# US 11,441,671 B2 · High efficiency, high output transmission having an aluminum housing

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- Number: US 11,441,671 B2
- Document ID: US11441671B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/691,566
- Filed: 2019-11-21
- Published: 2020-04-02
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-22
- Assignees: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Paul Peterson; Graeme Andrew Jackson; Timothy Scott Smith; Paul Wilson; Christian Chimner; Thomas Connolly; Christopher Deboer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441671B2

## CPC

- F16H 59/0204: {for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic}
- F16H 61/30: Hydraulic {or pneumatic} motors {or related fluid control means} therefor
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/11: Stepped gearings
- B60W 30/19: Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
- B60W 50/00: Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit {, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces}
- F16D 25/126: {adjustment for wear or play}
- F16H 3/091: including a single countershaft
- F16H 3/093: with two or more countershafts
- F16H 3/64: composed of a number of gear trains, the drive always passing through all the trains, each train having not more than one connection for driving another train
- F16H 37/046: {with an additional planetary gear train, e.g. creep gear, overdrive}
- F16H 57/02004: {the gears being positioned relative to one another by rolling members or by specially adapted surfaces on the gears, e.g. by a rolling surface with the diameter of the pitch circle}
- F16H 61/0021: {Generation or control of line pressure}
- F16H 61/0213: {characterised by the method for generating shift signals}
- F16H 61/06: by controlling rate of change of fluid pressure
- F16H 61/08: Timing control
- G08B 13/00: Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
- G08B 27/00: Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
- H04B 10/0775: {Performance monitoring and measurement of transmission parameters}
- H04J 3/125: {One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals}
- B60W 2050/0058: {Signal modulation for data transmission}
- B60W 2510/0275: Clutch torque
- B60W 2510/0283: Clutch input shaft speed
- B60W 2510/107: Temperature
- B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state
- B60W 2710/022: Clutch actuator position
- B60W 2710/025: Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
- B60W 2710/1005: Transmission ratio engaged
- F16H 3/16: essentially with both gears that can be put out of gear and continuously-meshing gears that can be disengaged from their shafts
- F16H 3/78: Special adaptation of synchronisation mechanisms to these gearings
- F16H 57/021: Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings
- F16H 57/032: characterised by the materials used
- F16H 57/0423: {Lubricant guiding means mounted or supported on the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes or pipes}
- F16H 57/043: {within rotary parts, e.g. axial channels or radial openings in shafts}
- F16H 57/0441: {Arrangements of pumps}
- F16H 57/0471: {Bearing}
- F16H 57/0478: {Synchromesh devices}
- F16H 57/0484: {with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion}
- F16H 57/0494: {with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion}
- F16H 59/38: of gearing elements
- F16H 59/40: Output shaft speed
- F16H 59/72: dependent on oil characteristics, e.g. temperature, viscosity
- F16H 61/04: Smoothing ratio shift
- F16H 61/143: {using electric control means}
- F16H 61/682: with interruption of drive
- F16H 61/705: {using hydraulic and mechanical control means}
- F16H 63/24: each of the final output mechanisms being moved by only one of the various final actuating mechanisms
- F16H 2003/123: {using a brake}
- F16H 2057/0206: {for commercial vehicles, e.g. buses or trucks}
- F16H 2059/725: {Sensing or calculating temperature of oil in friction devices, e.g. wet clutches, to prevent overheating of friction linings}
- F16H 2061/047: {by preventing or solving a tooth butt situation upon engagement failure due to misalignment of teeth}
- F16H 2061/2853: {Electromagnetic solenoids}
- F16H 2061/308: {Modular hydraulic shift units, i.e. preassembled actuator units for select and shift movements adapted for being mounted on transmission casing}
- F16H 2063/005: {Preassembled gear shift units for mounting on gear case}
- F16H 2063/3093: {Final output elements, i.e. the final elements to establish gear ratio, e.g. coupling sleeves or other means establishing coupling to shaft}
- F16H: GEARING
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S)

## Abstract

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift control circuit operates a shift actuator using a first opposing pulse command and a first actuating pulse command, and releases pressure with shift actuating and opposing volumes of the shift actuator upon determining a shift completion event.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high output transmission comprising:
an aluminum housing;
an input shaft and an output shaft disposed in the aluminum housing, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
a pair of twin countershafts including helical forward drive gears disposed in the aluminum housing and selectively coupled to the input shaft at a first end, and selectively coupled to the output shaft at a second end via a main shaft selectively coupled to the output shaft; and
a planetary gear set comprising a sun gear and a ring gear, wherein the ring gear is coupled to the output shaft, and wherein the sun gear is selectively coupled to the ring gear, the transmission further comprising a ball bearing operatively positioned between the sun gear and the ring gear, and wherein the helical gears are configured to apply thrust loads to the ball bearing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transmission of claim 1, wherein a driveline of the transmission does not include any tapered bearings, and wherein enclosure bearings of the housing of the transmission do not take thrust loads of the transmission.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The transmission of claim 1, further comprising:
a controller, the controller comprising a friction brake control circuit structured to provide a friction brake engagement command;
wherein the transmission further comprises a friction brake responsive to the friction brake engagement command to engage one of the twin countershafts; and
wherein the friction brake control circuit is further structured to determine a speed differential between the one of the twin countershafts and an engaging shaft to slow the countershaft during a shift.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The transmission of claim 1, further comprising a controller comprising a shift control circuit, wherein the shift control circuit is structured to:
interpret a shift rail velocity;
provide a first opposing pulse command in response to the shift rail velocity, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction;
to determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction; and
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air.

### Claim 5

A high output transmission comprising:
an aluminum housing;
an input shaft and an output shaft disposed in the aluminum housing, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline; and
a pair of twin countershafts including helical forward drive gears disposed in the aluminum housing and selectively coupled to the input shaft at a first end, and selectively coupled to the output shaft at a second end via a main shaft selectively coupled to the output shaft;
wherein a driveline of the transmission does not include any tapered bearings, and wherein enclosure bearings of the housing of the transmission do not take thrust loads of the transmission.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The transmission of claim 5, further comprising:
a controller, the controller comprising a friction brake control circuit structured to provide a friction brake engagement command;
wherein the transmission further comprises a friction brake responsive to the friction brake engagement command to engage one of the twin countershafts; and
wherein the friction brake control circuit is further structured to determine a speed differential between the one of the twin countershafts and an engaging shaft to slow the countershaft during a shift.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The transmission of claim 5, further comprising a controller comprising a shift control circuit, wherein the shift control circuit is structured to:
interpret a shift rail velocity;
provide a first opposing pulse command in response to the shift rail velocity, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction;
to determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction; and
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air.

### Claim 8

A high output transmission comprising:
an aluminum housing;
an input shaft and an output shaft disposed in the aluminum housing, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
a pair of twin countershafts including helical forward drive gears disposed in the aluminum housing and selectively coupled to the input shaft at a first end, and selectively coupled to the output shaft at a second end via a main shaft selectively coupled to the output shaft; and
a controller, the controller comprising a friction brake control circuit structured to provide a friction brake engagement command;
wherein the transmission further comprises a friction brake responsive to the friction brake engagement command to engage one of the twin countershafts; and
wherein the friction brake control circuit is further structured to determine a speed differential between the one of the twin countershafts and an engaging shaft to slow the countershaft during a shift.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The transmission of claim 8, further comprising a controller comprising a shift control circuit, wherein the shift control circuit is structured to:
interpret a shift rail velocity;
provide a first opposing pulse command in response to the shift rail velocity, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction;
to determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction; and
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air.

### Claim 10

A high output transmission comprising:
an aluminum housing;
an input shaft and an output shaft disposed in the aluminum housing, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
a pair of twin countershafts including helical forward drive gears disposed in the aluminum housing and selectively coupled to the input shaft at a first end, and selectively coupled to the output shaft at a second end via a main shaft selectively coupled to the output shaft; and
a controller comprising a shift control circuit, wherein the shift control circuit is structured to:
interpret a shift rail velocity;
provide a first opposing pulse command in response to the shift rail velocity, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction;
to determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction; and
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The transmission of claim 10, wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to interpret a shift actuator position, and to provide a second opposing pulse command in response to the shift actuator position indicating an engaging synchronizer is off the block.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The transmission of claim 10, wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to provide the first opposing pulse command after the first actuating pulse command, and further in response to an expiration of a predetermined opposing pulse delay time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The transmission of claim 10, wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to interpret a shift actuator position, a second opposing pulse command in response to the shift actuator position indicating an engaging synchronizer is off the block, and to interrupt at least one of the first actuating pulse command and the second opposing pulse command to synchronize pressure decay in the first closed volume and the second closed volume.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The transmission of claim 10, wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to:
interpret a shift actuator position;
modulate the first actuating pulse command in response to a previously determined gear departure position value; and
wherein the modulating comprises providing the first actuating pulse command as a full open command in response to a position of the shift actuator being on an engaged side of a gear departure position value, and providing the first actuating pulse command as a pulse-width modulated (PWM) command in response to the position of the shift actuator being one of approaching or exceeding the gear departure position value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The transmission of claim 10, wherein the controller further comprises:
a backlash indication circuit structured to identify an imminent backlash crossing event at a first gear mesh by performing at least one operation selected from the operations consisting of;
determining that an imminent rotational direction of the first gear mesh in the transmission is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the first gear mesh;
determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the first gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the first gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;
determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event at the first gear mesh;
determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and
determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce a backlash crossing event; and
a backlash management circuit structured to reduce engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh in response to receiving a backlash crossing indication event from the backlash indication circuit by performing at least one operation selected from the operations consisting of:
disengaging the first gear mesh during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event;
disengaging a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event; and
slipping a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event.

### Claim 16

A high efficiency, high output transmission, comprising:
an aluminum housing;
an input shaft and an output shaft disposed in the aluminum housing, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
twin countershafts disposed in the aluminum housing and comprising helical forward drive gears, the twin countershafts selectively coupled to the input shaft at a first end, and selectively coupled to the output shaft at a second end;
wherein the twin countershafts are selectively coupled to the output shaft at the second end via a main shaft selectively coupled to the output shaft, wherein a driveline of the transmission does not include any tapered bearings, and wherein enclosure bearings of the housing of the transmission do not take thrust loads of the transmission.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The transmission of claim 16, further comprising a friction brake on one of the twin countershafts; and
a controller including a friction brake control circuit structured to determine a speed differential between the one of the twin countershafts and an engaging shaft to slow the countershaft during a shift.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The transmission of claim 17, wherein the controller further comprises a shift control circuit, wherein the shift control circuit is structured to:
interpret a shift rail velocity;
provide a first opposing pulse command in response to the shift rail velocity, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction;
to determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction; and
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The transmission of claim 18, wherein the controller further comprises:
a backlash indication circuit structured to identify an imminent backlash crossing event at a first gear mesh by performing at least one operation selected from the operations consisting of;
determining that an imminent rotational direction of the first gear mesh in the transmission is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the first gear mesh;
determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the first gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the first gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;
determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event at the first gear mesh;
determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and
determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce a backlash crossing event; and
a backlash management circuit structured to reduce engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh in response to receiving a backlash crossing indication event from the backlash indication circuit by performing at least one operation selected from the operations consisting of:
disengaging the first gear mesh during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event;
disengaging a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event; and
slipping a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event.