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US 2012/0231918 A1Published application
Clutch and gear arrangement for a front wheel drive vehicle
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsClinton E. Carey, Scott H. Wittkopp, James M. Hart, Andrew W. Phillips
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A front wheel drive transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and a brake arranged within a transmission housing. Each of the clutches and the brake are located within specific areas defined by the planetary gear sets and the housing walls.
Claims58
A transaxle comprising:
- an input member;
- an output member;
- a housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and second walls;
- first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets disposed within the housing, each planetary gear set having a sun gear member, a ring gear member, and a planet carrier member supporting a plurality of planet gears each configured to intermesh with both the sun gear member and the ring gear member, and wherein the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set, the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the planet carrier member of the third planetary gear set, the ring gear member of the third planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the planet carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set, the sun gear member of the third planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set, the output member is permanently coupled with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set, the input member is permanently coupled with the carrier member of the first planetary gear set, and the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to one of the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall of the housing, and
- a plurality of clutches and a brake each selectively engageable to interconnect one of the sun gear, planet carrier, and ring gear members of the planetary gear sets with another one of the sun gear, planet carrier, and ring gear members of the planetary gear sets, and the housing;
- and
- wherein the housing has a first area defined radially inward from an outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the first planetary gear set, a second area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first and second planetary gear sets, a third area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the second and third planetary gear sets, a fourth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the third and fourth planetary gear sets, a fifth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, and a sixth area defined radially inward from the third wall and radially outward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the second wall, and the plurality of clutches and the brake are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.
4 more elements
A transaxle comprising:
- an input member;
- an output member;
- a housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and second walls;
- first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets disposed within the housing, each planetary gear set having a sun gear member, a ring gear member, and a planet carrier member supporting a plurality of planet gears each configured to intermesh with both the sun gear member and the ring gear member, and wherein the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set, the ring gear member of the second planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the planet carrier member of the third planetary gear set, the ring gear member of the third planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the planet carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set, the sun gear member of the third planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set, the output member is permanently coupled with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set, the input member is permanently coupled with the carrier member of the first planetary gear set, and the sun gear member of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to one of the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall of the housing;
- a first clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;
- a second clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the planet carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the input member;
- a third clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the input member with the sun gear members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets;
- a fourth clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set with the sun gear members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets;
- a brake selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set to the housing, and
- wherein the housing has a first area defined radially inward from an outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the first planetary gear set, a second area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first and second planetary gear sets, a third area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the second and third planetary gear sets, a fourth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the third and fourth planetary gear sets, a fifth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, and a sixth area defined radially inward from the third wall and radially outward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the second wall, and the clutches and the brake are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.
7 more elements
A transaxle comprising:
- an input member;
- an output member;
- a housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending between the first and second walls;
- first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets disposed within the housing, each planetary gear set having a sun gear member, a ring gear member, and a planet carrier member supporting a plurality of planet gears each configured to intermesh with both the sun gear member and the ring gear member;
- a plurality of intermediate members each permanently connecting one of the sun gear members, ring gear members, and carrier members of the planetary gear sets with another of the sun gear members, ring gear members, and carrier members of the planetary gear sets, the input member, the output member, and the housing;
- a first clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set;
- a second clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the planet carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the input member;
- a third clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the planet carrier member of the first planetary gear set and the input member with the sun gear members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets;
- a fourth clutch selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear member of the first planetary gear set and the sun gear member of the second planetary gear set with the sun gear members of the third and fourth planetary gear sets, and
- a brake selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear member of the fourth planetary gear set to the housing;
- and
- wherein the housing has a first area defined radially inward from an outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the first planetary gear set, a second area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first and second planetary gear sets, a third area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the second and third planetary gear sets, a fourth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the third and fourth planetary gear sets, a fifth area defined radially inward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the fourth planetary gear set and the second wall, and a sixth area defined radially inward from the third wall and radially outward from the outer periphery of the planetary gear sets and axially bounded by the first wall and the second wall, and the plurality of clutches and the brake are selectively engageable to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.