Modularly constructed vehicular transmission

A vehicular transmission adapted particularly to modular construction and assembly, said transmission comprising:

• an annular, central housing module having a longitudinal axis;
• said central housing module terminating in first and second end portions, each of which are substantially open;
• at least one motor/generator having an annular stator insertably receivable through one of said end openings to be supported interiorly of the annular central housing module so as substantially to circumscribe said longitudinal axis;
• a rotor operatively received interiorly of said stator;
• a central shaft member extending coaxially with respect to said longitudinal axis of said central housing module;
• a modular input closure subassembly demountably secured to said first substantially open end portion of said central housing module;
• a modular output closure subassembly demountably secured to said second substantially open end portion of said central housing module:
• an input shaft member coaxially and rotatably supported in said modular input closure subassembly;
• an output shaft member coaxially and rotatably supported in said modular output closure subassembly;
• one or more planetary gear subsets, each said gear subsets coaxially supported in a selected modular closure subassembly of said modular input and output closure subassemblies and being joined with the shaft member associated with said selected modular closure subassembly;
• said one or more planetary gear subsets each having a sun gear member, a ring gear member and a plurality of planet gear members rotatably supported on a carrier meshingly to engage said sun and ring gear members;
• annular collar means circumscribing said central shaft member, said collar means operatively engaged to a gear member in said one planetary gear subset;
• and
• at least one connecting flange extending generally radially from said collar means and being operatively connected to said rotor.

A vehicular transmission adapted particularly to modular construction and assembly, said transmission comprising:

• an annular, central housing module having a longitudinal axis;
• said central housing module terminating in substantially open first and second end portions;
• at least one motor/generator having an annular stator supported interiorly of the annular central housing module at least substantially to circumscribe said longitudinal axis;
• a rotor operatively positioned interiorly of said stator;
• a central shaft member extending coaxially with respect to said longitudinal axis of said central housing module;
• annular collar means circumscribing said central shaft member;
• a connecting flange extending generally radially from said collar means and being operatively connected to said rotor;
• at least one end cap;
• a retaining shroud demountably attached to said end cap in order to form at least one closure subassembly;
• a modular input closure subassembly and a modular output closure subassembly demountably secured to said first and second substantially open end portions respectively of said central housing module;
• an input shaft member coaxially and rotatably supported in said modular input closure subassembly;
• an output shaft member coaxially and rotatably supported in said modular output closure subassembly;
• one or more planetary gear subsets, each of said gear subsets coaxially supported in a selected modular closure subassembly of said modular input and output closure subassemblies and being joined with the shaft member associated with said selected modular closure subassembly;
• and
• means for selectively connecting said planetary gear subsets and said rotor to selected shaft members and to connect selected shaft members to each other.