch is a non-synchronized clutch.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling an inertial brake to the at least one countershaft.