Multi-speed transmission having stacked planetary gear sets

1. A transmission comprising:

a planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member;

a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a first member, a second member, a third member, a fourth member and a fifth member;

an input member connected for common rotation with at least one of the first, second, and third members of the planetary gear set;

an output member connected for common rotation with at least one of the first, second, and third members of the planetary gear set;

an interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the first member of the planetary gear set; and

at least four torque transmitting mechanisms each selectively engageable to interconnect one of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and the first, second and third members of the planetary gear set with another one of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement the first, second and third members of the planetary gear set and a stationary member, and

wherein the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least five 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 at least four torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the third member of the planetary gear set and the input member.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the second member of the planetary gear set and the output member.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the second and the fourth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the stationary member.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 further comprising a fifth torque transmitting mechanism that is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the third member of the planetary gear set and the input member.

7. The transmission of claim 1 wherein two of the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms are brakes for connecting at least one of the members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and planetary gear set to the stationary member and two of the at least four torque transmitting mechanisms are clutches for connecting at least one other of the members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and planetary gear set to at least one other member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and planetary gear set.

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

9. The transmission of claim 8 wherein the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement meshes with the a first plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the second member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and with a second plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the fourth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement.

10. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the input shaft is connected for common rotation with the third member of the planetary gear set and the output shaft is connected for common rotation with the second member of the planetary gear set.

11. A transmission comprising:

a planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member;

a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a first member, a second member, a third member, a fourth member and a fifth member;

an input member connected for common rotation with at least one of the first, second, and third members of the planetary gear set;

an output member connected for common rotation with at least one of the first, second, and third members of the planetary gear set;

an interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the first member of the planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the third member of the planetary gear set and the input member;

a second torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the second member of the planetary gear set and the output member;

a third torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the second and the fourth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with a stationary member; and

a fourth torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the stationary member, and

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

12. The transmission of claim 11 wherein the third member of the planetary gear set and the first member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement are sun gears, the second and fourth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and the second member of the planetary gear set are carrier members and the first member of the planetary gear set and third member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement are ring gears.

13. The transmission of claim 12 wherein the fifth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement meshes with the a first plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the second member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and with a second plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the fourth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement.

14. The transmission of claim 11 further comprising a fifth torque transmitting mechanism that is selectively engageable to interconnect the second member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the third member of the planetary gear set and the input member to produce a sixth gear ratio.

15. The transmission of claim 11 wherein the input shaft is connected for common rotation with the third member of the planetary gear set and the output shaft is connected for common rotation with the second member of the planetary gear set.

16. A transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a carrier member for rotatably supporting a plurality of pinion gears and a ring gear member wherein the input shaft is connected for common rotation with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the output shaft is connected for common rotation with the carrier member of the planetary gear set;

a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a sun gear, a first carrier member for rotatably supporting a first plurality of pinion gears, a second carrier member for rotatably supporting a second plurality of pinion gears, a ring gear and a common member;

an interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the ring gear of the planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the input member;

a second torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the carrier member of the planetary gear set and the output member;

a third torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the first carrier member and the second carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with a stationary member; and

a fourth torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the stationary member, and

wherein the torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least five 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 common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement meshes with the first plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the first carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and with the second plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the second carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement.

18. The transmission of claim 17 further comprising a fifth torque transmitting mechanism that is selectively engageable to interconnect the first carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the input member to produce a sixth gear ratio.

19. A transmission comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a carrier member for rotatably supporting a plurality of pinion gears and a ring gear member wherein the input shaft is connected for common rotation with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the output shaft is connected for common rotation with the carrier member of the planetary gear set;

a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a sun gear, a first carrier member for rotatably supporting a first plurality of pinion gears, a second carrier member for rotatably supporting a second plurality of pinion gears, a ring gear and a common member;

an interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the ring gear of the planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the input member;

a second torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the carrier member of the planetary gear set and the output member;

a third torque transmitting mechanism selectively engageable to interconnect the first carrier member and the second carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with a stationary member;

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

a fifth torque transmitting mechanism that is selectively engageable to interconnect the first carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the sun gear of the planetary gear set and the input member, and

wherein the torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least five 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 common member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement meshes with the first plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the first carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and with the second plurality of pinion gears rotatably supported by the second carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement.