Multi-speed planetary transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9927008-B1
Application number	US-201615278834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward 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. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have four planetary gearsets and six selective couplers. The six selective couplers may include three clutches and three brakes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transmission comprising:
at least one stationary member including a housing having a first end and a second end;
an input member accessible proximate the first end of the housing;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein the first planetary gearset is positioned between the first end of the housing and the second planetary gearset, the second planetary gearset is positioned between the first planetary gearset and the third planetary gearset, the third planetary gearset is positioned between the second planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, and the fourth planetary gearset is positioned between the third planetary gearset and the second end of the housing, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset;
a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and
an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets and accessible proximate the second end of the housing, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein a first gearset component of the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets is fixedly coupled to a second gearset component of the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets.

3. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein a first planet carrier of the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets is fixedly coupled to a second planet carrier of the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets.

4. A transmission comprising:
at least one stationary member;
an input member;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset;
a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and
an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the first planetary gearset and the output member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset.

5. A transmission comprising:
at least one stationary member;
an input member;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset;
a plurality of selective couplers operatively coupled to the plurality of planetary gearsets, each of the plurality of selective couplers having an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration; and
an output member operatively coupled to the input member through the plurality of planetary gearsets, wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets and the output member is fixedly coupled to the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets.

6. The transmission of claim 5 , wherein the input member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the first planetary gearset and the sun gear of the fourth planetary gearset and the output member is fixedly coupled to the planet carrier of the fourth planetary gearset.

7. A transmission comprising:
at least one stationary member;
an input member;
a plurality of planetary gearsets operatively coupled to the input member, each planetary gearset of the plurality of planetary gearsets including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears operatively coupled to the sun gear, a planet carrier operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear operatively coupled to the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planetary gearsets including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, a first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the first planetary gearset and the second planetary gearset and a second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets includes the third planetary gearset and the fourth planetary gearset, wherein in the first subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the first planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the second planetary gearset and in the second subset of the plurality of planetary gearsets the ring gear of the third planetary gearset is fixedly coupled to the ring gear of the fourth planet

Assignees

• Allison Transm Inc

Inventors

• Burchett Douglas S
• Earhart David E

Classifications

• F16H2200/0065

  the gear ratios comprising nine forward speeds · CPC title

• F16H2200/0069

  the gear ratios comprising ten forward speeds · CPC title

• 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

• F16H2200/2046

  with six engaging means · CPC title