IP Library Granted Patent US 6,988,972
Granted Patent B2
US 6,988,972 · App. 10/807,696 · Granted Jan 24, 2006

Wide ratio transmissions having three planetary gear sets and three brakes

Assignee: General Motors Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,988,972
App. No.
10/807,696
Granted
Jan 24, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The family of transmissions has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide at least eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission family members include three planetary gear sets having seven torque-transmitting mechanisms and three fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The seven torque-transmitting mechanisms provide interconnections between various gear members and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.

Claims (37)

1. A multi-speed transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

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

said input shaft being continuously interconnected with a member of said planetary gear sets, and said output shaft being continuously interconnected with another member of said planetary gear sets;

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

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

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said first member of said third planetary gear set with a stationary member, said first member of said third planetary gear set being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and output shaft, respectively;

a first torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set;

a second torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said first torque-transmitting mechanism being different from the pair of members interconnected by said second torque-transmitting mechanism;

a third torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said third torque-transmitting mechanism being different from the pairs of members of said planetary gear sets interconnected by said first and second torque-transmitting mechanisms, respectively;

a fourth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said fourth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from the pairs of members of said planetary gear sets interconnected by said first, second and third torque-transmitting mechanisms, respectively;

a fifth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said first planetary gear set continuously interconnected with said stationary member by said fifth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from said members of said planetary gear sets interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively;

a sixth torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting another member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said first planetary gear set interconnected with said stationary member by said sixth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively; and

a seventh torque-transmitting mechanism selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said second planetary gear set interconnected with said stationary member by said seventh torque-transmitting mechanism being different from said members of said planetary gear sets coninuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively;

said torque-transmitting mechanisms being engaged in combinations of two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between said input shaft and said output shaft.

2. The transmission defined in claim 1 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth torque-transmitting mechanisms comprise clutches, and said fifth, sixth and seventh torque-transmitting mechanisms comprise brakes.

3. The transmission defined in claim 1 , wherein planet carrier assembly members of each of said planetary gear sets are single-pinion carriers.

4. The transmission defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one planet carrier assembly member of said planetary gear sets is a double-pinion carrier.

5. A multi-speed transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

a planetary gear arrangement having first, second and third planetary gear sets, each planetary gear set having first, second and third members;

said input shaft being continuously interconnected with a member of said planetary gear sets, and said output shaft being continuously interconnected with another member of said planetary gear sets;

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

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

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said first member of said third planetary gear set with a stationary member, said first member of said third planetary gear set being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively; and

seven torque-transmitting mechanisms for selectively interconnecting said members of said planetary gear sets with a stationary member or with other members of said planetary gear sets, said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms being engaged in combinations of two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between said input shaft and said output shaft.

6. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a first of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set a member of said third planetary gear set.

7. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a second of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said second torque-transmitting mechanism being different from a pair of members of said planetary gear sets interconnected by a first of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms.

8. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a third of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said third torque-transmitting mechanism being different from pairs of members of said planetary gear sets interconnected by a first and a second of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms, respectively.

9. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a fourth of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set, the pair of members interconnected by said fourth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from pairs of members of said planetary gear sets interconnected by a first, a second and a third torque-transmitting mechanism of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms, respectively.

10. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a fifth of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said first planetary gear set interconnected with said stationary member by said fifth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively.

11. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a sixth of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said first planetary gear set interconnected with said stationary member by said sixth torque-transmitting mechanism being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively.

12. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein a seventh of said seven torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with said stationary member, said member of said second planetary gear set interconnected with said stationary member being different from said members of said planetary gear sets continuously interconnected with said input shaft and said output shaft, respectively.

13. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein planet carrier assembly members of each of said planetary gear sets are single-pinion carriers.

14. The transmission defined in claim 5 , wherein at least one planet carrier assembly member of said planetary gear sets is a double-pinion carrier.

Assignments (13)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025780/0902 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0262 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0442 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025311/0770 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2010
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EQUISTAR CHEMICALS, LP
Reel/Frame 024329/0535 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0052 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023127/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0429 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022553/0446 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2009
From: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022117/0047 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2004
From: USORO, PATRICK B.; RAGHAVAN, MADHUSUDAN; BUCKNOR, NORMAN K.
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014591/0151 →
Continuity (1)
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