Ford Motor Company Limited

George E Lemieux

Rudolf Beim

Richard D Moan

Alan R Fisher

Julius A Clauss

John E Cochran

Woodrow L Barrie

Reginald T Lewicki

Tom T Tibbles

Robert S Anderson

A wave spring is provided for securing a stator in a dynamoelectric machine. The wave spring is disposed on one end of the stator between a support chassis for the stator and the stator, and compressed thereon to secure the stator in a fixed position in the support chassis. The compressed wave spring provides sufficient force to prevent movement of the stator during operation in various environments. In a further aspect of the invention, the opposing surfaces between which the wave spring is compressed include recesses which receive portions of the wave spring. The recesses are offset, and are effective in further inhibiting rotation of the rotor inside the support chassis for the stator, and may also be used for positioning the stator therein.

Electrical motor stator installation

An automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle includes first and second simple planetary gear units, certain of whose elements are continually interconnected and certain others are releasably connected through operation of friction elements and one-way couplings. The input shaft of the transmission is adapted to drive elements of the planetary gear units through an underdrive gearset and an overdrive gearset. The various speed ratios result by either underdriving or overdriving an element of the planetary gear unit or both underdriving one element and overdriving another element. Several parallel torque delivery paths include a series arrangement of the overrunning coupling in parallel with a friction element. This arrangement permits engine braking during coast conditions when the coupling overruns. The overdrive gearset is available to produce a speed ratio without involving the planetary gear units.

Multiple speed automatic transmission for automotive vehicles

An automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle includes first and second simple planetary gear units, certain of whose elements are continually interconnected and certain others are releasably connected through operation of friction elements and one-way couplings. The input shaft of the transmission is adapted to drive elements of the planetary gear units through an underdrive gearset and an overdrive gearset. The various speed ratios result by either underdriving or overdriving an element of the planetary gear unit or both underdriving one element and overdriving another element. Several parallel torque delivery paths include a series arrangement of the overrunning coupling in parallel with a friction element This arrangement permits engine braking during coast conditions when the coupling overruns. The overdrive gearset is available to produce a speed ratio without involving the planetary gear units.

An automatic transaxle includes a torque converter, three planetary gear units, friction clutches and brakes, various overrunning couplings and a chain sprocket wheel integrally formed with the ring gear of one of the gear units. The sprocket wheel forms a torque transfer mechanism between the axis of the torque converter and parallel axis about which is located a differential mechanism, a second sprocket wheel, half shafts connected to side bevel gears of the differential, and final drive gearing.

Five-speed transaxle for automotive vehicles

A hydraulic pump forces fluid from a sump supplied from a lubrication circuit and a cooling circuit that takes heat from an electric motor. The lubrication circuit is supplied with fluid directly from the discharge side of the pump and is returned directly to the sump. The cooling circuit, disposed in parallel arrangement with the lubrication circuit, has its volumetric flow rate from the discharge side of the pump controlled by a bimetallic valve, which opens and closes in accordance with the temperature of the fluid. When fluid temperature is low, the pump discharge is fully opened both to the lubrication circuit and the cooling circuit. When fluid temperature is relatively high, the pump discharge is directly entirely through a heat exchanger which transfers heat to a cooling air stream, and the fluid exiting the heat exchanger is delivered to the cooling circuit. The speed of the pump is controlled in accordance with a signal produced by a temperature sensor mounted on a traction motor.

Lubrication and cooling system for a powertrain including an electric

A continuously variable transmission is provided comprising a driving sheave mounted on a driving shaft, a driven sheave mounted on a driven shaft, and an endless V-belt for transmitting torque between the shafts. The driving sheave includes first and second sheave members, and the driven sheave includes third and fourth sheave members. A first plurality of angularly spaced apart helical ramps formed in the driving shaft contain rolling elements which cooperate with the first sheave member. Upon application of torque through the driving shaft, the first sheave member is axially biased toward the second sheave member like the translation of a nut on a threaded screw. A similar arrangement on the driven shaft axially biases the third sheave member toward the fourth sheave member upon application of torque through the driven sheave.

Self-clamping assist for 'V' belt continuously variable transmissions

A control valve circuit for an automatic transmission having a variable force solenoid valve that is supplied with feed pressure by a variable force solenoid pressure relief valve to produce a signal that acts on a main regulator valve thereby avoiding high pressure forces on said variable force solenoid valve.

Variable force solenoid pressure control for an automatic transmission

An infinitely variable transmission comprising a belt and sheave assembly, the input of which is adapted to be connected to an engine, a hydrokinetic unit, and a torque splitter gear unit located between the torque output portions of the belt and sheave assembly and the input member of the hydrokinetic unit, the output member of the hydrokinetic unit being connected to a driven shaft through final drive gearing whereby only a portion of the torque is transferred hydrokinetically through the hydrokinetic unit thereby increasing the operating efficiency by avoiding hydrokinetic losses and improving smoothness in the ratio changes.

Continuously variable transmission with split torque hydrokinetic unit

An automatic transaxle for use in an automotive vehicle driveline including a compound planetary gearset, a hydrokinetic unit and a torque splitter gear unit that cooperate to define torque delivery paths from the vehicle engine to a driven shaft; the driven shaft being located between the hydrokinetic unit and the compound planetary gearing and the torque splitter gear unit being located within the housing for the hydrokinetic unit; and clutch-and-brake means for establishing and disestablishing each of the forward driving ratios and the reverse drive ratio, the clutch-and-brake means being arranged in a compact fashion within the housing for the compound planetary gearing to provide a minimum axial length of the assembly; the driven shaft being connected drivably to the vehicle traction wheels through a differential gearing mechanism; the hydrokinetic unit, the gearing and the differential mechanism being enclosed in a common cast housing.

Transaxle for a vehicle driveline

A clutch pressure modifier valve for an automatic control circuit for a power transmission mechanism in a vehicle driveline wherein provision is made during ratio changes that requires engagement of a fluid pressure operated transmission clutch for modifying a clutch engagement pressure to compensate for the effect of centrifugal pressure build up in the pressure chamber of the clutch structure due to rotation of the clutch at high speeds during a shift interval whereby the timing of the clutch engagement is relatively independent of the rotary speed of the clutch during engagement and whereby the torque capacity of the clutch more closely matches the torque requirements of the driveline during ratio changes.

Clutch control valve for an automatic transmission control circuit

A parking brake mechanism for an automatic transmission having a parking gear and a parking pawl, the latter being pivoted on a transmission housing, a cam plate and a detent plate journalled rotatably on a support shaft, for rotation to preselected angular positions determined by the detent geometry, a cam surface on the cam plate registering with the pawl and forcing the pawl into engagement with the gear, preloaded spring means joining said cam plate and said detent plate together and accommodating relative displacement thereof upon rotation of said detent plate when the pawl is out of registry with a space between adjacent teeth on said gear.

Automatic transmission parking brake mechanism

A manual selector valve, whose setting is controlled by the vehicle operator, distributes flow from a fluid pump to an ON-OFF valve and to a hydraulic clutch which on being engaged disposes the transmission for forward drive. Two ON-OFF valves act as pressure distributors and enable the manual valve to overrule the operation of the automatic shift valves. The state of two solenoid-actuated valves is determined by an electrical signal received from a microprocessor that receives operational information and has stored within its memory logic that controls the signals. If the electronic control system should fail, the state of the solenoid valves is determined hydraulically and mechanically thus permitting complete functional response as the operator manually displaces the selector valve. A variable force solenoid actuates a line pressure regulator valve, which cooperates with a solenoid pressure regulator valve to reduce line pressure. A pressure modulator valve directs manual valve outlet flow to the solenoid valves, which function as shift valves.

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

George E Lemieux