Eight speed automatic transmission

• US 8,079,931 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Carey, Clinton E., Hart, James M., Phillips, Andrew W., Wittkopp, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, David D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bishop, Erin D
• Application Number:
  US13/161,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20110245018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 475/282
• US Class Current: 475/275
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/006 the gear ratios comprising eight forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2012 with four sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2043 with five engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/666 with compound planetary gear units, e.g. two intermeshing orbital gears F16H3/663 takes precedence

Abstract

An eight speed automatic transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets and five torque transmitting devices. Three of the planetary gear sets are simple and one planetary gear set is compound. Each of the plurality of planetary gear sets has first, second and third members: a sun gear, a ring gear and a planet carrier having a plurality of planet gears rotatably disposed thereon. Three of the torque transmitting devices are clutches and two of the devices are brakes. Eight embodiments of the transmission having different arrangements of the planetary gear sets, clutches and brakes are disclosed.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission comprising:

a transmission housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and the second walls;

a first, a second, a third, and a fourth planetary gear set disposed within the transmission housing and rotatable about an axis, wherein the first planetary gear set is adjacent the first wall, the second planetary gear set is adjacent the first planetary gear set, the fourth planetary gear set is adjacent the second planetary gear set, and the third planetary gear set is between the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, each of the planetary gear sets including a first member, a second member, and a third member;

an input member rotatable about the axis and at least partially disposed between the first wall and the first planetary gear set, at least partially disposed between the first planetary gear set and the third wall, and connected to the second member of the first planetary gear set between the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set;

an output member connected to the second member of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously connecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the first interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the first portion extends radially outward from the first member of the first planetary gear set between the first and the second planetary gear sets, the second portion is disposed radially outward of the second planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially outward from the first member of the fourth planetary gear set between the second and fourth planetary gear sets;

a second interconnecting member continuously connecting the third member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the second interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, and wherein the first portion extends radially inward from the third member of the first planetary gear set between the input member and the first planetary gear set, the second portion is disposed radially inward of the first planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially inward from the second member of the second planetary gear set between the second planetary gear set and the first portion of the first interconnecting member;

a third interconnecting member continuously connecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the first member of the third planetary gear set, wherein the third interconnecting member is at least partially disposed radially inward of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously connecting the third member of the third planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the fourth interconnecting member is at least partially disposed between the fourth and third planetary gear sets and radially outward of the third interconnecting member;

a first clutch selectively engageable between the second member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the second planetary gear set;

a second clutch selectively engageable between the first member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set;

a third clutch selectively engageable between the third member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set;

a first brake selectively engageable between the first member of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing; and

a second brake selectively engageable between the third member of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing, and

wherein the clutches and brakes are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

2. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the first clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member.

3. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the second clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member.

4. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the third clutch is disposed to be at least one of radially inward of the first interconnecting member and radially outward of the third interconnecting member.

5. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the first brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member.

6. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the second brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member.

7. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the first, the third and the fourth planetary gear sets are simple and the second planetary gear set is compound.

8. The automatic transmission of claim 1 wherein the first members are sun gears, the second members are carrier members, and the third members are ring gears.

9. An automatic transmission comprising:

a transmission housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and the second walls;

a first, a second, a third, and a fourth planetary gear set disposed within the transmission housing and rotatable about an axis, wherein the first planetary gear set is adjacent the first wall, the second planetary gear set is adjacent the first planetary gear set, the fourth planetary gear set is adjacent the second planetary gear set, and the third planetary gear set is between the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, each of the planetary gear sets including a first member, a second member, and a third member;

an input member rotatable about the axis and at least partially disposed between the first wall and the first planetary gear set, at least partially disposed between the first planetary gear set and the third wall, and connected to the second member of the first planetary gear set between the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set;

an output member connected to the second member of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously connecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the first interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the first portion extends radially outward from the first member of the first planetary gear set between the first and the second planetary gear sets, the second portion is disposed radially outward of the second planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially outward from the first member of the fourth planetary gear set between the second and fourth planetary gear sets;

a second interconnecting member continuously connecting the third member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the second interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, and wherein the first portion extends radially inward from the third member of the first planetary gear set between the input member and the first planetary gear set, the second portion is disposed radially inward of the first planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially inward from the second member of the second planetary gear set between the second planetary gear set and the first portion of the first interconnecting member;

a third interconnecting member continuously connecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the first member of the third planetary gear set, wherein the third interconnecting member is at least partially disposed radially inward of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously connecting the third member of the third planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the fourth interconnecting member is at least partially disposed between the fourth and third planetary gear sets and radially outward of the third interconnecting member;

a first clutch selectively engageable between the second member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the first clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member;

a second clutch selectively engageable between the first member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the second clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member;

a third clutch selectively engageable between the third member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set, wherein the third clutch is disposed to be at least one of radially inward of the first interconnecting member and radially outward of the third interconnecting member;

a first brake selectively engageable between the first member of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing, wherein the first brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member; and

a second brake selectively engageable between the third member of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing, wherein the second brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member, and

wherein the clutches and brakes are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

10. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the first, the third and the fourth planetary gear sets are simple and the second planetary gear set is compound.

11. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the first members are sun gears, the second members are carrier members, and the third members are ring gears.

12. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the first clutch is disposed radially inward of both the input member and the second interconnecting member.

13. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the second clutch is disposed radially inward of the second interconnecting member.

14. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the third clutch is disposed radially inward of the first interconnecting member and radially outward of the third interconnecting member.

15. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the first brake is disposed radially outward of the input member.

16. The automatic transmission of claim 9 wherein the second brake is disposed radially outward of the output member.

17. An automatic transmission comprising:

a transmission housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and the second walls;

a first, a second, a third, and a fourth planetary gear set disposed within the transmission housing and rotatable about an axis, wherein the first planetary gear set is adjacent the first wall, the second planetary gear set is adjacent the first planetary gear set, the fourth planetary gear set is adjacent the second planetary gear set, and the third planetary gear set is between the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, each of the planetary gear sets including a sun gear, a carrier member, and a ring gear;

an input member rotatable about the axis, at least partially disposed between the first wall and the first planetary gear set, at least partially disposed between the third wall and the first planetary gear set, and connected to the carrier member of the first planetary gear set between the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set;

an output member connected to the carrier member of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously connecting the sun gear of the first planetary gear set with the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the first interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the first portion extends radially outward from the sun gear of the first planetary gear set between the first and the second planetary gear sets, the second portion is disposed radially outward of the second planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially outward from the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set between the second and fourth planetary gear sets;

a second interconnecting member continuously connecting the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the second interconnecting member has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, and wherein the first portion extends radially inward from the ring gear of the first planetary gear set between the input member and the first planetary gear set, the second portion is disposed radially inward of the first planetary gear set, and the third portion extends radially inward from the carrier member of the second planetary gear set between the second planetary gear set and the first portion of the first interconnecting member;

a third interconnecting member continuously connecting the sun gear of the second planetary gear set with the sun gear of the third planetary gear set, wherein the third interconnecting member is at least partially disposed radially inward of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously connecting the ring gear of the third planetary gear set with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set, wherein the fourth interconnecting member is at least partially disposed between the fourth and third planetary gear sets and radially outward of the third interconnecting member;

a first clutch selectively engageable between the carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear of the second planetary gear set, wherein the first clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member;

a second clutch selectively engageable between the sun gear of the second planetary gear set and the carrier member of the second planetary gear set, wherein the second clutch is disposed radially inward of at least one of the input member and the second interconnecting member;

a third clutch selectively engageable between the ring gear of the second planetary gear set and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set, wherein the third clutch is disposed to be at least one of radially inward of the first interconnecting member and radially outward of the third interconnecting member;

a first brake selectively engageable between the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing, wherein the first brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member; and

a second brake selectively engageable between the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set and the transmission housing, wherein the second brake is disposed to be at least one of radially outward of the input member, radially outward of the first interconnecting member, radially outward of the fourth interconnecting member, and radially outward of the output member, and

wherein the clutches and brakes are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

18. The automatic transmission of claim 17 wherein the first clutch is disposed radially inward of both the input member and the second interconnecting member.

19. The automatic transmission of claim 17 wherein the second clutch is disposed radially inward of the second interconnecting member.

20. The automatic transmission of claim 17 wherein the third clutch is disposed radially inward of the first interconnecting member and radially outward of the third interconnecting member.

21. The automatic transmission of claim 17 wherein the first brake is disposed radially outward of the input member.

22. The automatic transmission of claim 17 wherein the second brake is disposed radially outward of the output member.