Automatic transmission

• US 6,042,498 A
• Filed: 10/21/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kashiwase, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, KHOI QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/176,663
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 475/210-216, 475/159, 474/18, 474/28
• US Class Current: 475/210
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02086 Measures for reducing size of gearbox, e.g. for creating a more compact transmission casing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/022 the toothed gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0489 with endless flexible members, e.g. belt CVTs

Abstract

An automatic transmission including a continuously variable transmission, a friction type starting apparatus and a forward and reverse changeover apparatus, comprises a sealed clutch housing rotating integrally with an engine output shaft for accommodating the friction type starting clutch and the forward and reverse changeover apparatus therein, a lubricating oil filled up in the clutch housing for cooling the starting clutch and the forward and reverse changeover apparatus and a clutch drum of the starting clutch integrally formed with the clutch housing, thereby an abrupt temperature rise in the starting clutch can be prevented and the durability of the starting clutch can be substantially improved. Further, since the friction type starting clutch and the forward and reverse changeover apparatus are packaged in the sealed clutch housing, a compact automatic transmission can be realized.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission having a continuously variable transmission, a friction type starting clutch for transmitting or shutting off a driving force of an engine output shaft to said transmission, and a forward and reverse changeover apparatus including a reversing device for reversing the rotational direction of said driving force, a forward clutch for shutting off said driving force when said reversing device is operated, and a reverse brake for controlling said reversing device, comprising:

a sealed clutch housing rotating integrally with said engine output shaft for accommodating said starting clutch and said forward and reverse changeover apparatus therein;

a lubricating oil filled up in said clutch housing for cooling said starting clutch and said forward and reverse changeover apparatus; and

a clutch drum of said starting clutch integrally formed with said clutch housing.

2. The automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein

said starting clutch is disposed on the side of said transmission, said forward clutch is disposed on the side of said engine and said reversing device is interposed between said starting clutch and said forward clutch.

3. The automatic transmission according to claim 1, wherein

said starting clutch is disposed on the side of said engine, said reversing device is disposed on the side of said transmission and said forward clutch is interposed between said starting clutch and said reversing device.

4. The automatic transmission according to claim 3, wherein

at least a part of said forward clutch is accommodated in an inner diameter space formed around the center of said starting clutch.