Granted Patent B2

US 8,177,677 · App. 12/404,670 · Granted May 15, 2012

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A transmission for a vehicle comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

a stationary member;

a set of intermeshing gears; wherein the input member is continuously or selectively connected for rotation with a member of the set of intermeshing gears;

a planetary gear set having a carrier member rotatably supporting first and second sets of pinion gears, a first sun gear member meshing with the first set of pinion gears, a second sun gear member meshing with the second set of pinion gears, a ring gear member meshing with the first set of pinion gears, and wherein the first and second sets of pinion gears mesh with one another; wherein the output member is connected for rotation with one of the members of the planetary gear set;

first and second selectively engageable rotating clutches engageable to connect different members of the planetary gear set and set of intermeshing gears for common rotation;

a selectable one-way braking clutch configured to brake in one rotational direction and selectively reversible to brake in an opposite rotational direction, wherein the selectable one-way braking clutch has a member directly and continuously held stationary by the stationary member so that the selectable one-way clutch brakes rotation of the carrier member of the planetary gear set when the transmission is in reverse and first forward speed ratios without any other clutch used in series or parallel with the selectable one-way braking clutch to connect the carrier member of the planetary gear set to the stationary member;

wherein the first rotating clutch is engaged and the selectable one-way braking clutch brakes reverse rotation of the carrier member to transmit torque from the input member to the output member in the first forward speed ratio; and

wherein the second rotating clutch is engaged and the selectable one-way braking clutch brakes forward rotation of the carrier member to transmit torque from the input member to the output member in the reverse speed ratio.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first brake selectively engageable to ground the first sun gear member of the planetary gear set to the stationary member.

3. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third rotating clutch selectively engageable to connect the carrier member of the planetary gear set to the input member.

4. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a first planetary gear set; wherein the set of intermeshing gears is a second planetary gear set having another ring gear member, and further comprising:

a fourth rotating clutch selectively engageable to connect the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set to one of the sun gear members of the first planetary gear set.

5. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a first planetary gear set; wherein the set of intermeshing gears is a second planetary gear set having another sun gear member continuously grounded to the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the output member is continuously connected for common rotation with the ring gear member of the planetary gear set.

7. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a first planetary gear set;

wherein the set of intermeshing gears is a second planetary gear set having:

a carrier member;

at least one set of pinion gears rotatably supported on the carrier member;

at least one sun gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears; and

at least one ring gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears;

wherein the first rotating clutch is selectively engageable to connect the second sun gear member of the first planetary gear set for common rotation with the ring member of the second planetary gear set.

8. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a first planetary gear set;

wherein the set of intermeshing gears is a second planetary gear set having:

a carrier member;

at least one set of pinion gears rotatably supported on the carrier member;

at least one sun gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears; and

at least one ring gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears;

wherein the second rotating clutch is selectively engageable to connect the carrier member of the second planetary gear set for common rotation with the first sun gear member of the first planetary gear set.

9. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear set is a first planetary gear set;

wherein the set of intermeshing gears is a second planetary gear set having:

a carrier member;

at least one set of pinion gears rotatably supported on the carrier member;

at least one sun gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears; and

at least one ring gear member meshing with the at least one set of pinion gears; and

further comprising:

a fourth rotating clutch selectively engageable to connect the first sun gear member of the first planetary gear set for common rotation with the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set.

10. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising:

additional selectively engageable torque-transmitting mechanisms engageable to connect different members of the planetary gear set and the set of intermeshing gears for common rotation or to the stationary member;

wherein the rotating clutches, the selectable one-way braking clutch, and the additional selectively engageable torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable to provide the reverse speed ratio and eight forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member, including the first forward speed ratio, with the selectable one-way clutch free-wheeling in some of the forward speed ratios.

Assignments (8)