# US 2008/0188338 A1 · Assembly including a planetary pinion carrier and one-way clutch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0188338 A1 - Document ID: US20080188338A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/701,663 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: John W. Kimes; Mark W. Rosselot; Gregory D. Goleski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080188338A1 ## CPC - F16H 57/082: {Planet carriers} - F16H 3/663: {with conveying rotary motion between axially spaced orbital gears, e.g. a stepped orbital gear or Ravigneaux} - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A planetary gear unit for an automatic transmission includes a pinion carrier including a first disc formed with first holes located radially from an axis joined to a second disc spaced axially from the first disc and formed with second holes, each second hole being aligned with a first hole, a clutch ring contacting the second disc and pinion shafts, each pinion shaft extending axially through one of the first holes and one of the second holes and supporting a pinion thereon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A planetary gear unit for an automatic transmission, comprising: a pinion carrier including a first disc formed with first holes located radially from an axis, and a second disc secured to the first disc, spaced axially from the first disc and formed with second holes, each second hole being aligned with a first hole; a first ring contacting the second disc; pinions; and pinion shafts, each pinion shaft extending axially through one of the first holes and one of the second holes and supporting a pinion thereon, and contacting a surface of the first disc having at least an axial component and contacting a surface of the second disc having at least an axial component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gear unit of claim 1 wherein: the first disc includes a first pilot surface spaced radially from the axis and extending along the axis; and the first ring includes a second pilot surface located adjacent the first pilot surface axis and extending along the axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gear unit of claim 1 further comprising: a second ring aligned axially with the first ring and located radially outboard of the first ring; a member secured to the carrier and formed with first spline teeth extending along the axis; discs including second spline teeth engaged with the first spline teeth, each disc being spaced mutually along the axis; and clutch plates, each clutch plate being located between successive discs, movement of the clutch plates and discs along the axis being limited by the second clutch ring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gear unit of claim 3 wherein the first ring and the second ring are components of a one-way clutch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gear unit of claim 1 further comprising: a second ring aligned axially with the first ring and located radially outboard of the first ring; a member secured to the carrier and formed with first spline teeth extending along the axis; discs including second spline teeth engaged with the first spline teeth, each disc being spaced mutually along the axis; a casing formed with second spline teeth surrounding the first spline teeth, extending along the axis, and radially spaced from the first spline teeth; and clutch plates, each clutch plate being located between successive discs and engaged with the second spline teeth, movement of the clutch plates and discs along the axis being limited by the second clutch ring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gear unit of claim 1 wherein: the first ring further comprises third holes substantially aligned with the first holes and second holes, each third hole being formed with a first chamfer surface inclined radially outward from the axis and along the axis; and each the second hole is formed with a second chamfer surface inclined radially outward from the axis and along the axis; and each pinion shaft includes a first portion that extends axially through a first hole and a third hole, and a second portion that extends axially through a second hole, each a first portion being rolled radially into contact with the first chamfer surface, each second portion being rolled radially into contact with the second chamfer surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gear unit of claim 1 wherein the first disc and second disc are formed integrally as a unitary cast component whose material is cast iron. ### Claim 8 A planetary gear unit for an automatic transmission, comprising: a pinion carrier including a first disc formed with first holes spaced radially from an axis, and a second disc secure to the first disc, spaced axially from the first disc and formed with second holes, each second hole being aligned with a first hole and formed with a first chamfer surface inclined radially outward from the axis and along the axis; a first ring contacting the second disc and including third holes substantially aligned with the first holes and second holes, each third hole being formed with a second chamfer surface facing axially away from the first chamfer surface, and inclined radially outward from the axis and along the axis; pinions; and pinion shafts, each pinion shaft extending axially through one of the first holes, one of the second holes and one of the third holes, supporting a pinion thereon, in loaded contact the first chamfer surface, and in loaded contact with the second chamfer surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gear unit of claim 8 wherein: the first disc includes a first pilot surface spaced radially from the axis and extending along the axis; and the first ring includes a second pilot surface located adjacent the first pilot surface axis and extending along the axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The gear unit of claim 8 further comprising: a second ring aligned axially with the first ring and located radially outboard of the first ring; a member secured to the carrier and formed with first spline teeth extending along the axis; discs including second spline teeth engaged with the first spline teeth, each disc being spaced mutually along the axis; and clutch plates, each clutch plate being located between successive discs, movement of the clutch plates and discs along the axis being limited by the second clutch ring. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The gear unit of claim 8 wherein the first ring and the second ring are components of a one-way clutch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The gear unit of claim 8 further comprising: a second ring aligned axially with the first ring and located radially outboard of the first ring; a member secured to the carrier and formed with first spline teeth extending along the axis; discs including second spline teeth engaged with the first spline teeth, each disc being spaced mutually along the axis; a casing formed with second spline teeth surrounding the first spline teeth, extending along the axis, and radially spaced from the first spline teeth; and clutch plates, each clutch plate being located between successive discs and engaged with the second spline teeth, movement of the clutch plates and discs along the axis being limited by the second clutch ring. ### Claim 13 A method for assembling a planetary gear unit for an automatic transmission that includes a pinion carrier including a first disc formed with first holes spaced radially from an axis, and a second disc formed with second holes, each second hole being aligned with a first hole and formed with a first chamfer surface inclined radially outward from the axis; a first ring including third holes, each third hole being formed with a second chamfer surface facing axially away from the first chamfer surface and inclined radially outward from the axis; and pinion shafts, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating each pinion adjacent a respective one of the second holes; (b) installing the pinion shafts such that each pinion shaft passes through the first disc, the second disc and a respective pinion; (c) installing the first ring such that each pinion shaft is located in one of the third holes and extends through each third hole; and (d) forcing each pinion shaft into loaded contact against the first chamfer surface and the second chamfer surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein step (b) further includes the step of: placing a bearing over each of the pinion shafts before installing a pinion on each pinion shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein step (c) further includes the steps of: installing a first bushing adjacent the second disc; and placing a bearing over each of the pinion shafts and adjacent the first bushing before installing a pinion on each pinion shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein step (c) further includes the step of: installing a second bushing adjacent the pinions before installing the first disc. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein step (d) further includes the steps of: forming the first disc with a first pilot surface radially spaced from the axis and extending along the axis; and forming the first ring with a second pilot surface substantially parallel to the first pilot surface; and engaging the second pilot surface with the first pilot surface while installing the first ring. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further including the step of: installing a second ring aligned axially with the first ring and located radially outboard of the first ring.