HIGH EFFICIENCY, HIGH OUTPUT TRANSMISSION WITH LINEAR CLUTCH ACTUATOR

• US 20200132177A1
• Filed: 11/13/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,859,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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. A 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;

a clutch actuator housing, wherein a linear clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing.

2. The transmission of claim 1, 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.

3. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the linear clutch actuator is a self-adjusting actuator

4. The transmission of claim 3, the transmission further comprising a self-adjusting clutch.

5. The transmission of claim 1, 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.

6. The transmission of claim 5, wherein the linear clutch actuator is a self-adjusting actuator, the transmission further comprising a self-adjusting diaphragm spring clutch.

7. The transmission of claim 6, wherein the transmission comprises an automated truck transmission.

8. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises an automated truck transmission, the transmission further comprising a diaphragm clutch.

9. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, and wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port.

10. 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;

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.

11. The transmission of claim 10, wherein the self-adjusting clutch comprises a diaphragm spring clutch.

12. The transmission of claim 10, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, and wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port.

13. The transmission of claim 11, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, and wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port.

14. A transmission, comprising:

wherein the transmission is an automated truck transmission;

an input shaft configured to couple to an upstream driveline component;

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 downstream driveline component;

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;

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, wherein the self-adjusting clutch comprises a diaphragm spring clutch.

15. The transmission of claim 14, 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.

16. The transmission of claim 15, wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, and wherein both of the linear clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port.

17. The transmission of claim 16, wherein the linear clutch actuator comprises a progressive actuator, and wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the self-adjusting clutch.

18. The transmission of claim 14, wherein the transmission comprises a high output transmission.

19. The transmission of claim 18, wherein the transmission further comprises a high efficiency transmission.