Multi-speed planetary transmission
First Claim
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1. A transmission comprising:
- at least one stationary member including a housing having a first end and a second end;
an input member accessible proximate the first end of the housing;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the first planetary gearset is positioned between the first end of the housing and the second planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset is positioned between the first planetary gearset and the third planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset is positioned between the second planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset is positioned between the third planetary gearset and the second end of the housing, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset;
a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and
an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets and accessible proximate the second end of the housing, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets.
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Abstract
A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have four planetary gearsets and six selective couplers. The six selective couplers may include three clutches and three brakes.
355 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member including a housing having a first end and a second end; an input member accessible proximate the first end of the housing; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the first planetary gearset is positioned between the first end of the housing and the second planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset is positioned between the first planetary gearset and the third planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset is positioned between the second planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset is positioned between the third planetary gearset and the second end of the housing, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets and accessible proximate the second end of the housing, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the first planetary gearset and the output member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset.
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5. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset; a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, wherein the plurality of selective couplers includes a first number of clutches and a second number of brakes, the first number being equal to the second number; and an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A transmission comprising:
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at least one stationary member; an input member rotatable relative to the at least one stationary member; a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first gearset component, a second gearset component, and a third gearset component, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset; an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets and rotatable relative to the at least one stationary member, the output member is fixedly coupled to the second gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset; a first interconnector which fixedly couples the third gearset component of the third planetary gearset to the third gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset; a second interconnector which fixedly couples the third gearset component of the first planetary gearset to the third gearset component of the second planetary gearset; a third interconnector which fixedly couples the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the second gearset component of the third planetary gearset; and a plurality of selective couplers, wherein the plurality of selective couplers includes; a first selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the second gearset component of the third planetary gearset and the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a second selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the first gearset component of the first planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a third selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the first gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the at least one stationary member; a fourth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the second gearset component of the third planetary gearset and the second gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the second gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset; a fifth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the first gearset component of the third planetary gearset to the second gearset component of the fourth planetary gearset; and a sixth selective coupler which, when engaged, fixedly couples the third gearset component of the first planetary gearset and the third gearset component of the second planetary gearset to the first gearset component of the third planetary gearset. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification