US 8,506,444 B2Granted

Multi-speed transmission

AssigneeZF Friedrichshafen AG

InventorsMichael Kamm, Gabor Diosi, Josef Haupt, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Peter Ziemer, Martin Brehmer

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vehicle multi-speed automatic transmission which comprises an input shaft (AN) and an output shaft (AB); first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets (RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4); at least third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rotatable shafts (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8); and first, second, third, fourth and fifth shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) whose selective engagement, in combinations of three engaged shifting elements, defines different gear ratios, between the input shaft (AN) and the output shaft (AB), for implementing eight forward gears and at least one reverse gear. When shifting from one forward gear into a successive higher or lower forward gear, only a single one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth shift elements is disengaged and only a single one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth shift elements is engaged.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary design for a motor vehicle, the transmission comprising:

a transmission housing;
an input shaft;
an output shaft;
a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set and a fourth planetary gear set;
each of the first, the second, the third and the fourth planetary gear sets comprising three elements;
a first shifting element for releasably connecting one element of the first planetary gear set and one element of the fourth planetary gear set to the transmission housing;
a second shifting element for releasably connecting one element of the first planetary gear set to the transmission housing;
a third shifting element at least for releasably connecting one element of the third planetary gear set to the input shaft;
a fourth shifting element for releasably connecting one element of the second planetary gear set to one element of the third planetary gear set;
and
a fifth shifting element for facilitating interlocking of the second planetary gear set, when the fifth shifting element is engaged, so that the three elements of the second planetary gear set rotate in unison with one another at the same rotational speed;
wherein the input shaft is directly connected to one element of the fourth planetary gear set so as to constantly rotate in unison therewith;
the output shaft is directly connected to one element of the third planetary gear set so as to constantly rotate in unison therewith;
a third shaft directly connects one element of the first planetary gear set with one element of the fourth planetary gear set;
a fifth shaft directly connects one element of the second planetary gear set with one element of the third planetary gear set;
a sixth shaft directly connects one element of the first planetary gear set with one element of the third planetary gear set;
and
a seventh shaft directly connects one element of the second planetary gear set with one element of the fourth planetary gear set.

15 more elements

A multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary design for a motor vehicle, the transmission comprising:

a transmission housing;
an input shaft;
an output shaft;
a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set and a fourth planetary gear set, and each planetary gear set comprising a sun gear, a planet carrier and a ring gear;
a first shifting element for releasably connecting the transmission housing with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the first planetary gear set and one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set;
a second shifting element for releasably connecting one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with the transmission housing;
a third shifting element for releasably connecting one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set to the input shaft;
a fourth shifting element for releasably connecting one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the second planetary gear set to one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;
and
a fifth shifting element for facilitating interlocking of the second planetary gear set, during engagement of the fifth shifting element, so that the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear of the second planetary gear set all rotate in unison with one another at the same rotational speed;
wherein the input shaft is directly connected so as to rotate in unison with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set;
the output shaft is directly connected so as to rotate in unison to one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;
a third shaft directly connects one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set;
a fifth shaft directly connects one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the second planetary gear set with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;
a sixth shaft directly connects one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;
and
a seventh shaft directly connects one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the second planetary gear set with one of the sun gear, the planet carrier, and the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/565,242Filed 2 Aug 2012 · division
Priority: DE 10 2006 031 2346 Jul 2006
Published: US 2012/0295755 A122 Nov 2012
Granted: 13 Aug 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F16H 3/62
Using gears having orbital motion: gearings having three or more central gears
F16H 3/666
Composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another: with intermeshing orbital gears
F16H 2200/006
Characterised by the number of forward speeds: the gear ratios comprising eight forward speeds
F16H 2200/2012
Characterised by the number of sets of orbital gears: with four sets of orbital gears

Family

Application11/773,640Parent of this division · filed 5 Jul 2007
Application12/959,976Parent of this division · filed 3 Dec 2010
US 7,892,137 B2Parent of this division · filed 22 Feb 2011
US 7,980,986 B2Parent of this division · filed 5 Jul 2011
Application13/179,922Parent of this division · filed 11 Jul 2011
US 2012/0295755 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Nov 2012
US 8,257,218 B2Parent of this division
US 2008/0015081 A1Published application
US 2011/0077119 A1Published application
US 2011/0263376 A1Published application
US 8,506,444 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.