With Synchronizing Clutch Or Brake Patents (Class 475/303)
-
Publication number: 20030228951Abstract: A power transmission has two selectively engageable input clutches, four selectively manipulatable synchronizer clutches, and a planetary gearset. The input clutches and the synchronizer clutches are manipulated to establish at least seven forward power paths and a reverse power path between an input shaft and an output shaft. Interchanges between adjacent speed ratios are controlled by preselecting the synchronizer condition and then interchanging the selectively engageable input clutches.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Inventor: Raymond James Haka
-
Patent number: 6645114Abstract: A transmission arrangement for a vehicle includes a transmission housing with at least two transmission axes extending therein. Each axis includes an input transfer gear engaged with an input clutch, wherein the input clutch is connected to at least one member of a planetary gear set. Each axis also includes an output transfer gear driven by a member of the planetary gear set. A synchronizer-type coupling element is operatively connected on each axis between the input clutch and the planetary gear set for selectively engaging and disengaging members of the planetary gear set with respect to the input clutch and transmission housing.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: Jeffrey J. Biallas
-
Patent number: 6612960Abstract: A vehicle transmission having an input shaft, a main shaft, a countershaft and an output shaft mounted for rotation around axes of rotation and a plurality of gear wheels mounted on the countershaft and the output shaft for the transmission of torque from the input shaft to the output shaft at a gear ratio provided by the gears. The axis of rotation of the main shaft and the axis of rotation of the output shaft do not lie along the same axis and the distance between the axes of rotation of main shaft and output shaft is determined by the reduction ratio of a constant gear wheel pair located between the countershaft and the output shaft.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Herbert Hoyer
-
Publication number: 20030148848Abstract: An on-demand two-speed transfer case is equipped with a planetary gearset assembly and a range shift mechanism to provide high-range and low-range drive connections. The transfer case is also equipped with a dual-mode bi-directional overrunning clutch and a mode shift mechanism to establish on-demand and part-time four-wheel drive modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Inventor: Randolph C. Williams
-
Patent number: 6602159Abstract: An on-demand two-speed transfer case is equipped with a planetary gearset assembly and a range shift mechanism to provide high-range and low-range drive connections. The transfer case is also equipped with a dual-mode bi-directional overrunning clutch and a mode shift mechanism to establish on-demand and part-time four-wheel drive modes.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2002Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.Inventor: Randolph C. Williams
-
Publication number: 20020042318Abstract: A full-time power transfer system is disclosed to include a transfer case having a clutch assembly arranged to control speed differentiation and torque biasing across an interaxle differential, sensors for detecting and generating sensor signals indicative of various dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling actuation of the clutch assembly in response to the sensor signals. Upon the occurrence of traction loss, the clutch assembly is automatically actuated for limiting interaxle slip while transferring increased drive torque to the non-slipping driveline. Under a preferred adaptive control scheme, the actuated condition of the clutch assembly is controllably modulated between its non-actuated and fully-actuated limits for automatically varying the magnitude of speed differentiation and torque biasing across the interaxle differential in response to changes in the dynamic and operational characteristics of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2001Publication date: April 11, 2002Inventors: David Brown, Richard E. Eastman, Sankar K. Mohan, Nancy Mintonye, Janet Brown
-
Publication number: 20010019981Abstract: A transfer for a four-wheel drive vehicle of simplified structure in which speed-reducing and center differential functions are implemented by a single planetary gear set includes an input shaft; a first output shaft disposed coaxially with respect to the input shaft; a ring gear which co-rotates with the input shaft; a first pinion meshed with the ring gear; a second pinion in mesh with the first pinion at all times; a carrier for axially supporting the first and second pinions; a sun gear which, by being slid, selectively meshes with the first pinion or the second pinion; a brake for locking the sun gear when the sun gear and the first pinion mesh (the low position of the transfer); a driving gear which meshes with the sun gear when the sun gear and the second pinion mesh (the high position of the transfer); a sleeve mounted on the first output shaft and shifted for engaging the driving gear with the first output shaft in the direction of rotation; a second output shaft disposed in parallel with the first oType: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2001Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventor: Toru Inoue
-
Patent number: 6251045Abstract: A transfer case includes an input shaft, an output shaft, and a gear set selectively operable to translate torque between the input and output shafts at reduced speeds. A clutch is operable to translate torque between the input and output shafts either directly or through the gear set. An actuator, having a rotational output, is operatively coupled to the clutch for moving the clutch between predetermined positions. A control unit is employed in connection with the transfer case to effect the method of synchronizing low to high shifts in the transfer case. To this end, the control unit calculates the speed of the actuator as it moves the clutch to a neutral position. The control unit further determines the additional time until the clutch will reach a predetermined synchronization point using the speed of the actuator and the remaining rotational distance through which the actuator must move for the clutch to reach the predetermined synchronization point.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2000Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.Inventors: Gary A. Oliveira, Richard Thomas Fosmoe, John R. Ficht
-
Patent number: 6248038Abstract: A transmission gear comprising a fixed gear case, a drive shaft and a driven shaft supported for independent rotation in the gear case and a planetary gear arranged between the drive and driven shafts. The planetary gear comprises a sun wheel that is nonrotatably connected with the drive shaft, a planetary wheel carrier around the sun wheel which is rotated with respect to the sun wheel, at least one planet wheel supported on the planet wheel carrier around the sun wheel and each planet wheel mates with the sun wheel to be rotated thereby. A gear rim rotates with respect to and mates with the planet wheels. An axially displaceable clutch element has a first axial position at which the clutch element couples the planet wheel carrier with the gear case in a torsionally rigid manner and has a second axial position at which the clutch element couples the planet wheel carrier with a driven shaft in a torsionally rigid manner. The clutch element comprises separated but joined together clutch wheels.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1998Date of Patent: June 19, 2001Assignee: Scania CV ABInventors: Dag Nilsson, Lars-Olov Strandås
-
Patent number: 6213909Abstract: A powertrain has a multi-speed power transmission incorporating two planetary gear sets, four friction mechanisms and a selectively operable mechanical drive connection that are controlled to provide five forward speed ratios, a neutral condition and a reverse speed ratio. The mechanical drive connection is disposed to interconnect two members of the planetary gear sets during forward drive conditions and to connect one of the members with an input shaft during the reverse speed ratio. The mechanical drive connection is disconnected from all members during the neutral condition. Two of the friction mechanisms are clutches, one of which is selectively engageable to interconnect two members of the planetary gear sets, and the other of which is selectively engageable to connect the input shaft with a member of one of the planetary gear sets. The other two friction mechanisms are selectively engageable brakes that are effective to establish reaction members in the planetary gear sets.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 1999Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: Sekhar Raghavan
-
Patent number: 6196944Abstract: A multiple-speed transmission for motor vehicles has a main transmission and a planetary design range change group rear-mounted thereon. The multiple-speed transmission has a synchronizer assembly situated upon an output shaft of the main transmission which is, at the same time, the input shaft of the range change group. The synchronizer assembly is locked either against a rotation relative to a sun gear to create a reduction ratio between the input shaft to the planetary transmission and the output shaft of the planetary transmission or against a rotation relative to the planet carrier, and thus to the output shaft of the planetary transmission, to create a direct drive between the input shaft to the planetary transmission and the output shaft of the planetary transmission.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1999Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Matthias Schmitz
-
Patent number: 6056666Abstract: A transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a planetary gear assembly and a synchronized range clutch which can be selectively shifted on-the-move establishing high-range and low-range drive modes. The planetary gear assembly includes a ring gear, a sun gear, a carrier coupled for rotation with an output shaft of the transfer case, and a pinion gear rotatably supported from the carrier and which is meshed with the ring gear and the sun gear. The range clutch includes a first sleeve coupled for rotation with the ring gear and which is rotatably supported from a second sleeve coupled for rotation with an input shaft of the transfer case. With the range clutch in a first position, the first sleeve is uncoupled from the housing and the second sleeve is coupled to the carrier for driving the output shaft at a first speed ratio relative to the input shaft.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 1998Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.Inventor: Randolph C. Williams
-
Patent number: 6022289Abstract: A transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a planetary gear assembly and a synchronized range clutch which can be selectively shifted on-the-move for establishing four-wheel high-range and low-range drive modes.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1998Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.Inventor: Philip J. Francis
-
Patent number: 6019697Abstract: A forward/reverse clutchless transmission with a 1 to 1 forward drive ratio. The invention is a transmission having a housing with two support bearings supporting axially aligned input and output shafts. In a first embodiment, the input shaft is supporting a planetary carrier, a sun gear, a plurality of planetary gears, a clutching hub, a mechanical engagement ring, and a synchronizing ring. The output shaft is supporting a ring gear. In forward mode the mechanical engagement ring slides to engage the planetary carrier forming a solid mechanical coupling with the output shaft. During reverse operation the mechanical engagement ring is in a neutral position and an brake band is actuated thereby stopping the planetary carrier rotation and making the output shaft rotate in the reverse direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Inventor: Gregory J. Colletti
-
Patent number: 5911644Abstract: A transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a planetary gear assembly and a synchronized range clutch operably associated with the input to the planetary gear assembly which can be selectively shifted on-the-fly for establishing high-range and low-range speed ratios. A mode clutch is operably disposed between the front and rear output shafts and can be selectively or automatically shifted for establishing a four-wheel drive mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 1997Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.Inventor: Randolph C. Williams
-
Patent number: 5711740Abstract: The present invention is directed to a two-speed gear reduction unit and a shift mechanism for establishing two distinct speed ratio drive connections between an input member and an output member. More specifically, the shift mechanism includes a clutch apparatus for stopping relative rotation between the input and output members prior to shifting the gear reduction unit from its neutral operating state into either of its high-range or low-range operating states. Thus, the present invention is adapted for use in the transfer case of a four-wheel drive vehicle for shifting between four-wheel high-range and low-range drive modes.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1996Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Bakowski
-
Patent number: 5390347Abstract: In a range change transmission for vehicles which is designed as planetary transmission (2), a sun gear (3) is driven by a drive shaft (4) of an added basic transmission while a planet carrier (8) of the planetary transmission (2) is rigidly connected with an output shaft (9) of the range change transmission. To engage a low ratio group of the range change transmission, a ring gear (6) is connected with a transmission casing (1) by means of a sliding sleeve (25). In a direct through drive, the sliding sleeve (25) connects the ring gear (6) with a planet carrier (8). The construction costs should be reduced by using a single-piece synchronizer ring (22), the single-piece synchronizer ring which is effective for both shift directions cooperating by both its friction faces (23) with bevel faces (18 and 19) on the transmission casing (1) and on the planet carrier (8).Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1992Date of Patent: February 14, 1995Assignee: Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Gerhard Buri, Josef Bader
-
Patent number: 5009125Abstract: A speed control structure for a working vehicle comprises a hydraulic clutch, a main change speed device and an auxiliary change speed device mounted in a transmission case. A hydraulic control system includes hydraulic actuators for operating the change speed devices, a speed control valve for controlling the actuators, a pilot operated switch valve operatively connected to the actuators for disengaging the clutch at start of a change speed operation by the actuators, and engaging the clutch upon completion of the change speed operation, and a pilot control valve for controlling a pilot pressure for the switch valve in response to the operation of the actuators. The transmission case defines a lateral opening closed by a lid. The lid carries the actuators mounted on an inside face thereof, the switch valve and the speed control valve mounted on an outside face thereof, and the pilot control valve mounted in an interior thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1989Date of Patent: April 23, 1991Assignee: Kubota Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Machida, Akio Hattori
-
Patent number: 4976670Abstract: A power transmission has a planetary gear arrangement controlled by a plurality of selectively engageable clutches and brakes to provide forward and reverse speed ratios. A selectively operable input gear arrangement is utilized to establish a negative ratio of substantially 1:1 between the transmission input and the planetary gear arrangement. The selective use of the negative ratio input permits substantially equal forward and reverse drive ratios. The negative ratio input arrangement also permits extended coverage when employed with some of the other forward ratios established by the planetary gear arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1989Date of Patent: December 11, 1990Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: Donald Klemen