Multi-speed transmission

• US 9,822,856 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Donald Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Jacob S
• Application Number:
  US14/943,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/447 without permanent connection between the set of orbital gears and the output
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0065 the gear ratios comprising nine 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 2200/201 with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2012 with four sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2023 using a Ravigneaux set with 4 connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2048 with seven engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/62 Gearings having three or more central gears F16H3/68 - F16H3/78 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/66 composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/663 with conveying rotary motion between axially spaced orbital gears, e.g. RAVIGNEAUX
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/042 change gear transmissions in group arrangement

Abstract

A family of transmission gearing arrangements each establish at least one reverse gear ratio and between nine and fifteen forward gear ratios. A shiftable gearing arrangement establishes a variety of speed ratios between the input and a first shaft. In some embodiments, a fixed speed ratio is established upstream or downstream of the shiftable gearing arrangement. In reverse and low gear ratios, a low clutch couples the first shaft to the output. In the high gear ratios, a combining planetary gear set establishes a linear speed relationship between the first shaft, a second shaft rotating at a speed proportional to the input, and the output.

Claims

1. A transmission comprising:

an input;

an output;

a first shaft;

a first gearing arrangement configured to impose a plurality of selective proportional speed relationships between the first shaft and the input;

a second gearing arrangement configured to selectively impose a linear speed relationship among the first shaft, the input, and the output; and

a first clutch configured to selectively directly couple the output to one of the first shaft and the input.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first gearing arrangement comprises:

a first simple planetary gearset having a first sun fixedly held against rotation, a first ring fixedly coupled to the input, and a first carrier;

a second simple planetary gearset having a second sun fixedly held against rotation, a second ring fixedly coupled to the first carrier, and a second carrier;

a Ravigneaux gearset having a third sun, a fourth sun, a third ring fixedly coupled to the first shaft, and a third carrier;

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the first carrier to the third carrier;

a third clutch configured to selectively couple the second carrier to the fourth sun;

a fourth clutch configured to selectively couple the second carrier to the third sun;

a first brake configured to selectively hold the third sun against rotation; and

a second brake configured to selectively hold the third carrier against rotation.

3. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first gearing arrangement comprises:

a first simple planetary gearset having a first sun fixedly held against rotation, a first ring fixedly coupled to the input, and a first carrier;

a second simple planetary gearset having a second sun fixedly held against rotation, a second ring, and a second carrier fixedly coupled to the first shaft;

a Ravigneaux gearset having a third sun, a fourth sun, a third ring fixedly coupled to the second ring, and a third carrier;

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the input to the third carrier;

a third clutch configured to selectively couple the first carrier to the fourth sun;

a fourth clutch configured to selectively couple the first carrier to the third sun;

a first brake configured to selectively hold the third sun against rotation; and

a second brake configured to selectively hold the third carrier against rotation.

4. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first gearing arrangement comprises:

a first simple planetary gearset having a first sun fixedly held against rotation, a first ring fixedly coupled to the input, and a first carrier;

a second simple planetary gearset having a second sun, a second ring, and a second carrier fixedly coupled to the first shaft;

a third simple planetary gearset having a third sun fixedly coupled to the second sun, a third ring fixedly coupled to the first shaft, and a third carrier;

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the first carrier to the second sun;

a third clutch configured to selectively couple the first carrier to the second ring;

a first brake configured to selectively hold the second sun against rotation; and

a second brake configured to selectively hold the third carrier against rotation.

5. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the second gearing arrangement comprises:

a simple planetary gearset having a sun fixedly coupled to the first shaft, a ring fixedly coupled to the output, and a carrier; and

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the input to the carrier.

6. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the second gearing arrangement comprises:

a simple planetary gearset having a sun fixedly coupled to the first shaft, a ring, and a carrier fixedly coupled to the input; and

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the output to the ring.

7. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the second gearing arrangement comprises:

a simple planetary gearset having a sun, a ring fixedly coupled to the output, and a carrier fixedly coupled to the input; and

a second clutch configured to selectively couple the first shaft to the sun.

8. A transmission comprising:

a first gearing arrangement configured to fixedly constrain first and second shafts to rotate slower than an input; and

a Ravigneaux gearset having a Ravigneaux carrier selectively coupled to the first shaft and selectively held against rotation, a first Ravigneaux sun selectively coupled to the second shaft and selectively held against rotation, a second Ravigneaux sun selectively coupled to the second shaft, and a Ravigneaux ring.

9. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the first gearing arrangement comprises:

a first simple planetary gearset having a first sun fixedly held against rotation, a first ring fixedly coupled to the input, and a first carrier fixedly coupled to the first shaft; and

a second simple planetary gearset having a second sun fixedly held against rotation, a second ring fixedly coupled to the first shaft, and a second carrier fixedly coupled to the second shaft.

10. The transmission of claim 8 further comprising:

a second gearing arrangement configured to impose a selective linear speed relationship among the Ravigneaux ring, the input, and an output; and

a clutch configured to operatively selectively couple the Ravigneaux ring to the output.

11. The transmission of claim 10 wherein the second gearing arrangement comprises a simple planetary gearset having a sun fixedly coupled to the Ravigneaux ring, a ring fixedly coupled to the output, and a carrier selectively coupled to the input.

12. The transmission of claim 10 wherein the second gearing arrangement comprises a simple planetary gearset having a sun fixedly coupled to the Ravigneaux ring, a ring selectively coupled to the output, and a carrier fixedly coupled to the input.