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US 12,416,349 B2Granted
Vehicle transmission and method of operation
AssigneeMeans Industries, Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Thomas, Joshua D. Hand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle transmission using a gearset. Multi-mode clutches selectively couple components of the gearset. The transmission operates in and shifts between a first forward gear and a second forward gear using a change in input rotation. An electric motor coupled to the input may be used to change the input rotation direction.
Claims18
A vehicle drive system comprising:
- an electric motor operable in a first direction and a second direction;
- a first shaft;
- a second shaft;
- a first gearset connecting the first shaft to the second shaft, the first gearset includes an input gear associated with the first shaft and an output gear associated with the second shaft, with an intermediate gear positioned between the input gear and the output gear;
- a second gearset connecting the first shaft to the second shaft, the second gearset includes an input gear associated with the first shaft and an output gear associated with the second shaft;
- and
- a controllable clutch selectively coupling one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset to the first shaft wherein operating the electric motor in the first direction and selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset to the first shaft operates the second shaft at a first forward speed and operating the electric motor in the second direction and selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset to the first shaft operates the second shaft at a second forward speed.
4 more elements
A vehicle drive system comprising:
- a motor operable in a first direction and a second direction;
- a transmission having an input and an output, the input connected to the motor;
- a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input, an output gear associated with the output, and an intermediate gear positioned between the input gear and the output gear;
- and
- a second gearset including an input gear associated with the input and an output gear associated with the output;
- a first controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset and the input;
- and
- the first controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset and the input wherein the transmission has a first forward speed and a second forward speed, the transmission operating in the first forward speed when the motor operates in the first direction of rotation and operates in the second forward speed when the motor operates in the second direction of rotation.
5 more elements
A transmission comprising:
- an input shaft rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
- an output shaft;
- a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input shaft, an output gear associated with the output shaft, and an intermediate gear positioned between and engaging the input gear and the output gear;
- a second gearset includes an input gear associated with the input shaft and an output gear associated with the output shaft;
- a first clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset to the input shaft;
- the first clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset to the input shaft;
- a second clutch selectively coupling the output gear of the first gearset to the output shaft;
- and
- the second clutch selectively coupling the output gear of second gearset to the output shaft wherein the transmission operates in a first gear when the input shaft rotates in the first direction and operates in a second gear when the input shaft rotates in the second direction.
6 more elements
A transmission comprising:
- an input shaft rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
- an output shaft;
- a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input shaft, an output gear associated with the output shaft, and an intermediate gear positioned between and engaging the input gear and the output gear;
- a second gearset includes an input gear associated with the input shaft and an output gear associated with the output shaft;
- a first clutch selectively coupling one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset to the input shaft;
- a second clutch selectively coupling one of the output gear of the first gearset and the output gear of second gearset to the output shaft wherein the transmission operates in a first gear when the input shaft rotates in the first direction and operates in a second gear when the input shaft rotates in the second direction;
- the first clutch includes a first multi-mode clutch having four modes and a second multi-mode clutch having four modes;
- and
- the second clutch includes a first multi-mode clutch having four modes and a second multi-mode clutch having four modes.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.