Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Laurence Andrew Deutsch

Jeffrey Edward Maurer

Steven Anatole Frait

Gregory Daniel Goleski

Andreas Evangelos Perakes

Matthew David Hammond

David Allen Janson

Gregory Michael Pietron

Yuji Fujii

Steven Gerald Thomas

Joseph F Kucharski

Nimrod Kapas

Norman Szalony

James Paul McCarthy

Nicholas Edward McCubbin

Steven Adam Hermann

Mark Vaughn Smearsoll

Senthil Prabhu

A clutch hub is selectively held against rotation by a brake and selectively coupled to an input shaft by a clutch. The clutch pack for the brake is splined to the outside of the clutch hub while the clutch pack for the clutch is splined to the inside. To reduce axial length, the clutch packs are packaged radially outside of a gear set, increasing the diameter of the clutch hub. When the clutch hub is subjected to high rotational speeds, high centrifugal stresses result. These stresses are reduced by openings in the spline teeth and in the recesses between the spline teeth. Fluid flow to the outer clutch pack is controlled by openings in a clutch housing.

Transmission with high speed clutch hub

A clutch hub is splined to a planetary ring gear and a second rotating element, coupling the two elements. The spline defines a number of axial fluid distribution channels that conduct fluid from an interior radial passageway beside the ring gear to exterior radial passageways over the ring gear. These axial passageways permit packaging the clutch pack directly over the ring gear without drilling holes in the hardened gear material. The axial channels may be defined by radial space between the splined components. Alternatively or additionally, some spline teeth may be omitted to define larger axial channels.

Transmission with fluid distributing clutch hub

A transmission includes an input shaft, and a primary drive gear fixed to the input shaft. The primary gear has a first set of gear teeth. An idler gear is disposed in the transmission and has a second set of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the first set of gear teeth. The transmission also includes a transmission-pump drive gear having a third set of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the second set of gear teeth. The transmission-pump drive gear is configured to transmit power from the input shaft to a transmission pump. A power take-off unit is mounted to a case of the transmission and includes a first unit drive gear having a fourth set of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the second set of teeth. The a first unit drive gear is configured to transmit power from the idler gear to the power take-off.

Transmission having power take-off

A transfer case and transmission are designed to permit the transmission hydraulic control system to control a range selection coupler and a torque on demand clutch in the transfer case. Two pressure circuits are transmitted from the transmission to the transfer case: a high range circuit and a low range circuit. The low range circuit is pressurized to engage low range while the range circuit is pressurized to engage high range. The torque on demand clutch is controlled by whichever of these circuits has the higher pressure. Lubrication is provided to a front section of the transfer case via the transmission output shaft, with the fluid returning to the transmission sump through a drainback passageway. The rear portion of the transfer case has a segregated sump. A control strategy is employed to partially fill front section of the transfer case with fluid in preparation for vehicle towing.

Transmission and integrated transfer case

Two brakes of a transmission utilize the transmission front support as a clutch housing. One brake, which selectively holds a sun gear against rotation, is located on the inside of a cylindrical wall of the front support. A second brake, which selectively holds a ring gear against rotation, is located on the outside of the cylindrical wall. The clutch pack of the inner brake is splined to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall. The reaction plate of the first clutch pack includes radial fingers that extend between axial fingers of the cylindrical wall. The portion of the reaction plate that extends to the outer side of the cylindrical wall provides a reaction for a return spring of the outer brake.

Transmission assembly

Designs to package a magneto-elastic torque sensor in an automotive transmission, such as front wheel drive (FWD) automatic transmissions, for volume production applications are provided.

Magnetic torque sensor packaging for automatic transmissions

A transmission includes provisions to mount two accessory drive units and to transmit power to the accessory drive units from an engine. The accessories are driven by an accessory drive gear that is coupled to a torque converter impeller as opposed to a turbine such that power is provided to the accessories regardless of the selected gear state or vehicle speed. The accessory drive gear also transmits power to an off-axis transmission pump. In one embodiment, power is transferred to the accessories via idler gears that is supported by the transmission housing and is present even when no accessory is installed. In another embodiment, the idler gear is supported by the accessory drive unit and is only present when the accessory is installed.

Transmission having integrated transmission pump and accessory drive

An assembly for an automotive vehicle transmission includes a case containing a fluid sump and valve body, a pump supported on the case, a passage formed in the case for carrying fluid from the pump to a transmission control element, and a second passage formed in the case for carrying fluid from the oil sump to the pump.

Auxiliary oil pump integrated with a vehicle transmission

A vehicle powertrain includes a transaxle configured to drive front wheels and a power take-off unit configured to drive rear wheels through a driveshaft. The power take-off unit includes a disconnect clutch such that the power flow path to the rear wheels can be disconnected to reduce fuel consumption and reconnected when needed for traction enhancement. Although the disconnect clutch is physically located within the power take-off unit, it is actuated by fluid from the transaxle valve body. The disconnect clutch actuator includes a piston that slides within a chamber in a housing and a solenoid controlled valve that fluidly connects the chamber either to a pressure source or to the transaxle sump.

Transmission having selectable power transfer shaft

A drive system includes a differential for transmitting power between a power source and first axles; a clutch including a first member driveably connected to the power source and a second member secured to a power transfer shaft; and a servo including a cylinder connected to a pressure source, a piston displaceable in the cylinder for mutually disconnecting the first and second members and allowing mutual engagement of the first and second members.

Mechanism for actuating a power transfer unit

An assembly includes a clutch support formed with multiple cylinders, each cylinder connectable to a source of hydraulic pressure that actuates a clutch, and a planetary gearset including a ring gear driveably connected to the clutch support.

Clutch piston support

A final drive mechanism includes a pinion, a gear meshing with the pinion, a differential mechanism, and a first gearset including an input driveably connected to the gear, and an output driveably connected to the differential, rotating slower than a speed of the gear, and rotating in a direction opposite the direction of the gear.

Final drive mechanism for a transmission

A drive system includes a rotating power source, a planetary differential including a ring gear engaged with the power source, a sun gear secured to a first shaft and a carrier secured to a second shaft, a member secured to an output shaft, and a coupler alternately connecting and disconnecting the member and the ring gear.

Power transfer unit drive disconnect system

A lubrication system for transporting lubrication oil in an automatic transmission includes a radial lubrication passage opening at a hole in an outer peripheral surface of a shaft. The hole has a cross section that is elongated only along a first axis offset from a central axis the shaft so as to follow angular deformation caused by unidirectional torque applied to the shaft whereby stress produced around the hole by torque transmitted through the rotating shaft is reduced, thus minimizing fatigue and increasing a useful life of the automatic planetary transmission. Preferably cross sections of the radial passage taken sequentially along the transverse axis are elongated near outer peripheral surface of the shaft but become circular towards the central axis. With this arrangement stress produced around the hole by torque transmitted through the rotating shaft is reduced thus reducing fatigue and increasing a useful life of the transmission.

Fatigue resistant transverse lubrication passage for transmission shafts

A multiple-ratio automatic transmission having plural torque delivery paths that are established and disestablished by a roller clutch and brake system. The clutch and brake system establishes and disestablishes torque flow paths while preventing simultaneous clutch or brake engagement. The clutch and brake system is capable of accommodating instantaneous torque reversals during ratio changes. Simplified clutch and brake system actuators trigger the application and release of the clutches and brakes during ratio changes.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Laurence Andrew Deutsch