Granted Patent B2

US 7,341,537 · App. 11/137,622 · Granted Mar 11, 2008

Abstract

Claims (73)

1. A transmission comprising:

an input member; an output member; a stationary member;

first, second, and third planetary gearsets each having respective first, second, and third members;

said first member of said first planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said input member for unitary rotation;

said second member of said first planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said stationary member;

said first member of said second planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

said third member of said second planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

said third member of said third planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said output member for unitary rotation; and

first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth torque transmitting devices operative to selectively connect members of said planetary gearsets with said input member, said stationary member, or with other members of said planetary gearsets to provide at least six forward speed ratios;

wherein said first torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said input member and said first member of said first planetary gearset with said third member of said second planetary gearset and said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

wherein said second torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said third member of said first planetary gearset with said second member of said second planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

wherein said third torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second member of said third planetary gearset and said third member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member;

wherein said fourth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said third member of said first planetary gearset with said third member of said second planetary gearset and said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said first planetary gearset with a member of said second planetary gearset for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple a member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said first planetary gearset and said input member with said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset with said stationary member.

3. The transmission of claim 2 , further comprising a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

4. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said first planetary gearset and said input member with said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation; and wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

5. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said first planetary gearset and said input member with said second member of said second planetary gearset for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset with said stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 , further comprising a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

7. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth planetary gearset having respective first, second, and third members;

said first member of said fourth planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

said third member of said fourth planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said third member of said third planetary gearset and said output member for unitary rotation; and

wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first member of said second planetary gearset, said first member of said third planetary gearset, and said first member of said fourth planetary gearset with said first member of said first planetary gearset and said input member for unitary rotation;

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second member of said second planetary gearset to said stationary member; and

wherein the transmission further includes a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second member of said fourth planetary gearset with said stationary member.

8. A transmission comprising:

an input member; an output member; a stationary member;

a first planetary gearset having a plurality of planetary members including a first sun gear member, a first ring gear member, and a first planet carrier assembly;

a second planetary gearset having a second sun gear member, a second ring gear member, and a second planet carrier assembly;

a third planetary gearset having a third sun gear member, a third ring gear member, and a third planet carrier assembly;

said second sun gear member and said third sun gear member being continuously operatively connected for unitary rotation;

said second planet carrier assembly being continuously operatively connected to said third ring gear member for unitary rotation;

said output member being continuously operatively connected to said third planet carrier assembly for unitary rotation;

said input member being continuously operatively connected to a first of said planetary members for unitary rotation;

a second of said planetary members being continuously grounded to said stationary member;

a first torque transmitting device being configured to selectively couple said input member and said first of said planetary members with said second planet carrier assembly and said third ring gear member for unitary rotation;

a second torque transmitting device being configured to selectively couple a third of said planetary members and said second ring gear member for unitary rotation;

a third torque transmitting device being configured to selectively couple said second planet carrier assembly and said third ring gear member with said stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device being configured to selectively couple said third of said planetary members with said second planet carrier assembly and said third ring gear member for unitary rotation;

a fifth torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said first of said planetary members with a member of said second planetary gearset for unitary rotation; and

a sixth torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple a member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

9. The transmission of claim 8 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first of said planetary members and said input member with said second sun gear member and said third sun gear member for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second sun gear member and said third sun gear member with said stationary member.

10. The transmission of claim 9 , further comprising a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second ring gear member with said stationary member.

11. The transmission of claim 8 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first of said planetary members and said input member with said second sun gear member and said third sun gear member for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second ring gear member with said stationary member.

12. The transmission of claim 8 , wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first of said planetary members and said input member with said second ring gear member for unitary rotation; and

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second and third sun gear members with said stationary member.

13. The transmission of claim 12 , further comprising a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second ring gear member with said stationary member.

14. The transmission of claim 8 , further comprising a fourth planetary gearset having a fourth sun gear member, a fourth ring gear member, and a fourth planet carrier assembly;

said fourth sun gear member being continuously operatively connected to said second and third sun gear members for unitary rotation;

said fourth planet carrier assembly being continuously operatively connected to said third planet carrier assembly and said output member for unitary rotation;

wherein said fifth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said first of said planetary members and said input member with said second, third, and fourth sun gear members for unitary rotation;

wherein said sixth torque transmitting device is configured to selectively couple said second ring gear member to said stationary member; and

wherein the transmission further includes a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said fourth ring gear member with said stationary member.

15. A transmission comprising:

an input member; an output member; a stationary member;

first, second, and third planetary gearsets each having respective first, second, and third members;

said first member of said first planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said input member for unitary rotation;

said second member of said first planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said stationary member;

said first member of said second planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

said third member of said second planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

said third member of said third planetary gearset being continuously operatively connected to said output member for unitary rotation;

a first torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said input member and said first member of said first planetary gearset with said third member of said second planetary gearset and said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

a second torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said third member of said first planetary gearset with said second member of said second planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

a third torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second member of said third planetary gearset and said third member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said third member of said first planetary gearset with said third member of said second planetary gearset and said second member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

a fifth torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said first member of said first planetary gearset and said input member with said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset for unitary rotation;

a sixth torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said first member of said second planetary gearset and said first member of said third planetary gearset with said stationary member; and

a seventh torque transmitting device configured to selectively couple said second member of said second planetary gearset with said stationary member.

Assignments (15)