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US 8,474,341 B2Granted
Dual clutch transmission
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsEdward W. Mellet, Scott H. Wittkopp, Craig S. Ross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transmission includes an input member, an output member, first and second shafts, first and second countershafts, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
Claims14
A transmission comprising:
- a transmission housing;
- a dual clutch assembly having a clutch housing connectable to a flywheel of an engine, wherein the clutch housing is rotationally supported within the transmission housing;
- a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets, wherein the first gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the second gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the third gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a third gear and a second gear in mesh with the third gear, the fourth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the fifth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear and the sixth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear;
- a first transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing and wherein each of the first gears of the fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the first transmission input member;
- a second transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing, wherein each of the first gears of the first, second and third gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the second transmission input member and wherein the second transmission input member is concentric with the first transmission input member and at least partially surrounds the first transmission input member;
- a first countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gear of the third gear set and the second gears of the fourth gear set, the fifth gear set and the sixth gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the first countershaft;
- a second countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gears of the first gear set and the second gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the second countershaft and wherein the third gear of the third gear set is supported on and rotatable about the second countershaft;
- three synchronizer assemblies for selectively coupling at least one of the gears of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets with at least one of the first countershaft and the second countershaft, and
- wherein the selective engagement of dual clutch assembly interconnects the dual clutch housing with at least one of the first and the second transmission input members and the selective engagement of at least one of the three synchronizer assemblies establishes at least one of five forward speed ratios.
6 more elements
A dual clutch transmission comprising:
- a transmission housing;
- a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets, wherein the first gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the second gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the third gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a third gear and a second gear in mesh with the third gear, the fourth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the fifth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear and the sixth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear;
- a first transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing and wherein each of the first gears of the fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the first transmission input member;
- a second transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing, wherein each of the first gears of the first, second and third gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the second transmission input member and wherein the second transmission input member is concentric with the first transmission input member and at least partially surrounds the first transmission input member;
- a dual clutch assembly having a clutch housing connectable to a flywheel of an engine, a first clutch configured to selectively connect the clutch housing to the first transmission input member and a second clutch configured to selectively connect the clutch housing to the second transmission input member and wherein the clutch housing is rotationally supported within the transmission housing;
- a first countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gear of the third gear set and the second gears of the fourth gear set, the fifth gear set and the sixth gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the first countershaft;
- a second countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gears of the first gear set and the second gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the second countershaft and wherein the third gear of the third gear set is supported on and rotatable about the second countershaft;
- a first synchronizer assembly configured to selectively connect the second gear of the first gear set to the second countershaft to establish a fourth gear ratio and the second gear of the second gear set to the second countershaft to establish a second gear ratio when the second clutch of the dual clutch assembly is engaged to connect the clutch housing of the dual clutch to the second transmission input member;
- a second synchronizer configured to selectively connect the second gear of the third gear set to the first countershaft to establish a reverse gear ratio when the second clutch of the dual clutch assembly is engaged to connect the clutch housing of the dual clutch to the second transmission input member and second gear of the fourth gear set to the first countershaft to establish a third gear ratio when the first clutch of the dual clutch assembly is engaged to connect the clutch housing of the dual clutch to the first transmission input member;
- and
- a third synchronizer assembly configured to selectively connect the second gear of the fifth gear set to the first countershaft to establish a fifth gear ratio and the second gear of the sixth gear set to the first countershaft to establish a first gear ratio when the first clutch of the dual clutch assembly is engaged to connect the clutch housing of the dual clutch to the first transmission input member.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.