Other

Gerald L Helbrook

Howard L Benford

Maurice B Leising

Berthold Martin

James R Klotz

Thomas D Nogle

Steven A Mikel

William Nortman

An adaptive control system in an automatic four-speed transmission having a unique clutch and gear arrangement which eliminates the need for additional gearing and one over-running clutch, while requiring only one more friction element. The vehicle transmission assembly includes a transmission housing, a rotatable input member, an output member, and a gear assembly for changing the ratio of torque between the input member and the output member. Three clutch assemblies selectively couple the rotatable input member to predetermine gears of the gear assembly and two brake assemblies selectively couple predetermined gears of the gear assembly to the transmission housing. The gear assembly includes the first planetary gear set and a second planetary gear set. The first clutch assembly selectively couples the input member to the second sun gear, the second clutch assembly selectively couples the input member to the first planet carrier, the third clutch assembly selectively couples the input member to the first sun gear, the first brake assembly selectively couples the first sun gear to the transmission housing, and the second brake assembly selectively couples the first planet carrier and the second annulus gear to the transmission housing. An output member is connected to the second planet carrier to allow the output member and the second planet carrier to rotate at the same time.

Automatic four-speed transmission with interconnected clutches

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Gerald L Helbrook