Transmission having at least ten speeds

• US 8,366,580 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• 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: Wittkopp, Scott H., Phillips, Andrew W., Hart, James M., Mellet, Edward W., Borgerson, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, David D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bishop, Erin D
• Application Number:
  US12/898,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 475/275
• 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 2200/2012 with four sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2025 using a Ravigneaux set with 5 connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2046 with six engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/663 with conveying rotary motion between axially spaced orbital gears, e.g. RAVIGNEAUX

Abstract

A transmission of the present invention has an input member, an output member, two planetary gear sets, a planetary gear set assembly, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The planetary gear set assembly includes first, second, third, fourth and fifth members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.

Claims

1. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a first planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member and wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the first planetary gear set;

a second planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member;

a planetary gear set assembly having a first member, a second member, a third member, a fourth member and a fifth member and wherein the output member is continuously interconnected with the fifth member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the fourth member of the planetary gear set assembly; and

at least six torque transmitting mechanisms each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth members of the planetary gear set assembly or at least one of the first, second and third members of the first and second planetary gear sets;

with at least one of another of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth members of the planetary gear set assembly, another of the first, second and third members of the first and second planetary gear sets, or a stationary member; and

wherein the at least six torque transmitting mechanisms are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the input shaft member and the third member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the planetary gear set assembly.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the planetary gear set assembly.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the second planetary gear set and the fourth member of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein a fifth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member.

7. The transmission of claim 6 wherein a sixth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member.

8. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, and the third and fourth members of the planetary gear set assembly are sun gears, the second member of the first and second planetary gear sets and the second member of the planetary gear set assembly are carrier members, and the first member of the first planetary gear set, the third member of the second planetary gear set and the first and fifth members of the planetary gear set assembly are ring gears.

9. The transmission of claim 1 wherein two of the six torque transmitting devices are clutches and four of the six torque transmitting devices are brakes.

10. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

11. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a first planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member, wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the first planetary gear set;

a second planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member;

a planetary gear set assembly having a first member, a second member, a third member, a fourth member and a fifth member, wherein the output member is continuously interconnected with the fifth member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the fourth member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the input member and the third member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the second planetary gear set and the fourth member of the planetary gear set assembly the with the stationary member;

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member; and

a sixth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member, and wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

12. The transmission of claim 11 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, and the third and fourth members of the planetary gear set assembly are sun gears, the second member of the first and second planetary gear sets and the second member of the planetary gear set assembly are carrier members, and the first member of the first planetary gear set, third member of the second planetary gear set and the first and fifth members of the planetary gear set assembly are ring gears.

13. The transmission of claim 11 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

14. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a first planetary gear set having a sun gear, a carrier member and a ring gear, wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the sun gear of the first planetary gear set;

a second planetary gear set having a sun gear, a carrier member and a ring gear;

a planetary gear set assembly having a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a first ring gear, a second ring gear and a carrier member, wherein the output member is continuously interconnected with the second ring gear of the planetary gear set assembly;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set and the first sun gear of the planetary gear set assembly;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the carrier member of the first planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the sun gear of the second planetary gear set with the second sun gear of the planetary gear set assembly;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the input member and the sun gear of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the ring gear of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of the planetary gear set assembly;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the second planetary gear set and the second sun gear of the planetary gear set assembly the with the stationary member;

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear of the first planetary gear set, the carrier member of the second planetary gear set and the first sun gear of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member; and

a sixth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first ring gear of the planetary gear set assembly with the stationary member, and wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

15. The transmission of claim 14 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.