Multi-speed rear wheel drive transmission with reduced in-neutral gear rattle
OwnerCesare G. Mastroianni, Timothy E. Mickinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-speed rear wheel drive transmission having synchronizers and a plurality of gears rotatable on the input shaft provides for the elimination of neutral roll-over noise and optimization of common reduced size synchronizers. Gear face widths are also reduced along with shaft diameters to further optimize the transmission design. Towing restrictions are no longer required in vehicles utilizing this design. The input shaft is coaxial with the output shaft and may be connected by synchronizer to the output shaft. A countershaft is in continuous meshing contact with the output shaft.
Claims10
A multi-speed transmission for a vehicle for connection to a driving source;
- said transmission comprising:
- a driven input shaft;
- a first plurality of gears rotatably supported on said input shaft, one of said gears being smaller than a remainder of said first plurality of gears;
- at least two synchronizers for coupling a selective one of the first plurality of gears to said input shaft, each of said synchronizers being of the same minimum size, said minimum size being equal to a synchronizer sized for use with said smaller gear;
- a countershaft having a second plurality of gears fixed thereto, each of said second plurality of gears meshing with a different one of the first plurality of gears;
- an output shaft parallel with said countershaft, said output shaft independently rotatable with respect to said input shaft when said first plurality of gears are not coupled to said input shaft;
- and
- means for meshing engagement of said countershaft to said output shaft;
- wherein when said driving source is running and said vehicle is stopped and, said first and second plurality of gears are not rotating whereby neutral roll-over noise is eliminated.
A multi-speed drive transmission for a vehicle connected to a pair of rear wheels of a vehicle, said transmission comprising:
- a driven input shaft;
- a first plurality of speed gears surrounding said input shaft;
- at least one synchronizer coupled to said input shaft operative to couple a selective one of the first plurality of gears to said input shaft;
- a countershaft having a second plurality of gears fixed thereto, each of said second plurality of gears meshing with a different one of the first plurality of gears;
- an output shaft connected to said pair of rear wheels, said output shaft independently rotatable with respect to said input shaft when said first plurality of speed gears are not coupled to said input shaft;
- means for meshing engagement of said countershaft with said output shaft including a gear fixedly coupled to said countershaft meshing with an output gear fixedly coupled to said output shaft;
- means for lubricating said transmission when transmission is in neutral and when said rear wheels turn in response to said vehicle being towed, said means for lubricating including said first plurality of speed gears and said second plurality of gears which turn in response to movement of said rear wheels to provide an oil splash to lubricate said transmission.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.