SPEED CHANGE DEVICE

• US 20180051778A1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: KATO, Takayoshi, AOKI, Toshihiko
• Application Number:
  US15/556,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20180051778A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/442 comprising two or more sets of orbital gears arranged in a single plane
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0056 the gear ratios comprising seven forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0065 the gear ratios comprising nine forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0069 the gear ratios comprising ten forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0073 the gear ratios comprising eleven forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0078 the gear ratio comprising twelve or more forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0086 the gear ratios comprising two reverse speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/201 with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2023 using a Ravigneaux set with 4 connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2046 with six engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2048 with seven engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2097 comprising an orbital gear set member permanently connected to the housing, e.g. a sun wheel permanently connected to the housing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/663 with conveying rotary motion between axially spaced orbital gears, e.g. RAVIGNEAUX
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/666 with compound planetary gear units, e.g. two intermeshing orbital gears F16H3/663 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/04 Combinations of toothed gearings only F16H37/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/70 specially adapted for change-speed gearing in group arrangement, i.e. with separate change-speed gear trains arranged in series, e.g. range or overdrive-type gearing arrangements

Abstract

An automatic transmission includes: a first gear train that includes a first drive gear always coupled to a first ring gear of a Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism and a first driven gear which is always coupled to an output gear and to which power is transferred from the first drive gear; a second gear train that includes a second drive gear always coupled to a first carrier of the Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism and a second driven gear which is rotated in the same direction as the first driven gear by power from the second drive gear, the second gear train having a gear ratio that is different from that of the first gear train; and a clutch that connects and disconnects the second driven gear and the output gear to and from each other.

Claims

1. A speed change device that includes an input member, an output member, a composite planetary gear mechanism that has at least four rotary elements including an output element, and at least five engagement elements that each connect and disconnect one of the rotary elements of the composite planetary gear mechanism and a different one of rotary elements including the input member or a stationary member to and from each other, the speed change device transferring power, which has been transferred to the input member, to the output member with a speed of the power changed, the speed change device comprising:

a first gear train that includes a first drive gear always coupled to the output element of the composite planetary gear mechanism and a first driven gear which is always coupled to the output member and to which power is transferred from the first drive gear;

a second gear train that includes a second drive gear always coupled to one of the rotary elements, not the output element, of the composite planetary gear mechanism and a second driven gear that is rotated in the same direction as the first driven gear by power from the second drive gear, the second gear train having a gear ratio that is different from that of the first gear train; and

an output-side engagement element that connects and disconnects the second driven gear and the output member to and from each other.

2. The speed change device according to claim 1, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism has a first rotary element, a second rotary element, a third rotary element, and a fourth rotary element that are arranged sequentially in accordance with a gear ratio; and

the output element is the third rotary element, and the one of the rotary elements is the first, second, or fourth rotary element.

3. The speed change device according to claim 2, wherein

the five engagement elements include:

a first engagement element that connects the first rotary element to the stationary member to make the first rotary element stationary so as to be non-rotatable, and that disconnects the first rotary element and the stationary member from each other;

a second engagement element that connects the second rotary element to the stationary member to make the second rotary element stationary so as to be non-rotatable, and that disconnects the second rotary element and the stationary member from each other;

a third engagement element that allows and cancels transfer of power from an input member side to the fourth rotary element;

a fourth engagement element that allows and cancels transfer of power from the input member side to the second rotary element; and

a fifth engagement element that allows and cancels transfer of power from the input member side to the first rotary element.

4. The speed change device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a planetary gear that has a fifth rotary element, a sixth rotary element, and a seventh rotary element arranged sequentially in accordance with a gear ratio; and

a sixth engagement element, wherein;

one of the fifth and seventh rotary elements is always connected to the stationary member, and the other is always coupled to the input member;

the third engagement element connects and disconnects the fourth rotary element and the sixth rotary element to and from each other;

the fourth engagement element connects and disconnects the second rotary element and the input member to and from each other;

the fifth engagement element connects and disconnects the first rotary element and the sixth rotary element to and from each other; and

the sixth engagement element connects and disconnects the first rotary element and the input member to and from each other.

5. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third and sixth engagement elements;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fifth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and sixth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a tenth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

an eleventh forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

a twelfth forward speed is established by engaging the sixth engagement element and the output-side engagement element; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

6. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third and sixth engagement elements;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and sixth engagement elements;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

a tenth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

an eleventh forward speed is established by engaging the sixth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a first reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements; and

a second reverse speed is established by engaging the second and sixth engagement elements.

7. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and sixth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and sixth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

a tenth forward speed is established by engaging the sixth engagement element and the output-side engagement element; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

8. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and sixth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and sixth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the fifth engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the sixth engagement element and the output-side engagement element; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

9. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein

the planetary gear is a double-pinion type planetary gear that has a third sun gear, a third ring gear, and a third carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of sets of two pinion gears meshed with each other, one of the pinion gears being meshed with the third sun gear and the other being meshed with the third ring gear, the fifth rotary element is the third sun gear, the sixth rotary element is the third ring gear, and the seventh rotary element is the third carrier.

10. The speed change device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a planetary gear that has a fifth rotary element, a sixth rotary element, and a seventh rotary element arranged sequentially in accordance with a gear ratio, wherein;

one of the fifth and seventh rotary elements is always connected to the stationary member, and the other is always coupled to the input member;

the third engagement element connects and disconnects the fourth rotary element and the sixth rotary element to and from each other;

the fourth engagement element connects and disconnects the second rotary element and the input member to and from each other; and

the fifth engagement element connects and disconnects the first rotary element and the sixth rotary element to and from each other.

11. The speed change device according to claim 10, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the fifth engagement element;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the fifth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

12. The speed change device according to claim 10, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the fifth engagement element and the output-side engagement element; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

13. The speed change device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a planetary gear that has a fifth rotary element, a sixth rotary element, and a seventh rotary element arranged sequentially in accordance with a gear ratio, wherein;

the fifth rotary element is always coupled to the input member;

the third engagement element connects and disconnects the fourth rotary element and the input member to and from each other;

the fourth engagement element connects and disconnects the second rotary element and the input member to and from each other; and

the fifth engagement element connects the seventh rotary element to the stationary member to make the seventh rotary element stationary so as to be non-rotatable, and disconnects the seventh rotary element and the stationary member from each other.

14. The speed change device according to claim 13, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the fifth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fifth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

an eighth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth and fifth engagement elements;

a ninth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

15. The speed change device according to claim 10, wherein

the planetary gear is a single-pinion type planetary gear that has a third sun gear, a third ring gear, and a third carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of third pinion gears meshed with the third sun gear and the third ring gear, the fifth rotary element is the third sun gear which is always connected to the stationary member, the sixth rotary element is the third carrier, and the seventh rotary element is the third ring gear.

16. The speed change device according to claim 10, wherein

the planetary gear is a double-pinion type planetary gear that has a third sun gear, a third ring gear, and a third carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of sets of two pinion gears meshed with each other, one of the pinion gears being meshed with the third sun gear and the other being meshed with the third ring gear, the fifth rotary element is the third sun gear, the sixth rotary element is the third ring gear, and the seventh rotary element is the third carrier which is always connected to the stationary member.

17. The speed change device according to claim 3, wherein:

the third engagement element connects and disconnects the fourth rotary element and the input member to and from each other;

the fourth engagement element connects and disconnects the second rotary element and the input member to and from each other; and

the fifth engagement element connects and disconnects the first rotary element and the input member to and from each other.

18. The speed change device according to claim 17, wherein:

a first forward speed is established by engaging the second and third engagement elements;

a second forward speed is established by engaging the first and third engagement elements;

a third forward speed is established by engaging the third engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a fourth forward speed is established by engaging the third and fourth engagement elements;

a fifth forward speed is established by engaging the fourth engagement element and the output-side engagement element;

a sixth forward speed is established by engaging the first and fourth engagement elements;

a seventh forward speed is established by engaging the fifth engagement element and the output-side engagement element; and

a reverse speed is established by engaging the second and fifth engagement elements.

19. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein

the composite planetary gear mechanism is a Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism that has a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a first pinion gear meshed with the first sun gear, a second pinion gear meshed with the second sun gear and meshed with the first pinion gear, a first carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds the first and second pinion gears, and a first ring gear meshed with the second pinion gear, the first rotary element is the first sun gear, the second rotary element is the first carrier, the third rotary element is the first ring gear, and the fourth rotary element is the second sun gear.

20. The speed change device according to claim 13, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism is a Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism that has a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a first pinion gear meshed with the first sun gear, a second pinion gear meshed with the second sun gear and meshed with the first pinion gear, a first carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds the first and second pinion gears, and a first ring gear meshed with the second pinion gear; and

the first rotary element is the second sun gear, the second rotary element is the first ring gear, the third rotary element is the first carrier, and the fourth rotary element is the first sun gear.

21. The speed change device according to claim 4, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism includes a single-pinion type first planetary gear that has a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of first pinion gears meshed with the first sun gear and the first ring gear, and a single-pinion type second planetary gear that has a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and a second carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of second pinion gears meshed with the second sun gear and the second ring gear; and

the first rotary element is the first sun gear, the second rotary element is the second ring gear, the third rotary element is the first and second carriers which are always coupled to each other, and the fourth rotary element is the first ring gear and the second sun gear which are always coupled to each other.

22. The speed change device according to claim 21, wherein:

the first ring gear and the second sun gear are integrated with each other; and

the composite planetary gear mechanism is disposed such that the first pinion gears and the second pinion gears at least partially overlap each other in an axial direction as seen in a radial direction.

23. The speed change device according to claim 10, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism includes a single-pinion type first planetary gear that has a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of first pinion gears meshed with the first sun gear and the first ring gear, and a single-pinion type second planetary gear that has a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and a second carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of second pinion gears meshed with the second sun gear and the second ring gear; and

the first rotary element is the second sun gear, the second rotary element is the first ring gear and the second carrier which are always coupled to each other, the third rotary element is the first carrier and the second ring gear which are always coupled to each other, and the fourth rotary element is the first sun gear.

24. The speed change device according to claim 13, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism includes a single-pinion type first planetary gear that has a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of first pinion gears meshed with the first sun gear and the first ring gear, and a single-pinion type second planetary gear that has a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and a second carrier that rotatably and revolvably holds a plurality of second pinion gears meshed with the second sun gear and the second ring gear; and

the first rotary element is the first sun gear, the second rotary element is the first carrier and the second ring gear which are always coupled to each other, the third rotary element is the first ring gear and the second carrier which are always coupled to each other, and the fourth rotary element is the second sun gear.

25. The speed change device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first drive gear is an externally toothed gear that is rotated together with the output element of the composite planetary gear mechanism, and the first driven gear is an externally toothed gear that is meshed with the first drive gear and that is rotated together with the output member; and

the second drive gear is an externally toothed gear that is rotated together with the one of the rotary elements of the composite planetary gear mechanism, and the second driven gear is an externally toothed gear meshed with the second drive gear.

26. The speed change device according to claim 25, wherein

one of the gear ratio of the first gear train and the gear ratio of the second gear train is 1.00.

27. The speed change device according to claim 1, wherein

the output member transfers power to a differential gear coupled to front wheels of a vehicle.

28. The speed change device according to claim 1, wherein:

the composite planetary gear mechanism includes a first planetary gear and a second planetary gear that each have three rotary elements; and

one of two rotary elements of the first planetary gear is always coupled to one of two rotary elements of the second planetary gear, and the other of the two rotary elements of the first planetary gear is always coupled to the other of the two rotary elements of the second planetary gear.

29. The speed change device according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least five engagement elements include a plurality of clutches that each connect and disconnect one of the rotary elements, not the output element, of the composite planetary gear mechanism and the different one of the rotary elements including the input member to and from each other; and

a plurality of forward speeds and at least one reverse speed are established by selectively engaging the at least five engagement elements, and at least two forward speeds that are different from the plurality of forward speeds are established by engaging one of the plurality of clutches and the output-side engagement element.

30. The speed change device according to claim 29, wherein

the plurality of clutches each connect and disconnect the one of the rotary elements, not the output element, of the composite planetary gear mechanism and one of the input member and the different one of the rotary elements that is rotated at a rotational speed that is lower than that of the input member to and from each other.