Abstract: A transmission system includes a transmission housing and a countershaft having no less than two gears, with the gears defining a plurality of gear ratios. The transmission system also includes a module housing, a first output shaft rotatably coupled to the countershaft, and a second output shaft rotatably coupled to the countershaft. The transmission system further includes a first clutch configured to selectively rotatably couple the first output shaft to the countershaft. The transmission system also includes a second clutch configured to selectively rotatably couple the second output shaft to the countershaft. The transmission system further includes an electric machine configured to deliver rotational power to at least one of the first and second output shafts to deliver rotational power to the countershaft. The countershaft is rotatably coupled to either of the first and second output shafts for all of the gear ratios.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for use with a transmission of a vehicle powertrain system includes a four-position main pressure regulator that selectively combines input fluid flow and pressure from two independent fluid sources and provides output fluid flow to two dependent sources of the transmission.

Abstract: A transmission system includes a transmission housing and a countershaft having no less than two gears, with the gears defining a plurality of gear ratios. The transmission system also includes a module housing, a first output shaft rotatably coupled to the countershaft, and a second output shaft rotatably coupled to the countershaft. The transmission system further includes a first clutch configured to selectively rotatably couple the first output shaft to the countershaft. The transmission system also includes a second clutch configured to selectively rotatably couple the second output shaft to the countershaft. The transmission system further includes an electric machine configured to deliver rotational power to at least one of the first and second output shafts to deliver rotational power to the countershaft. The countershaft is rotatably coupled to either of the first and second output shafts for all of the gear ratios.

Abstract: A system for use in an automatic transmission includes a 3-way solenoid-actuated valve includes a valve body having an inlet port and a first outlet port and a second outlet port, a valve disposed within the valve body and slidably controllable to proportion flow between the first outlet port and the second outlet port, and a spring disposed in the valve body to bias the valve for flow toward the second outlet port. The system also includes at least one pump providing fluid to the inlet port, a first fluid circuit connected to the first outlet port providing fluid to a first subsystem of the automatic transmission, and a second fluid circuit connected to the second outlet port providing fluid to a second subsystem of the automatic transmission.

Abstract: A multimode clutch may be adapted for selectively connecting and disconnecting front and/or rear axles from respective internal combustion engine and electric motor powertrains connected to such front and rear driving axles in a through-the-road hybrid vehicle. For example, the engine may be part of a front axle driven powertrain connected to the front wheels, while the motor may be part of a separate rear axle driven powertrain connected to the rear wheels, or vice versa. By selective disconnection of an axle not being actively driven, a real time reduction in parasitic losses may be achieved, leading to higher overall operating efficiencies. The multimode clutch offers greater flexibility over the use of standard friction clutches; each multimode clutch may provide four distinct operational modes for accommodating a wide diversity of driving conditions. For example, bi-rotational freewheeling of the rear axle may occur whenever the motor is not in use.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for use with a transmission of a vehicle powertrain system includes a four-position main pressure regulator that selectively combines input fluid flow and pressure from two independent fluid sources and provides output fluid flow to two dependent sources of the transmission.

Abstract: The selectable clutch may include a first actuator and a second actuator. Moreover, the selectable clutch may further include a first cam operatively associated with the first actuator and a second cam operatively associated with the second actuator. Furthermore, a first armature may be actuated by the first actuator and a second armature may be actuated by the second actuator such that the selectable clutch is configured to allow multiple modes of operation provided by a movement of the first and second cams according to different first and second armature positions.

Abstract: An actuation device having a piston is used to actuate a mechanical or friction clutch by means of differential pressure. Two sides of a piston are pressurized, and the relative pressure between the two sides is decreased or increased to move the piston in either direction. The position of the piston may be determined using position feedback, or with springs of known spring rates, two piston areas, and knowing the pressures of the two areas. The actuation device may be used with a selectable clutch to actuate an actuation cam, and may also have application with other clutches requiring the ability to achieve multiple positions and clutch modes.

Abstract: A forward/reverse planetary gearset (412) may be adapted to employ multi-mode clutch modules (426, 430) in lieu of using only traditional friction clutches (326, 330). Such arrangement may reduce parasitic drag as well as achieve reductions in physical size of the gearset housing (408). Use of multi-mode clutch modules (426, 430) may offer either of or both forward and reverse controls of the planetary gearset (412). Thus, in at least one arrangement a multi-mode clutch (426) may provide forward clutch control while a friction clutch (330) provides reverse clutch control. In another arrangement the friction clutch (326) may provide the forward clutch control, while the multi-mode clutch (430) provides the reverse clutch control for the gearset (412). Finally, both forward and reverse controls of the gearset (412) may be provided via multi-mode clutches (426, 430), thus entirely avoiding use of any friction clutches (326, 330) for forward or reverse control functions of the planetary gearset (412).

Abstract: A system for use in an automatic transmission includes a 3-way solenoid-actuated valve includes a valve body having an inlet port and a first outlet port and a second outlet port, a valve disposed within the valve body and slidably controllable to proportion flow between the first outlet port and the second outlet port, and a spring disposed in the valve body to bias the valve for flow toward the second outlet port. The system also includes at least one pump providing fluid to the inlet port, a first fluid circuit connected to the first outlet port providing fluid to a first subsystem of the automatic transmission, and a second fluid circuit connected to the second outlet port providing fluid to a second subsystem of the automatic transmission.

Abstract: A multi-pressure hydraulic control system (66, 166, 266) for use with a continuously variable automatic transmission (14) of a vehicle powertrain system (10) includes at least one pump (28) having a rotatable pump member (34), at least one inlet region (40) for receiving fluid to be pumped by the pump member (34), and at least one outlet region (42) for outputting fluid pumped by the pump member (34), and a switching valve (78, 178, 278) receiving at least two separate outputs (42) of fluid pumped by the at least one pump (28) for allowing the at least two outputs to be selectively combined and/or separated, the switching valve (78, 178, 278) having a valve member (79, 179, 279) being movable between at least three positions that produces fluid outputs having a first fluid pressure, a second fluid pressure, and a third fluid pressure to one or more portions of the continuously variable automatic transmission (14).

Abstract: A positive displacement pump assembly (28) for use with a vehicle powertrain system (10) includes a stator (30) having a chamber (32) and a vane pump (34) disposed in the chamber (32) and cooperating with the stator (30) so as to define at least three pumping regions (38) in the chamber (32) with each of the at least three pumping regions (38) having an inlet region (40) and an outlet region (42), wherein rotation of the vane pump (34) displaces fluid across each of the at 10 least three pumping regions (38) such that each outlet region (40) provides a separate source of fluid power to the powertrain system (10).

Abstract: A multi-pressure hydraulic control system (66, 166) for use with a dual clutch automatic transmission (14) of a vehicle powertrain system (10) includes a least one pump (28) including a rotatable pump member (34), at least one inlet region (40) for receiving fluid to be pumped by the pump member (34), and at least one outlet region (42) for outputting fluid pumped by the pump member (34), and a switching valve (78, 178) receiving at least two separate outputs of fluid pumped by the at least one pump (28) for allowing the at least two separate outputs to be selectively combined and/or separated, the switching valve (78, 178) having a valve member being movable between at least three positions that produces fluid outputs having at least three fluid pressures of a high fluid pressure, a medium fluid pressure, and a low fluid pressure to one or more portions of the dual clutch automatic transmission (14).

Abstract: A multi-pressure hydraulic control system (66) for use with a step-gear automatic transmission (14) of a vehicle powertrain system (10) includes at least one pump (28) having a rotatable pump member (34), at least one inlet region (40) for receiving fluid to be pumped by the pump member (34), and at least one outlet region (42) for outputting fluid pumped by the pump member (34), and a switching valve (78) receiving at least three separate outputs of fluid pumped by the at least one pump (28) for allowing the at least three separate outputs to be selectively combined and/or separated, the switching valve (78) having a valve member (79) being movable between at least three positions that produces fluid outputs having a high fluid pressure, a medium fluid pressure, and a low fluid pressure to one or more portions of the stepgear automatic transmission (14).

Abstract: A directional valve (78, 178) for use with a multi-pressure hydraulic control system (66, 166) of a vehicle powertrain system (10) includes a valve member (80, 180) receiving at least three separate outputs of fluid pumped by at least one pump (28) for allowing the at least three separate outputs to be selectively combined and/or separated, the valve member (80, 180) being movable between at least three positions that produces fluid outputs having fluid pressures of a high fluid pressure, a medium fluid pressure, and a low fluid pressure to one or more portions of the hydraulic control system (66, 166).

Abstract: A system and method for fast fill of a hydraulic accumulator used in an automatic transmission includes providing an active fast fill mechanism fluidly connected to a hydraulic accumulator and a hydraulic system of the automatic transmission, providing an electronic control module in communication with the active fast fill mechanism, activating, by the electronic control module, the active fast fill mechanism to allow the hydraulic accumulator to fill with fluid from the hydraulic system, filling, by the active fast fill mechanism, the hydraulic accumulator with fluid, and de-activating, by the electronic control module, the active fast fill mechanism to stop filling the hydraulic accumulator with fluid from the hydraulic system during stop/start engine events of a vehicle.

Abstract: An actuation device having a piston is used to actuate a mechanical or friction clutch by means of differential pressure. Two sides of a piston are pressurized, and the relative pressure between the two sides is decreased or increased to move the piston in either direction. The position of the piston may be determined using position feedback, or with springs of known spring rates, two piston areas, and knowing the pressures of the two areas. The actuation device may be used with a selectable clutch to actuate an actuation cam, and may also have application with other clutches requiring the ability to achieve multiple positions and clutch modes.

Abstract: The selectable clutch may include a first actuator and a second actuator. Moreover, the selectable clutch may further include a first cam operatively associated with the first actuator and a second cam operatively associated with the second actuator. Furthermore, a first armature may be actuated by the first actuator and a second armature may be actuated by the second actuator such that the selectable clutch is configured to allow multiple modes of operation provided by a movement of the first and second cams according to different first and second armature positions.

Abstract: The actuating mechanism for the selectable clutch module may include an actuator housing that defines an actuator chamber. At least one piston may be disposed within the actuator chamber and configured to move between at least a first piston position and a second piston position. An armature may be attached to the piston and a cam may be operatively associated with the armature. The actuating mechanism may further include an actuator spring disposed within the actuator chamber and positioned between the piston and an end of the actuator housing. A hydraulic pressure may be supplied to the actuating mechanism to move the piston between the at least first piston position and the second piston position.

Abstract: A multimode clutch may be adapted for selectively connecting and disconnecting front and/or rear axles from respective internal combustion engine and electric motor powertrains connected to such front and rear driving axles in a through-the-road hybrid vehicle. For example, the engine may be part of a front axle driven powertrain connected to the front wheels, while the motor may be part of a separate rear axle driven powertrain connected to the rear wheels, or vice versa. By selective disconnection of an axle not being actively driven, a real time reduction in parasitic losses may be achieved, leading to higher overall operating efficiencies. The multimode clutch offers greater flexibility over the use of standard friction clutches; each multimode clutch may provide four distinct operational modes for accommodating a wide diversity of driving conditions. For example, bi-rotational freewheeling of the rear axle may occur whenever the motor is not in use.