Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Arthur Hall, Iii

Robert F Combs

Donald Klemen

James A Redelman

Harry E Latshaw

Richard L Wagner

Donald F Scherer

Warren E Leet

Ralph L Najmon

Larry L Witte

A multi-speed power transmission includes a countershaft portion and a planetary gearset portion. The countershaft portion is controlled by synchronizer torque-transmitting mechanisms, and the planetary gearset portion is controlled by selectively engageable friction-type torque-transmitting mechanisms. The selective operation of these torque-transmitting mechanisms permit eight forward speed ratios and three reverse speed ratios.

Countershaft planetary transmissions

A torque transmitting mechanism has a hydraulically actuated piston that is slidably disposed in a cavity. An apply chamber, formed by the piston and cavity, is filled with hydraulic fluid when the torque transmitting mechanism is to be engaged. One or more gas permeable&mdash;liquid impermeable mats are secured in a passage between the chamber and a non-liquid area in a transmission. During initial engagement of the torque transmitting mechanism, any entrapped air is forced out of the chamber through the mat while the leakage of liquid is inhibited. In a rotating torque transmitting mechanism (clutch), the mats are installed near the innermost periphery of the chamber. In a stationary torque transmitting mechanism (brake) the mats are installed near the top outermost periphery of the chamber.

Hydraulically actuated piston with an air bleed

A trim valve controls the pressure rise and pressure gain in a torque transmitter. The trim valve controls the distribution of a system pressure to the torque transmitter in a controlled manner such that the apply pressure of the torque transmitter has a desired gain rate. A spool valve controls the admission of system pressure through a sleeve valve for distribution to the torque transmitter in response to a control pressure. The trim valve has bias spring elements that control a sleeve member of the trim valve in response to the apply pressure at the torque transmitter. The rate at which the apply pressure rises in relation to the control pressure is established by the bias spring elements which can be a single variable rate member or a plurality of parallel members. If parallel members are used, they are positioned to be sequentially engaged by the sleeve valve during linear movement in response to a change in the apply pressure.

Trim valve for a fluid operated friction torque transmitting device

Power transmission torque transmitting assemblies, such as clutches and brakes, have an axially movable piston which is hydraulically actuated to engage and enforce frictional contact between a plurality of friction discs. Upon piston retraction during disengagement, a stroke adjustment mechanism establishes the retraction distance of the piston and thereby the free-running clearance in the torque transmitter. The stroke adjustment mechanism has a helical gear movable axially with the piston during engagement and disengagement. During engagement, the piston is free to rotate as required by a retainer plate to accommodate fall engagement with the torque transmitting assembly. During disengagement, a one-way assembly prevents rotation of the gear relative to a spring retainer plate and limits axial movement of the piston relative to the retainer plate to establish the disengaged position of the piston and the proper free-running clearance in the torque transmitting assembly.

Piston stroke controller in a torque transmitting assembly

A power transmission has a pair of meshing gear input power paths and a planetary gearset output power path. The meshing gear input power path includes two pair of ratio gears and two pair of transfer gears. The power flow through the meshing gear input power path is drivingly connectible with two members of the planetary gearset. One power path from the input meshing gear is directed to the sun gear through a first transfer gear set and to the carrier assembly through a second transfer gear set and a one-way clutch during first and second ratios. During a third ratio, a direct input path to the carrier and a path through both transfer gearsets is provided. During a fourth and fifth ratio, the direct carrier input path, the meshing gear input paths and the transfer gearset input paths are utilized. Two reverse ratios are accommodated by grounding the carrier and inputting the sun gear through the ratio gear power paths and the first transfer gearset.

Multi-speed power transmission

A planetary gear transmission has a single sun gear, two ring gears and a carrier assembly having a first pinion gear meshing with the sun gear and one ring, and a second pinion gear meshing with the first pinion gear and the second ring gear. The carrier assembly is continuously connected with a transmission output shaft. Input drive to the planetary gearing is provided through two selectively operable rotating clutches which are connectable with the sun gear and one ring gear, respectively. The sun gear and both ring gears are provided with selectively operable brakes for establishing reaction members within the planetary gear arrangement. In another embodiment of the planetary transmission, a second input drive path is provided through a third selectively operable rotating clutch which is connectable with the other ring gear. Selective control of the clutches and brakes permits the establishment of four forward drive ratios and a reverse ratio when two rotating input clutches are used and an additional plurality of ratios when the second input path and third input clutch are used.

Ravigneaux planetary gear transmission

The output shaft of a power transmission is selectively connectible with a stationary housing by a plurality of parking pawls. The pawls are pivotally mounted in a wall member and spring-loaded to an extended position whereby recesses in an output driven disc are engaged. An operator controlled actuator member is selectively movable into abutment with the pawls to enforce retraction thereof into pawl recesses such that the recesses in the disk are not engaged.

Park mechanism for a power transmission

A power transmission for a vehicle which operates on land and in water has an engine driven torque converter, a planetary gear arrangement and a pair of output members. The water or sea-drive is connected with one output member which is connected to the planetary gear arrangement through a selectively engageable clutch. The land-drive is connected with the other output which is connected with the torque converter through a selectively engageable clutch. The torque converter turbine is connected with a member of the planetary gear arrangement and is selectively connectible with the impeller through a selectively engageable bypass or torque converter clutch.

Power transmission

A multi-speed power transmission has two simple planetary gear sets interconnected to provide a planetary arrangement. The planetary arrangement has input members selectively connectible by a plurality of friction clutches to a prime mover through two distinct input ratio gear sets. One member of one of the simple planetary gear sets is selectively connectible with both input ratio gear sets via two of the clutches. Two additional clutches and two friction brakes are also included, whereby six forward speed ratios and two reverse speed ratios are attainable by engaging selective combinations of the clutches or clutch and brake.

A multi-speed power transmission has two simple planetary gear sets interconnected to provide a multi-speed planetary arrangement. The planetary arrangement has input members selectively connectible by a plurality of friction clutches to a prime mover through two distinct input ratio gear sets. One member of the one of the simple planetary gear sets is selectively connectible individually with both input ratio gear sets via two of the clutches. Two additional clutches and two friction brakes are also included, whereby eight forward speeds and two reverse speeds are attainable by engaging selective combinations of the clutches or clutch and brake.

A dual-motor electric drive system is particularly suited for driving track-laying vehicles. The propulsion motors of the drive system are each individually selected to provide the speed and torque for selected portions of the operational requirements of the vehicle. The electric drive system utilizes a primary motor to provide the maximum speed requirements and a secondary motor to provide the high torque requirements for low speed operation. The primary and secondary propulsion motors are interconnected by a predetermined drive ratio so that the secondary motor provides torque until it attains a maximum predetermined speed whereupon it is disconnected from the primary motor.

Dual-motor electric drive system for vehicles

A planet carrier for a compound planetary gear arrangement has four side plates supporting six pinion gears. One pair of side plates, supporting three of the pinion gears, have one of the other pair of side plates disposed axially between them. This allows the pinions to be in meshing relation between adjacent side plates which are each supporting three pinions, respectively. To complete the planetary arrangement, the outer side plates are sized to permit central access at respective sun gears and outer axial access at respective ring gears. The ring gears and sun gears do not encroach upon the meshing location of the pinion gears. With the judicious use of friction clutches and brakes and two input gear sets providing ratios, the compound planetary arrangement can be controlled to provide powertrains having from five forward speeds (the four friction devices) to seven forward speeds and two reverse speeds (with eight friction devices). Thus, the planetary arrangement can be utilized to provide a plurality of speed ratios, wherein the number of friction devices is one less than the total number of speed ratios.

Planet gear assembly with a planetary carrier

A fan drive with high torque release embodying the concepts of the present invention is adapted to disengage the fan drive under high torque conditions. The fan drive includes an input shaft member and an output shaft member. A torque transfer device operatively connects the input shaft member with the output shaft member. A spring apply mechanism is provided for engaging the torque transfer device at low speeds and under low torque loading, and a centrifugal apply mechanism is provided for maintaining engagement of the torque transfer device under higher operating speeds and at properly anticipated torque loading. A release mechanism substantially disengages the torque transfer device upon the application of higher than desired torque loading conditions.

Fan drive with high torque release

A dual-drive electric transmission operated by a generator that may be powered, for example, by an internal combustion engine. Left and right motor networks have a rotation rotor, the motor networks being powered by the generator. A speed control assembly independently effects rotation of the rotor in each motor network at selected speeds. Left and right combining differentials are associated with the respective left and right motor networks. Each combining differential has a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears meshing with the sun and ring gears. An output carrier supports the planetary gears. The sun gear in each left and right combining differential is driven by the respective left and right motor network. The ring gears are conjoined for unitary rotation in order to provide a mechanical regenerative path between the combining differentials. A transfer differential interacts between the sun gears in the left and right combining differentials to serve as a mechanical regenerative path until the rotor in one of the motor networks reverse rotates under the load applied to the output carrier associated therewith, and a power transfer means thereafter effects electrical regeneration between said reversely rotating rotor and the rotor in the other motor network.

Dual drive transmission

An assembly for receiving input power and delivering that power to a range pack transmission in either a forward or a reverse mode. One or more first gears are drivingly connected to the source of input power. One or more second planet gears are also drivingly connected to the source of input power. The first and second planet gears are meshingly interconnected. The first planet gears meshingly engage a ring gear that may be selectively grounded to effect reverse rotation of the sun gear with respect to the carrier. The second planet gear meshingly engages the sun gear which serves as an output to deliver power from the reversing assembly to a range pack transmission.

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Cicero, IN, United States of America

Arthur Hall, Iii