# US 5,704,247 A · Compact manual transaxle 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 5,704,247 A
- Document ID: US5704247A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/681,059
- Filed: 1996-07-22
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1996-07-22
- Assignees: New Venture Gear, Inc.
- Inventors: Pavinder Ahluwalia; David Brown
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704247A

## CPC

- F16H 3/093: with two or more countershafts
- F16H 2003/0931: {each countershaft having an output gear meshing with a single common gear on the output shaft}
- F16H 2200/0047: the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
- Y10T 74/19223: Disconnectable counter shaft
- Y10T 74/19233: Plurality of counter shafts
- Y10T 74/194: Selective
- F16H: GEARING
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A compact manual transaxle includes an input shaft having four fixed input gears, a first intermediate shaft rotatably supporting three speed gears meshing with three of the input gears, a second intermediate shaft rotatably supporting a pair of speed gears meshed with two of the input gears and a reverse gear meshed with a speed gear on the first intermediate shaft, and a differential. One speed gear on each of the intermediate shafts meshes with a common input gear. A transfer gear on each intermediate shaft is meshed with a final drive gear fixed to the differential. The transaxle further includes a pair of synchronizer clutches for establishing three forward gears by selectively coupling the three speed gears to the first intermediate shaft and a pair of synchronizer clutches for establishing two forward gears and the reverse gear by selectively coupling the speed gears and reverse gear to the second intermediate shaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A manual transmission comprising:
an input shaft;
a first intermediate shaft having a first transfer gear fixed thereto;
a first input gear fixed to said input shaft;
a first speed gear rotatably supported on said first intermediate shaft and meshed with said first input gear;
a second input gear fixed to said input shaft;
a second speed gear rotatably supported on said first intermediate shaft and meshed with said second input gear;
a first synchronizer clutch for selectively coupling either of said first and second speed gears to said first intermediate shaft;
a third input gear fixed to said input shaft;
a third speed gear rotatably supported on said first intermediate shaft and meshed with said third input gear;
a second synchronizer clutch for selectively coupling said third speed gear to said first intermediate shaft;
a second intermediate shaft having a second transfer gear fixed thereto;
a fourth speed gear rotatably supported on said second intermediate shaft and meshed with said third input gear;
a third synchronizer clutch for selectively coupling said fourth speed gear to said second intermediate shaft;
a fourth input gear fixed to said input shaft;
a fifth speed gear rotatably supported on said second intermediate shaft and meshed with said fourth input gear;
a reverse gear rotatably supported on said second intermediate shaft and meshed with said first speed gear;
a fourth synchronizer clutch for selectively coupling either of said fifth speed gear and said reverse gear to said second intermediate shaft; and
a final drive gear meshed with said first and second transfer gears.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The manual transmission of claim 1 further comprising a differential driven by said final drive gear.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The manual transmission of claim 1 wherein said first synchronizer clutch includes a first shift sleeve mounted for rotation with said first intermediate shaft and movable from a neutral position in a first direction for selectively engaging said first speed gear so as to establish a first forward speed ratio, and wherein said first shift sleeve is movable in a second direction from its neutral position for selectively engaging said second speed gear for establishing a second forward speed ratio.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The manual transmission of claim 3 wherein said second synchronizer clutch includes a second shift sleeve mounted for rotation with said first intermediate shaft and movable from a neutral position in a first direction to selectively engage said third speed gear for establishing a third speed ratio, and wherein said third synchronizer clutch includes a third shift sleeve mounted for rotation with said second intermediate shaft and movable from a neutral position in a first direction for selectively engaging said fourth speed gear for establishing a fourth forward speed ratio.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The manual transmission of claim 4 wherein said fourth forward speed ratio is lower than said third forward speed ratio.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The manual transmission of claim 4 wherein said fourth synchronizer clutch includes a fourth shift sleeve mounted for rotation with said second intermediate shaft and movable from a neutral position in a first direction for selectively engaging said fifth speed gear for establishing a fifth forward speed ratio, and wherein said fourth shift sleeve is movable from said neutral position in a second direction for selectively engaging said reverse gear for establishing a reverse gear ratio.