Multi-speed transmission

1. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a first and a second planetary gear set each having a first, a second, and a third member, wherein each of the first, second, and third members is included in one of a first rotary member, a second rotary member, a third rotary member, and a fourth rotary member, and wherein two of the members of the first planetary gear set are directly separately connected with two of the members of the second planetary gear set to form the first and the second rotary members and wherein the fourth rotary member is directly connected to the input member;

a third and a fourth planetary gear set each having a first, a second, and a third member, wherein each of the first, second, and third members is included in one of a fifth rotary member, a sixth rotary member, a seventh rotary member, and an eighth rotary member, and wherein two of the members of the third planetary gear set are directly separately connected with two of the members of the fourth planetary gear set to form the fifth and sixth rotary members and wherein the sixth rotary member is directly connected to the output member;

an interconnecting member continuously connected to the first rotary member and the seventh rotary member; and

six torque transmitting devices each selectively engageable to connect at least one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth rotary members with at least one other of a stationary member and the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth rotary members, and

wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish multiple 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 a first of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the fourth rotary member with the fifth rotary member.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the fourth rotary member with the eighth rotary member.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the third rotary member with the stationary member.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the second rotary member with the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein a fifth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the first rotary member, the interconnecting member, and the seventh rotary member with the stationary member.

7. The transmission of claim 6 wherein a sixth of the six torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to connect the fifth rotary member with the stationary member.

8. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set form the first rotary member, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set form the second rotary member, the first member of the first planetary gear set forms the third rotary member, the first member of the second planetary gear set forms the fourth rotary member, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set form the fifth rotary member, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set form the sixth rotary member, the first member of the third planetary gear set forms the seventh rotary member, and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set forms the eighth rotary member.

9. The transmission of claim 8 the wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second members of the first, second, and third planetary gear sets and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears, and the third members of the first, second, and third planetary gear sets and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members.

10. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set, the third member of the second planetary gear set, the second member of the third planetary gear set, and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears, and the third 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 third member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members.

11. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the third member of the first planetary gear set, the third 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, and 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.

12. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set are ring gears, the second members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are combined to form a single ring gear, the third member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set are carrier members, and the third members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are combined to form a single carrier member.

13. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set are combined to form a single ring gear, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears, the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set are combined to form a single carrier member, and the third member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members.

14. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a first and a second planetary gear set each having a first, a second, and a third member, wherein each of the first, second, and third members is included in one of a first rotary member, a second rotary member, a third rotary member, and a fourth rotary member, and wherein two of the members of the first planetary gear set are directly separately connected with two of the members of the second planetary gear set to form the first and the second rotary members and wherein the fourth rotary member is directly connected to the input member;

a third and a fourth planetary gear set each having a first, a second, and a third member, wherein each of the first, second, and third members is included in one of a fifth rotary member, a sixth rotary member, a seventh rotary member, and an eighth rotary member, and wherein two of the members of the third planetary gear set are directly separately connected with two of the members of the fourth planetary gear set to form the fifth and sixth rotary members and wherein the sixth rotary member is directly connected to the output member;

an interconnecting member continuously connected to the first rotary member and the seventh rotary member;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the fourth rotary member with the fifth rotary member;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the fourth rotary member with the eighth rotary member;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the third rotary member with a stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the second rotary member with the stationary member;

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the first rotary member, the interconnecting member, and the seventh rotary member with the stationary member; and

a sixth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the fifth rotary member with the stationary member, and

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

15. The transmission of claim 14 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set form the first rotary member, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set form the second rotary member, the first member of the first planetary gear set forms the third rotary member, the first member of the second planetary gear set forms the fourth rotary member, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set form the fifth rotary member, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set form the sixth rotary member, the first member of the third planetary gear set forms the seventh rotary member, and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set forms the eighth rotary member.

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

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

18. The transmission of claim 15 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the third member of the first planetary gear set, the third 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, and 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.

19. The transmission of claim 15 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set are ring gears, the second members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are combined to form a single ring gear, the third member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set are carrier members, and the third members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets are combined to form a single carrier member.

20. The transmission of claim 15 wherein the first members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set are combined to form a single ring gear, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears, the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the second planetary gear set are combined to form a single carrier member, and the third member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members.