Multi-speed transmission

• US 8,758,186 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mellet, Edward W., Borgerson, James B., Hart, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/888,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 475/275, 475/277, 475/278, 475/284
• US Class Current: 475/278
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/445 without permanent connection between the input and the set of orbital gears
• 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 2200/2048 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

Abstract

A transmission of the present invention has an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, 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 torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.

Claims

1. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members;

five interconnecting members each continuously interconnecting one of the members of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets with another member the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets; and

seven torque transmitting devices each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second, and third members with at least one other of the first members, second members, third members and a stationary member, and

wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member and at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets includes a first and a second set of pinion gears.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the three interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the second planetary gear set with the first member of the third planetary gear set.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the second member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the second member of the third planetary gear set with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein a fifth of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the third planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

7. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set with the input member.

8. The transmission of claim 7 wherein a second of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set with the input member.

9. The transmission of claim 8 wherein a third of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member.

10. The transmission of claim 9 wherein a fourth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member.

11. The transmission of claim 10 wherein a fifth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member.

12. The transmission of claim 11 wherein a sixth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member.

13. The transmission of claim 12 wherein a seventh of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member.

14. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first and fourth planetary gear sets are disposed between the second and third planetary gear sets.

15. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first members of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are carrier members, and the third member of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are ring gears.

16. The transmission of claim 15 wherein the first members of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are carrier members, and the third member of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are ring gears, and wherein the carrier member of the second planetary gear set rotatably supports a first and a second set of planet pinions, the first set of planet pinions mesh with the sun gear and the second set of planet pinions, and the second set of planet pinions mesh with the ring gear and the first set of planet pinions.

17. The transmission of claim 13 wherein output member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the third planetary gear set.

18. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members;

five interconnecting members each continuously interconnecting one of the members of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets with another member the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member and at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets includes a first and a second set of pinion gears.

19. The transmission of claim 18 wherein a first of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear.

20. The transmission of claim 19 wherein a second of the three interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the second planetary gear set with the first member of the third planetary gear set.

21. The transmission of claim 20 wherein a third of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the second member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set.

22. The transmission of claim 21 wherein a fourth of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the second member of the third planetary gear set with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set.

23. The transmission of claim 22 wherein a fifth of the five interconnecting members continuously interconnects the third member of the third planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

24. The transmission of claim 18 wherein the first members of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are carrier members, and the third member of each of the first and second planetary gear sets are ring gears.

25. The transmission of claim 18 wherein the first members of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are carrier members, and the third member of each of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are ring gears, and wherein the carrier member of the second planetary gear set rotatably supports a first and a second set of planet pinions, the first set of planet pinions mesh with the sun gear and the second set of planet pinions, and the second set of planet pinions mesh with the ring gear and the first set of planet pinions.

26. The transmission of claim 18 wherein output member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the third planetary gear set.

27. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having a sun gear, a carrier member and a ring gear,

four interconnecting members each continuously interconnecting one of the sun gear, carrier member, and ring gear of the one of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets with another one of the sun gear, carrier member, and ring gear of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets;

seven torque transmitting devices each selectively engageable to interconnect one of the sun gear, carrier member, and ring gear of the one of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets with another one of the sun gear, carrier member, and ring gear of the one of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets, a stationary member, and the input member, and

wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least eleven forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member and at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets includes a first and a second set of pinion gears.

28. The transmission of claim 27 wherein a first of the four interconnecting members continuously interconnects the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set.

29. The transmission of claim 28 wherein a second of the four interconnecting members continuously interconnects the carrier member of the first planetary gear set with the ring gear of the second planetary gear set and the sun gear of the third planetary gear set.

30. The transmission of claim 29 wherein a third of the four interconnecting members continuously interconnects the carrier member of the third planetary gear set with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set.

31. The transmission of claim 30 wherein a fourth of the four interconnecting members continuously interconnects the ring gear of the third planetary gear set with the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set.

32. The transmission of claim 27 wherein a first of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the second planetary gear set with the input member.

33. The transmission of claim 32 wherein a second of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the second planetary gear with the input member.

34. The transmission of claim 33 wherein a third of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the first planetary gear set with a stationary member.

35. The transmission of claim 34 wherein a fourth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member.

36. The transmission of claim 35 wherein a fifth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member.

37. The transmission of claim 36 wherein a sixth of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the third planetary gear set with the input member.

38. The transmission of claim 37 wherein a seventh of the seven torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member.