# US 12,007,019 B2 · Modified vehicle transmission hydraulic valve circuit for forward sprag protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,019 B2 - Document ID: US12007019B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/339,634 - Filed: 2023-06-22 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-22 - Assignees: Sonnax Transmission Company - Applicants: Sonnax Transmission Company - Inventors: James A. Dial - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007019B2 ## CPC - F16H 61/0276: {Elements specially adapted for hydraulic control units, e.g. valves} - F16H 61/0009: {Hydraulic control units for transmission control, e.g. assembly of valve plates or valve units} - F16H 61/0267: {Layout of hydraulic control circuits, e.g. arrangement of valves} - F16H 2061/0062: {Modifying an existing transmission control from a manufacturer for improvement or adaptation, e.g. by replacing a valve or an electric part} - F16H 2061/0279: {Details of hydraulic valves, e.g. lands, ports, spools or springs} - F16H 2200/0043: the gear ratios comprising four forward speeds - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A modified hydraulic circuit for an OEM vehicle transmission, which transmission has a forward clutch, a forward clutch hub and a forward sprag having an inner sprag race and an outer sprag race, an overrun clutch and an overrun clutch hub, the forward clutch and the forward sprag providing a link to a planetary gear train to propel the vehicle forward, the forward clutch hub defining the outer sprag race, the overrun clutch hub defining the inner sprag race, a hydraulic valve body having a plurality of passages and a separator plate, and a 1-2 shift valve, a 2-3 shift valve, a 3-4 shift valve and a 3-4 relay valve, and a gear shift valve, includes a blockage in the passage fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch, a blockage in the passage fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve, removal of a movable element from the first check valve body and a passage from the gear shift valve to the overrun clutch via the first check valve body, wherein when operating in the D4 mode, the forward clutch is applied and the overrun clutch is applied and are locked to one another, such that the forward sprag clutch is ineffective. A method of modifying the hydraulic circuit is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modified hydraulic circuit for an OEM vehicle transmission, the transmission having a forward clutch, a forward clutch hub and a forward sprag having an inner sprag race and an outer sprag race, an overrun clutch and an overrun clutch hub, the forward clutch and the forward sprag providing a link to a planetary gear train to propel the vehicle forward, the forward clutch hub defining the outer sprag race, the overrun clutch hub defining the inner sprag race, the OEM vehicle transmission, when operating in a D4 mode, applying the forward clutch but not applying the overrun clutch, the OEM vehicle transmission further including a hydraulic valve body having a plurality of passages and a separator plate, and further including a 1-2 shift valve, a 2-3 shift valve, a 3-4 shift valve and a 3-4 relay valve, and a gear shift valve, one of the plurality of passages fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch via a first check valve, the first check valve having a body and a movable element ball, another of the plurality of passages fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve, the modified hydraulic circuit comprising: a first blockage in the passage fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch; a second blockage in the passage fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve; removal of the movable element ball from the first check valve body; and a passage from the gear shift valve to the overrun clutch via the first check valve body, wherein when operating in the D4 mode, the forward clutch is applied and the overrun clutch is applied and are locked to one another, such that the forward sprag is ineffective. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the first blockage is a plug in the separator plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the second blockage is a plug in the separator plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the first blockage is a plug in the valve body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the second blockage is a plug in the valve body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the movable element ball is a check valve ball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, further including a replacement separator plate, and wherein the first and second blockages are formed by a replacement separator plate void of openings at locations that otherwise fluidically connect the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch and fluidically connect the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The modified hydraulic circuit of claim 1, wherein the passage from the gear shift valve to the first check valve body is an opening in the valve body. ### Claim 9 A method of modifying hydraulic circuit for an OEM vehicle transmission, the transmission having a forward clutch, a forward clutch hub and a forward sprag having an inner sprag race and an outer sprag race, an overrun clutch and an overrun clutch hub, the forward clutch and the forward sprag providing a link to a planetary gear train to propel the vehicle forward, the forward clutch hub defining the outer sprag race, the overrun clutch hub defining the inner sprag race, the OEM vehicle transmission, when operating in a D4 mode, applying the forward clutch but not applying the overrun clutch, the OEM vehicle transmission further including a hydraulic valve body having a plurality of passages and a separator plate, and further including a 1-2 shift valve, a 2-3 shift valve, a 3-4 shift valve and a 3-4 relay valve, and a gear shift valve, one of the plurality of passages fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch via a first check valve, the first check valve having a body and a movable element ball, another of the plurality of passages fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve, the method comprising: blocking the passage fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch; blocking the passage fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve; removing the movable element ball from the first check valve body; and forming a passage from the gear shift valve to the overrun clutch via the first check valve body, wherein when operating in the D4 mode, the forward clutch is applied and the overrun clutch is applied and are locked to one another, such that the forward sprag is ineffective. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein blocking the passage fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch is installing a plug in the separator plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein blocking the passage fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve is installing a plug in the separator plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein blocking the passage fluidically connecting the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch is installing a plug in the valve body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein blocking the passage fluidically connecting the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve is installing a plug in the valve body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further including installing a replacement separator plate, wherein the blocking of the passages is provided by a replacement separator plate void of openings at locations that otherwise fluidically connect the 2-3 shift valve to the overrun clutch and fluidically connect the gear shift valve to the 2-3 shift valve. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein forming the passage from the gear shift valve to the first check valve body is forming an opening in the valve body.