# US 10,119,597 B2 · Transmission assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,597 B2 - Document ID: US10119597B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/224,724 - Filed: 2016-08-01 - Published: 2018-02-01 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-01 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Steven Isaac Klurfeld; Gregory Daniel Goleski; Jeffrey Edward Maurer; David Allen Janson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119597B2 ## CPC - F16H 3/666: {with intermeshing orbital gears (F16H3/663 takes precedence)} - F16H 3/66: composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another - F16H 3/663: {with conveying rotary motion between axially spaced orbital gears, e.g. a stepped orbital gear or Ravigneaux} - F16H 57/021: Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings - F16H 2003/445: {without permanent connection between the input and the set of orbital gears} - F16H 2057/087: {Arrangement and support of friction devices in planetary gearings, e.g. support of clutch drums, stacked arrangements of friction devices} - F16H 2200/0065: the gear ratios comprising nine forward speeds - F16H 2200/201: with three sets of orbital gears - F16H 2200/2046: with six engaging means - F16H 2200/2048: with seven engaging means - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract The output gear of a transmission is externally supported from an interior support by two ball bearings. The output gear is fixed to a shell. A carrier of a simple planetary gear set and a ring gear of a stepped pinion planetary gear set are splined to the shell. A brake includes a piston supported by the bell housing and clutch plates splined to the interior support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transmission comprising: a transmission case; an interior support fixed to the transmission case; a shell fixed to an output gear and externally supported from the interior support by two ball bearings; and a plurality of clutch plates splined to the interior support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transmission of claim 1 further comprising: a first sun gear; a first carrier fixed to the shell; a first ring gear; and a first plurality of planet gears each supported for rotation with respect to the first carrier and meshing with both the first sun gear and the first ring gear. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transmission of claim 2 further comprising: a clutch hub fixedly coupled to the first sun gear; and a plurality of friction plates interspersed with the plurality of clutch plates and splined to the clutch hub. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The transmission of claim 2 further comprising: a second sun gear fixedly coupled to an input shaft; a second carrier fixedly coupled to the first ring gear; a second ring gear; and a second plurality of planet gears each supported for rotation with respect to the second carrier and meshing with both the second sun gear and the second ring gear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The transmission of claim 4 further comprising: a third sun gear; a fourth sun gear; a third carrier fixedly coupled to the second ring gear; a third ring gear fixed to the shell; and a third plurality of planet gears each supported for rotation with respect to the third carrier and meshing with the third sun gear, the fourth sun gear, and the third ring gear. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transmission of claim 5 further comprising: a first brake configured to selectively hold the third carrier against rotation; a second brake configured to selectively hold the third sun gear against rotation; and a third brake configured to selectively hold the fourth sun gear against rotation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The transmission of claim 6 further comprising: a first clutch configured to selectively couple the third carrier to the input shaft; and a second clutch configured to selectively couple the third sun gear to the input shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transmission of claim 7 further comprising: a third clutch configured to selectively couple the fourth sun gear to the third carrier. ### Claim 9 A transmission comprising: a transmission case; an interior support fixed to the transmission case; a shell fixed to an output gear and externally supported from the interior support by two ball bearings; and a first simple planetary gear set having a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier splined to the shell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The transmission of claim 9 further comprising a second simple planetary gear set having a second sun fixedly coupled to an input shaft, a second ring gear, and a second carrier fixedly coupled to the first ring gear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The transmission of claim 10 further comprising a third planetary gear set having a third sun gear, a fourth sun gear, a third ring gear splined to the shell, and a third carrier fixedly coupled to the second ring gear. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The transmission of claim 9 further comprising a bell housing fixed to the transmission case. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The transmission of claim 12 further comprising a first brake having a hub fixedly coupled to the first sun gear, a plurality of friction plates splined to the hub, a plurality of separator plates interspersed with the friction plates and splined to the interior support, and a piston supported by the bell housing. ### Claim 14 A transmission comprising: a transmission case; an interior support fixed to the transmission case; a shell fixed to an output gear and externally supported from the interior support by two ball bearings; and a stepped pinion planetary gear set having a first sun gear, a second sun gear, a first ring gear splined to the shell, and a first carrier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The transmission of claim 14 further comprising a first simple planetary gear set having a third sun fixedly coupled to an input shaft, a second ring gear fixedly coupled to the first carrier, and a second carrier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transmission of claim 15 further comprising a second simple planetary gear set having a fourth sun gear, a third ring gear fixedly coupled to the second carrier, and a third carrier splined to the shell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The transmission of claim 16 further comprising a bell housing fixed to the transmission case. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The transmission of claim 17 further comprising a brake having a hub fixedly coupled to the fourth sun gear, a plurality of friction plates splined to the hub, a plurality of separator plates interspersed with the friction plates and splined to the interior support, and a piston supported by the bell housing.