Vehicle transmission and method of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416349-B2
Application number	US-202418745969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2024
Priority date	Sep 28, 2021
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle transmission using a gearset. Multi-mode clutches selectively couple components of the gearset. The transmission operates in and shifts between a first forward gear and a second forward gear using a change in input rotation. An electric motor coupled to the input may be used to change the input rotation direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle drive system comprising:
an electric motor operable in a first direction and a second direction;
a first shaft;
a second shaft;
a first gearset connecting the first shaft to the second shaft, the first gearset includes an input gear associated with the first shaft and an output gear associated with the second shaft, with an intermediate gear positioned between the input gear and the output gear;
a second gearset connecting the first shaft to the second shaft, the second gearset includes an input gear associated with the first shaft and an output gear associated with the second shaft; and
a controllable clutch selectively coupling one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset to the first shaft wherein operating the electric motor in the first direction and selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset to the first shaft operates the second shaft at a first forward speed and operating the electric motor in the second direction and selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset to the first shaft operates the second shaft at a second forward speed.

2. The vehicle drive system of claim 1 wherein:
the controllable clutch is a dynamically controllable clutch wherein the dynamically controllable clutch connects the first shaft with one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset wherein the first shaft and respective input gear rotate together.

3. The vehicle drive system of claim 1 wherein:
the controllable clutch is a multi-mode clutch.

4. The vehicle drive system of claim 3 wherein:
the multi-mode clutch is a four-mode clutch.

5. The vehicle drive system of claim 1 wherein:
the controllable clutch includes a plurality of selectable clutches.

6. The vehicle drive system of claim 1 wherein:
the controllable clutch includes a first multi-mode clutch connected to the first shaft and the input gear of the first gearset and a second multi-mode clutch connected to the second shaft and the input gear of the second gearset.

7. The vehicle drive system of claim 1 including:
a second controllable clutch, the second controllable clutch selectively couples one of the output gear of the first gearset and the output gear of the second gearset to the second shaft.

8. A vehicle drive system comprising:
a motor operable in a first direction and a second direction;
a transmission having an input and an output, the input connected to the motor;
a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input, an output gear associated with the output, and an intermediate gear positioned between the input gear and the output gear; and
a second gearset including an input gear associated with the input and an output gear associated with the output;
a first controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset and the input; and
the first controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset and the input wherein the transmission has a first forward speed and a second forward speed, the transmission operating in the first forward speed when the motor operates in the first direction of rotation and operates in the second forward speed when the motor operates in the second direction of rotation.

9. The vehicle drive system of claim 8 including:
a second controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the output gear of the first gearset and the output; and
the second controllable multi-mode clutch selectively coupling the output gear of the second gearset and the output.

10. The vehicle drive system of claim 9 wherein:
the first controllable multi-mode clutch has at least four modes.

11. The vehicle drive system of claim 9 wherein:
the second controllable multi-mode clutch has at least four modes.

12. The vehicle drive system of claim 9 wherein:
the direction of motor operation determines the selective coupling of the first controllable multi-mode clutch and the second controllable multi-mode clutch.

13. A transmission comprising:
an input shaft rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
an output shaft;
a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input shaft, an output gear associated with the output shaft, and an intermediate gear positioned between and engaging the input gear and the output gear;
a second gearset includes an input gear associated with the input shaft and an output gear associated with the output shaft;
a first clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the first gearset to the input shaft;
the first clutch selectively coupling the input gear of the second gearset to the input shaft;
a second clutch selectively coupling the output gear of the first gearset to the output shaft; and
the second clutch selectively coupling the output gear of second gearset to the output shaft wherein the transmission operates in a first gear when the input shaft rotates in the first direction and operates in a second gear when the input shaft rotates in the second direction.

14. The transmission of claim 13 wherein:
the first clutch includes a dynamically controllable clutch positioned between the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset; and
the second clutch includes a dynamically controllable clutch positioned between the output gear of the first gearset and the output gear of the second gearset.

15. The transmission of claim 13 wherein:
the transmission has a first forward speed and a second forward speed, the transmission operating in the first forward speed and the second forward speed based on the rotation direction of the input shaft and the selective coupling of the first clutch and the second clutch.

16. The transmission of claim 13 wherein:
the first clutch includes a dynamically controllable clutch connecting the input shaft and one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset wherein the input shaft and respective input gear rotate together; and
the second clutch includes a dynamically controllable clutch connecting the output shaft and one of the output gear of the first gearset and the output gear of the second gearset wherein the output shaft and the respective output gear rotate together.

17. The transmission of claim 13 wherein:
the first clutch is a multi-mode clutch and the second clutch is a multi-mode clutch.

18. A transmission comprising:
an input shaft rotatable in a first direction and a second direction;
an output shaft;
a first gearset including an input gear associated with the input shaft, an output gear associated with the output shaft, and an intermediate gear positioned between and engaging the input gear and the output gear;
a second gearset includes an input gear associated with the input shaft and an output gear associated with the output shaft;
a first clutch selectively coupling one of the input gear of the first gearset and the input gear of the second gearset to the input shaft;
a second clutch selectively coupling one of the output gear of the first gearset and the output gear of second gearset to the output shaft wherein the transmission operates in a first gear when the input shaft rotates in the first direction and operates in a second gear when the input shaft rotates in the second direction;
the first clutch includes a first multi-mode clutch having four modes and a second multi-mode clutch having four modes; and
the second clutch includes a first multi-mode cl

Assignees

• Means Ind Inc

Inventors

• Thomas Steven M
• Hand Joshua D

Classifications

• F16H2200/2023

  using a Ravigneaux set with 4 connections · CPC title

• F16H2200/2007

  with two sets of orbital gears · CPC title

• F16H2200/0034

  the gear ratios comprising two forward speeds · CPC title

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• F16H2200/2069

  using two freewheel mechanism · CPC title