Method of assembling a transmission including planetary gear thrust containment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876601-B2
Application number	US-202016774755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2020
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve a plurality of different speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset received within a housing. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. A thrust load containment circuit is operably coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets. The thrust load containment circuit includes a plurality of components arranged to resolve axial thrust loads from the plurality of planetary gearsets independent of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a transmission comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of planetary gearsets, the plurality of planetary gearsets including
a first planetary gearset including a plurality of gearset components, the gearset components including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operably coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears; and
a second planetary gearset including a plurality of gearset components, the gearset components including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operably coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears;

operably coupling the second planetary gearset with the first planetary gearset;
positioning the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset radially outwardly from a central shaft, the central shaft extending axially between an input end and an output end;
fixing an input end thrust load containment member to the input end of the central shaft; and
fixing an output end thrust load containment member to the output end of the central shaft, the plurality of planetary gearsets positioned axially intermediate the input end thrust load containment member and the output end thrust load containment member.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a third planetary gearset including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operably coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears;
providing a fourth planetary gearset including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operably coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operably coupled to the plurality of planet gears;
operably coupling the third planetary gearset with the second planetary gearset;
operably coupling the fourth planetary gearset with the third planetary gearset; and
positioning the first planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset radially outwardly from the central shaft.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a housing including an interior; and
positioning the first planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset within the interior of the housing.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of providing a plurality of selective couplers, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the plurality of selective couplers including a first selective coupler and a second selective coupler, the first selective coupler in the engaged configuration being configured to connect one of the gearset components of the first planetary gearset with the housing.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second selective coupler in the engaged configuration being configured to connect one of the gearset components of the second planetary gearset with the housing.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a housing including an interior; and
positioning the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset within the interior of the housing.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of providing a plurality of selective couplers, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, the plurality of selective couplers including a first selective coupler and a second selective coupler, the first selective coupler in the engaged configuration being configured to connect one of the gearset components of the first planetary gearset with the housing.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second selective coupler in the engaged configuration being configured to connect one of the gearset components of the second planetary gearset with the housing.

Assignees

• Allison Transm Inc

Inventors

• Raszkowski James

Classifications

• F16H3/66 Primary

  composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another · CPC title

• F16H2200/2012

  with four sets of orbital gears · CPC title

• F16H3/666 Primary

  with intermeshing orbital gears (F16H3/663 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16H2200/0065

  the gear ratios comprising nine forward speeds · CPC title

• F16H2200/2041

  with four engaging means · CPC title