Granted Patent B2

US 7,946,949 · App. 12/257,199 · Granted May 24, 2011

Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Abstract

Claims (84)

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 input member is continuously interconnected with the first member of at least one of the first planetary gear set, the third planetary gear set and the fourth planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the second planetary gear set with the third member of the third planetary gear set;

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

five torque transmitting devices each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first members, second members, and third members with another of at least one 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 eight 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 five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the third member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the second planetary gear set with the first member of the third planetary gear set.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the third member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the third planetary gear set with the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein a fifth of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member.

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

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

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

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

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

13. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with at least one of the first member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set and the output member is continuously interconnected with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set.

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

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

16. 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 interconnected with at least one of the first member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set and the output member is continuously interconnected with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the second planetary gear set with the third member of the third planetary gear set;

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

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

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

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

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

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first 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 eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

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

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

19. 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 interconnected with the first member of the third planetary gear set and the output member is continuously interconnected with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting at the third member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set;

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

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the third planetary gear set with the first member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

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

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

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

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the first 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 eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

20. The transmission of claim 19 wherein the first members of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets are sun gears, the second members of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets are carrier members and the third members of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets are ring gears.

21. The transmission of claim 19 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

22. 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 with at least one of the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set and the output member is continuously interconnected with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set with the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set with the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the third planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the carrier member of the third planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set with the sun gear member of the third planetary gear set;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set;

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

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

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the first 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 eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

23. 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 with the sun gear member of the third planetary gear set and the output member is continuously interconnected with the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting at the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of the third planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring member of the third planetary gear set with the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the third planetary gear set;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the sun gear member of the third planetary gear set and the input member with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

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

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the carrier member of the first 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 eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

Assignments (12)

Continuity (2)