Multi-speed transmission

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, wherein the output member is continuously directly interconnected with the second member of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set directly to the first member of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the first planetary gear set directly to the first member of the third planetary gear set and directly to the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the second planetary gear set directly to the second member of the fourth planetary gear set; and

six 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 at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first member of the first planetary gear set, the third member of the second planetary gear set, the first member of the third planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members and the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein the carrier member of the third planetary gear set further comprises a first and second set of planetary gears, wherein the first set of planetary gears intermesh with both the sun gear and the second set of planetary gears, and the second set of planetary gears intermesh with both the ring gear of the third planetary gear set and the first set of planetary gears.

4. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

5. The transmission of claim 1 wherein three of the six torque transmitting devices are brakes and three of the six torque transmitting devices are clutches.

6. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

7. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the second planetary gear set with the input member, the third member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

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

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

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

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

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

13. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members, wherein the input member is continuously directly interconnected with the third member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set and output member is continuously directly interconnected with the second member of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set directly to the first member of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the first planetary gear set directly to the first member of the third planetary gear set directly to the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the second planetary gear set directly to the second member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the second planetary gear set with the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the third planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the third member of the fourth planetary gear set with the output member and the second member of the third planetary gear set;

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

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

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

wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

14. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the first member of the first planetary gear set, the third member of the second planetary gear set, the first member of the third planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members and the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears.

15. The transmission of claim 14 wherein the carrier member of the third planetary gear set further comprises a first and second set of planetary gears, wherein the first set of planetary gears intermesh with both the sun gear and the second set of planetary gears, and the second set of planetary gears intermesh with both the ring gear of the third planetary gear set and the first set of planetary gears.

16. The transmission of claim 14 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

17. 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, wherein the input member is continuously interconnected directly to the sun gear of the second planetary gear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set and output member is continuously interconnected directly to the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the carrier member of the first planetary gear set directly to the ring gear of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear of the first planetary gear set directly to the sun gear of the third planetary gear set directly to the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the sun gear of the second planetary gear set directly to the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the input member, the sun gear of the second planetary gear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gear of the first planetary gear set, the sun gear of the third planetary gear set and the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set with the output member and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;

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

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

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

wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

18. The transmission of claim 17 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

19. The transmission of claim 17 wherein the carrier member of the third planetary gear set further comprises a first and second set of planetary gears, wherein the first set of planetary gears intermesh with both the sun gear and the second set of planetary gears, and the second set of planetary gears intermesh with both the ring gear of the third planetary gear set and the first set of planetary gears.