Dual clutch multiple countershaft transmission

Claim 2

Dual clutch multiple countershaft transmission comprising: a first input shaft (20) adapted to be clutched (28) selectively to a power source (10), the shaft carrying multiple pinions (54, 56) of alternate speed ratios;

Claim 3

a second input shaft (24) adapted to be clutched (22) selectively to a power source (10), the shaft carrying multiple pinions (58, 60) of alternate speed ratios differing from those of the first input shaft;

Claim 4

a second input shaft (24) adapted to be clutched (22) selectively to a power source (10), the shaft carrying multiple pinions (58, 60) of alternate speed ratios differing from those of the first input shaft;

Claim 5

a first countershaft (62) carrying multiple forward drive output gears (64, 66 and 68) engaged in pairs with the pinions of the first and second input shaft (20 resp 24) to form multiple forward drive torque paths;

Claim 6

a first countershaft (62) carrying multiple forward drive output gears (64, 66 and 68) engaged in pairs with the pinions of the first and second input shaft (20 resp 24) to form multiple forward drive torque paths;

Claim 7

a second countershaft (92) carrying multiple forward drive output gears (94, 96 and 98) engaged in pairs with the pinions of the first and second input shaft (20 resp 24) to form multiple forward drive torque paths of speed ratios different from the speed ratios of the first countershaft;

Claim 8

a second countershaft (92) carrying multiple forward drive output gears (94, 96 and 98) engaged in pairs with the pinions of the first and second input shaft (20 resp 24) to form multiple forward drive torque paths of speed ratios different from the speed ratios of the first countershaft;

Claim 9

the first (62) and the second (92) countershafts are both connected to a final drive differential input gear (124);

Claim 10

the first (62) and the second (92) countershafts are both connected to a final drive differential input gear (124);

Claim 11

clutching means (72, 82, 100 and 108 resp 118) for selectively connecting the output gears to their associated shaft; and

Claim 12

clutching means (72, 82, 100 and 108 resp 118) for selectively connecting the output gears to their associated shaft; and

Claim 13

clutch means (18, 22) for alternately connecting the first input shaft (20) to the power source (10) and disconnecting the second input shaft (24) from the power source (10) and for connecting the second input shaft (24) to the power source (10) and disconnecting the first input shaft (20) from the power source (10), characterized in that, a reverse drive output gear (70) is carried by the first countershaft (62) and is in mesh with the forward drive output gear (98) carried by the second countershaft (92).

Claim 14

clutch means (18, 22) for alternately connecting the first input shaft (20) to the power source (10) and disconnecting the second input shaft (24) from the power source (10) and for connecting the second input shaft (24) to the power source (10) and disconnecting the first input shaft (20) from the power source (10), characterized in that, a reverse drive output gear (70) is carried by the first countershaft (62) and is in mesh with the forward drive output gear (98) carried by the second countershaft (92).

Claim 15

Transmission according to claim 1, characterized in that, the forward drive output gear (64) is connectable to its associated shaft (62) by a synchronizer clutch (72) and in addition is connected to its associated shaft (62) by an overrunning clutch. (118) for establishing a one-way driving connection between said gear and said shaft.

Claim 16

Transmission according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first forward drive output gear (64) has no synchronizer clutch for connecting said gear to its associated shaft (62) but is only driveably connected to its associated shaft (62) by the overrunning clutch (118).

Claim 17

Transmission according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that, the gear (98) of a forward drive torque path (second speed), carried by the second countershaft (92) is continuously engaged with the drive pinion (58) and synchronizer clutch means (82 resp 108) are arranged on their associated countershafts (62 resp 92) for selectively connecting the reverse drive gear (70) resp the forward drive gear (98) to their associated countershafts.