Modular power transmission with self-energizing device

Claim 2

A power transmission module providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the sun gear and ring gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch having relatively rotatable friction components respectively coupled for rotation with different portions of the planetary gear set and being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the sun gear, a self-energizing reduction brake having a pair of relatively rotatable friction components coupled respectively to the sun gear and a fixed member of the power transmission module for operation independently of the direct drive clutch, the reduction brake including means responsive to torque forces acting on the sun gear in either direction of rotation for selectively initiating engagement of its friction components to lock the sun gear against rotation, one of the friction components in the direct drive clutch being fixed to one of the friction components in the reduction brake, common control means operatively coupled with the direct drive clutch and the reduction brake for selectively engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake for operation in an overrunning mode to prevent it from engaging in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear.

Claim 3

A power transmission module providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the sun gear and ring gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch having relatively rotatable friction components respectively coupled for rotation with different portions of the planetary gear set and being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the sun gear, a self-energizing reduction brake having a pair of relatively rotatable friction components coupled respectively to the sun gear and a fixed member of the power transmission module, the reduction clutch including means responsive to torque forces acting on the sun gear for selectively initiating engagement of its friction components independently from operation of the direct drive clutch, to lock the sun gear against rotation, one of the friction components in the direct drive clutch being fixed to one of the friction components in the reduction brake, and common control means operatively coupled with the direct drive clutch and the reduction brake for selectively engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake for operation in an overrunning mode to prevent if from engaging in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear, the common control means for simultaneously conditioning the reduction clutch and direct drive clutch comprising a separate actuating piston operatively coupled with each of the clutch and brake and a common hydraulic passage for communicating actuating fluid against the pistons.

Claim 4

A power transmission module providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the sun gear and ring gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch having relatively rotatable friction components respectively coupled for rotation with different portions of the planetary gear set and being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the sun gear, a self-energizing reduction brake having a pair of relatively rotatable friction components coupled respectively to the sun gear and a fixed member of the power transmission module, the reduction clutch including means responsive to torque forces acting on the sun gear for selectively initiating engagement of its friction components independently from operation of the direct drive clutch, to lock the sun gear against rotation, one of the friction components in the direct drive clutch being fixed to one of the friction components in the reduction brake, and common control means operatively coupled with the direct drive clutch and the reduction brake for selectively engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake for operation in an overrunning mode to prevent if from engaging in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear, the common control means for simultaneously conditioning the reduction clutch and direct drive clutch comprising a separate actuating piston operatively coupled with each of the clutch and brake and a common hydraulic passage for communicating actuating fluid against the pistons.

Claim 5

The power transmission module of claim 2 wherein the common fluid passage is in communication with the direct drive clutch piston by means of a restrictive orifice in order to modulate actuation of the direct drive clutch by its piston in relation to action upon the reduction brake by its piston.

Claim 6

The power transmission module of claim 2 wherein the common control means for selectively engaging the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake includes means for selectively delaying engagement of the direct drive clutch in order to provide a modulating effect.

Claim 7

The power transmission module of claim 4 wherein the common control means is a hydraulic control circuit having a common inlet passage, the delaying means comprising a restrictive orifice for communicating the common passage with hydraulically responsive means operable for engaging the direct drive clutch.

Claim 8

The power transmission module of claim 4 wherein the delaying means comprises mechanical spring means for operatively coupling the common control means with the direct drive clutch.

Claim 9

A power transmission comprising a plurality of sequential speed ratio modules each providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, each of the modules comprising a fixed hoUsing, an input shaft, prime mover means being coupled to the input shaft of a first sequential module, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a drive shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake functioning in response to torque forces acting upon sun gear to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation, the reduction brake of each module including means responsive to torque forces acting on the sun gear in either direction of rotation for selectively initiating engagement of its friction components to lock the sun gear against rotation, and common control means for engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake to prevent if from being engaged, the common means also selectively functioning to disengage the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously condition the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to the torque forces acting thereon.

Claim 10

A power transmission comprising a plurality of sequential speed ratio modules each providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, each of the modules comprising a fixed hoUsing, an input shaft, prime mover means being coupled to the input shaft of a first sequential module, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a drive shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake functioning in response to torque forces acting upon sun gear to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation, the reduction brake of each module including means responsive to torque forces acting on the sun gear in either direction of rotation for selectively initiating engagement of its friction components to lock the sun gear against rotation, and common control means for engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake to prevent if from being engaged, the common means also selectively functioning to disengage the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously condition the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to the torque forces acting thereon.

Claim 11

A power transmission comprising a plurality of sequential speed ratio modules each providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, each of the modules comprising a fixed housing, an input shaft, prime mover means being coupled to the input shaft of a first sequential module, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a drive shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake functioning in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation, the reduction brake being operable independent of the direct drive clutch, and common control means for engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake to prevent it from being engaged, the common means also selectively functioning to disengage the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously condition the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to the torque forces acting thereon, the common control means for simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake and direct drive clutch of each module comprising a separate actuating piston operatively coupled with each of the clutches and a common hydrualic passage communicating actuating fluid against the pistons.

Claim 12

A power transmission comprising a plurality of sequential speed ratio modules each providing both direct and reduction drive ratios, each of the modules comprising a fixed housing, an input shaft, prime mover means being coupled to the input shaft of a first sequential module, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a drive shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch being selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake functioning in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation, the reduction brake being operable independent of the direct drive clutch, and common control means for engaging the direct drive clutch to cause rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake to prevent it from being engaged, the common means also selectively functioning to disengage the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously condition the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to the torque forces acting thereon, the common control means for simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake and direct drive clutch of each module comprising a separate actuating piston operatively coupled with each of the clutches and a common hydrualic passage communicating actuating fluid against the pistons.

Claim 13

The power transmission of claim 8 further comprising a torque converter input module, a directional control module including axially movable gear means for selectively establishing forward and reverse operation and additional control means operatively coupled with the reduction brake of a speed ratio module preceding the directional control module in the power transmission for selectively conditioning the reduction brake to prevent it from being engaged.

Claim 14

The power transmission of claim 8 wherein The common fluid passage is in communication with the direct drive clutch piston by means of a restrictive orifice in order to module actuation of the drive clutch by its piston in relation to acting upon the reduction brake by its piston.

Claim 15

The power transmission of claim 8 wherein the common control means for selectively engaging the direct drive clutch and substantially simultaneously conditioning the reduction brake of each module includes means for selectively delaying engagement of the direct drive clutch in order to provide a modulating effect.

Claim 16

The power transmission of claim 11 wherein the common control means of each module is a hydraulic control circuit having a common inlet passage, the delaying means comprising a restrictive orifice for communicating the common passage with hydraulically responsive means operable for engaging the direct drive clutch.

Claim 17

The power transmission module of claim 11 wherein the delaying means comprises mechanical spring means for operatively coupling the common control means with the direct drive clutch.