# US 2013/0153356 A1 · Drive assembly on a twin-clutch transmission for motor vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153356 A1 - Document ID: US20130153356A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/698,537 - Filed: 2011-05-18 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-19 - Assignees: Audi AG - Inventors: Hans-Peter Fleischmann; Rupert Wagner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153356A1 ## CPC - F16D 21/06: at least two driving shafts or two driven shafts being concentric - F16D 25/082: {the line of action of the fluid-actuated members co-inciding with the axis of rotation} - F16D 25/10: Clutch systems with a plurality of fluid-actuated clutches (arrangements or mounting of clutches in vehicles B60K17/00) - F16H 57/0037: {Special features of coaxial shafts, e.g. relative support thereof} - F16D 2021/0607: {Double clutch with torque input plate in-between the two clutches, i.e. having a central input plate} - F16D 2021/0661: {Hydraulically actuated multiple lamellae clutches} - F16D 2021/0692: {with two clutches arranged axially without radial overlap} - F16H 3/006: {power being selectively transmitted by parallel flow paths, e.g. dual clutch transmissions} - F16H 57/021: Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings - Y02T 10/60: Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F16H: GEARING - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The invention relates to a drive assembly on a twin-clutch transmission for motor vehicles, including two clutches which are axially connected in succession in a transmission housing and are positioned between spaced-apart end walls of the transmission housing and which have each a preferably drum-shaped drive element which is driven by an input shaft of the transmission, with the clutches being in driving relationship, preferably alternatingly, via two preferably pot-shaped output elements with two output shafts in coaxial arrangement to the input shafts. According to the invention, the input shaft (14) which is rotatably mounted in the region of a first end wall (12a) is guided up to the second end wall (10a) located in opposition to the first end wall (12a) and is rotatably mounted there indirectly via the output shafts (24, 26) which are also rotatably mounted in the region of the second end wall (10a). ## Claims ### Claim 1 Drive assembly for a twin-clutch transmission for motor vehicles, comprising two clutches which are axially connected in succession in a transmission housing and are positioned between spaced-apart end walls of the transmission housing and which have each a drive element which is driven by an input shaft of the transmission, with the clutches being in driving relationship via two output elements, with two output shafts in coaxial arrangement to the input shaft, wherein the input shaft which is rotatably mounted in a region of a first one of the end walls is sized to extend to a second one of the end walls located in opposition to the first end wall and is rotatably mounted indirectly via the output shafts which are also rotatably mounted in a region of the second end wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the input shaft has an output flange which is connected to the drive element and sized to extend to the second end wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein an outer one of the output shafts is rotatably mounted on an inner one of the output shafts in the region of the second end wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, further comprising bearings for support of the input shaft and the output shafts amongst each other and in the end walls, said bearings being formed by roller bearings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Drive assembly according to claim 4, wherein at least two of the bearings are inner bearings which are configured as needle bearings between the input shaft and an inner one of the output shafts and between the inner output shaft and an outer one of the output shafts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the two output elements have tubular shaft stubs which are respectively connected in driving relationship with the output shafts, configured as hollow shaft, via connections which act form fittingly in rotation direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Drive assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a first bearing, provided in a region of one of the connections between the shaft stubs, and a second bearing, provided between the outer output shaft and the second end wall of the transmission housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Drive assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first and second bearings are formed needle bearings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Drive assembly according to claim 7, wherein the shaft stub of one of the output elements is connected in driving relationship with the inner output shaft and is radially supported on the input shaft in proximity of an output flange of the input shaft via a third bearing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) Drive assembly according to claim 6, further comprising thrust bearings placed between an output flange of the input shaft and between annular flanges formed on the shaft stubs of the output elements, respectively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the input shaft is made in one of two ways, a first way in which the input shaft is made in one piece, said input shaft having an output flange connected to the drive element and a shaft extension sized to extend beyond the output flange and formed directly on the input shaft, a second way in which the input shaft is made of several parts and has separate shaft extension sized to extend beyond an output flange to the drive element and firmly connected with the input shaft by form fit or material joint. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive element has a drum-shaped configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the output elements have a pot-shaped configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Drive assembly according to claim 1, wherein the output elements are in alternating driving relationship to the output shafts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) Drive assembly according to claim 3, wherein the outer one of the output shafts is rotatably mounted on the inner one of the output shafts in the region of a bearing plane defined by the second end wall or in a bearing region defined by the second end wall, said inner output shaft being rotatably mounted on the input shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) Drive assembly according to claim 6, wherein the connections are plug connections or splined plug connections. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) Drive assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first, second and third bearings are each a roller bearing. ### Claim 18 A drive assembly for a twin-clutch transmission for a motor vehicle, comprising: an input shaft rotatably supported by a first end wall of a transmission housing and sized to extend to a second end wall of the transmission housing in opposition to the first end wall; two drive elements driven by the input shaft and operably connected to two clutches of the twin-clutch transmission in one-to-one correspondence; two output shafts arranged in coaxial arrangement to the input shaft and indirectly rotatably supporting the input shaft in a region of the second end wall; and two output elements in driving relationship with the output shafts.