AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Abstract

A hub and a drum are respectively provided inside and outside a forward clutch (multiple-disc clutch) of an automatic transmission for a vehicle. A piston for pushing the forward clutch and a hydraulic servo for controlling the piston are provided inside the hub. A plurality of notched portions are formed in the piston and the hub with the positions thereof displaced from each other in the peripheral direction so that the piston and the hub are overlapped with each other in the axial direction in such a fashion that parts of one of the piston and the hub where no notched portions are formed are inserted into the notched portions of the other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a whole construction of an automatic transmission in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale showing a forward clutch and the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the forward clutch and the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing hub side clutch discs to which a hub is fitted.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing drum side clutch discs to which a drum is fitted.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hub as viewed from a transmission casing side wall.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a piston as viewed from the opposite side to the transmission casing side wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a whole construction of an automatic transmission in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic transmission 1 includes a torque converter 3 to which the output of an engine 2 is input and a transmission gear mechanism 6 including first and second planetary gears (planetary gear mechanisms) 4, 5.

The torque converter 3 includes an impeller pump 9, a turbine runner 10, a stator 13, and a lockup clutch 14. The impeller pump 9 is fixed within a converter casing 8 connected to an engine output shaft 7. The turbine runner 10 is arranged so as to face the impeller pump 9 and is driven by operation oil from the impeller pump 9. The stator 13 is arranged between the impeller pump 9 and the turbine runner 10 and is supported by a transmission casing 11 through a one-way clutch 12. The lockup clutch 14 is arranged between the converter casing 8 and the turbine runner 10 for directly connecting the engine output shaft 7 to the turbine runner 10.

The output of the engine 2 is input from the engine output shaft 7 to the torque converter 3, is converted to torque, and is then output to the transmission gear mechanism 6 via a turbine shaft 15 serving as an input shaft. An oil pump 16 is arranged on the opposite side of the torque converter 3 to the engine 2 and is driven by the engine output shaft 7 via the converter casing 8 and the impeller pump 9.

The transmission gear mechanism 6 includes a forward clutch 21 as a multiple-disc clutch between the turbine shaft 15 and a sun gear 20 of the first planetary gear 4. A reverse clutch 23 is provided between the turbine shaft 15 and a sun gear 22 of the second planetary gear 5. Between the turbine shaft 15 and a pinion carrier 24 of the second planetary gear 5, there are provided a 3-4 clutch 25 and a 2-4 brake 26 fixing the sun gear 22 of the secondary planet gear 5. A ring gear 27 of the first planetary gear 4 is connected to the pinion carrier 24 of the second planetary gear 5. Between them and the transmission casing 11, a low reverse brake 29 and a one-way clutch 30 are arranged in parallel with each other. A pinion carrier 31 of the first planetary gear 4 is connected to a ring gear 32 of the second planetary gear 5, and an output gear 33 are connected to them as an output section.

An intermediate transmission mechanism is formed of a combination of a first intermediate gear 40 engaging all the time with the output gear 33, an idle shaft 41 having an end to which the first intermediate gear 40 is fixed, and a second intermediate gear 42 fixed to the other end of the idle shaft 41. The second intermediate gear 42 engages with an input gear 51 of a differential unit 50 so that the output of the transmission gear mechanism 6 is transmitted to the differential unit 50 via a differential casing 52 and then to left and right drive shafts 53, 54.

Table 1 indicates relationships between the transmission stages and the operation states of the respective friction elements 21, 23, 25, 26, 29 and the one-way clutch 30.

	TABLE 1
			3-4	2-4	Low
	Forward	Reverse	clutch	brake	reverse	One-way
	clutch 21	clutch 23	25	26	brake 29	clutch 30
First	X				(X)	X
Second	X			X
Third	X		X
Fourth			X	X
Reverse		X			X
(X): operation only at low range

Detailed description will be given next to the forward clutch 21 and the vicinity thereof, which presents the significant feature of the present invention.

The automatic transmission 1 includes a first rotary member 60 connected to the turbine shaft 15 serving as the input shaft, a second rotary member 61 connected to the output gear 33, and the forward clutch 21 which connects/disconnects the first rotary member 60 to/from the second rotary member 61.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale showing the forward clutch 21 and the vicinity thereof. FIG. 3 shows the forward clutch 21 and members therearound. FIG. 4 shows hub side clutch discs to which a hub is fitted. FIG. 5 shows drum side clutch discs to which a drum is fitted. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the hub and a piston, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, the forward clutch 21 includes at the inner periphery thereof a plurality of hub side clutch discs 55 while including at the outer periphery thereof a plurality of drum side clutch discs 56. A friction member 57 is attached to each face of the hub side clutch discs 55 except each outer face of the hub side clutch discs 55 on the respective sides. On the other hand, no friction member is attached to the drum side clutch discs 56. The friction members 57 are provided to only the hub side clutch discs 55 connected to the turbine shaft 15 for reducing drag torque by repulsion. The hub side clutch discs 55 on the respective sides are formed thicker than those arranged therebetween for preventing them from falling down.

A boss 72 which extends in the axial direction of the turbine shaft 15 away from the engine 2 and through which the turbine shaft 15 is inserted is formed at the axial center of a transmission casing side wall 11a serving as a side wall on the engine 2 side of the transmission casing 11. The first rotary member 60 is fitted rotatably to the boss 72. The first rotary member 60 is formed of, as shown in FIG. 6, a combination of a hub 64, a sleeve 73 rotatably fitted to the boss 72, and a first annular part 74 connecting the hub 64 and the sleeve 73. The hub 64 includes an outer periphery in which projections and depressions as a hub side clutch fitting part 64a are formed correspondingly to the hub side clutch discs 55. As shown in FIG. 4, the hub side clutch discs 55 are connected at the inner peripheries thereof to the hub 64 integrally rotatably. Specifically, a clutch side fitting part 55a is formed in the inner peripheries of the hub side clutch discs 55 so as to engage with the hub side clutch fitting part 64a. The hub side clutch discs 55 are supported at the outer peripheral face of the hub 64. A plurality (four in the present embodiment) of hub side notched portions 71 is formed at parts of the hub 64 with space left in the peripheral direction. A fourth annular portion 85 is formed at the inner periphery of the hub 64 so as to extend cylindrically toward the transmission casing side wall 11a coaxially with the hub 64.

In the forward clutch 21, the drum side clutch discs 56 are connected at the outer peripheries thereof to a drum 66 integrally rotatably in such a fashion that respective projections and depressions of both of them engage with each other, as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, the drum side clutch 56 is supported at the inner peripheral face of the drum 66.

As shown in FIG. 2, a piston 68 for pushing the forward clutch 21 is provided on the transmission casing side wall 11a side of the hub 64. The piston 68 includes a first lip sealing 78a at an inner peripheral part 75a thereof which slides on the sleeve 73 and a second annular portion 75 radially extending from the inner peripheral part 75a thereof. As also shown in FIG. 7, the piston 68 includes a cylindrical portion 76 connected to the outer peripheral part of the second annular portion 75 and extending toward the transmission casing side wall 11a. A third annular portion 77 extends radially from the end on the transmission casing side wall 11a side of the cylindrical portion 76.

A plurality (four in the present embodiment) of piston side notched portions 70 are formed in parts of the third annular portion 77 of the piston 68 so as to be displaced from the hub side notched portions 71 of the hub 64 in the peripheral direction. With the notched portions 70, 71 formed, parts of the hub 64 where the hub side notched portions 71 are not formed can be inserted into the piston side notched portions 70 of the piston 68, as shown in FIG. 3. The piston 68, which is compacted, can be easily arranged on the transmission casing side wall 11a side of the hub 64. The hub 64 and the piston 68 are arranged compactly in such a fashion that they are overlapped with each other in the axial direction by inserting the parts of one of the hub 64 and the piston 68 where no notched portions are formed into the notched portions 70 or 71 of the other, resulting in reduction in length of the automatic transmission 1 in the axial direction.

A hydraulic servo 69 for controlling the piston 68 is arranged inside the hub 64. Specifically, a sealing plate 79 is provided at the outer periphery of the sleeve 73 and includes an inner peripheral part 79a caught immovably toward the transmission casing side wall 11a by an annular stopper plate 80. An O ring 82 is provided between the inner peripheral part 79a of the sealing plate 79 and the outer periphery of the sleeve 73 for preventing oil leakage while a second lip sealing 78b is provided at the outer periphery of the radially outwardly extending sealing plate 79 so as to slide on the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 76.

The piston 68 forms a pressure chamber 86 in a region which is surrounded by the sleeve 73, the second annular portion 75, the cylindrical portion 76, and the sealing plate 79 and which is prevented from oil leakage by the first and second lip sealings 78a, 78b and the O ring 82. Formation of the pressure chamber 86 inside the hub 64 reduces the size of the hydraulic servo 69. To the pressure chamber 86, high-pressure oil from the oil pump 16 is supplied through a high-pressure oil supply path 87 formed in the boss 72 and the sleeve 73. The hub 64 is connected through the first annular portion 74 to the sleeve 73 rotatably fitted to the boss 72 extending from the transmission casing 11, so that the operation oil pressurized in the oil pump 16 can be supplied through the boss 72 to the hydraulic servo 69. This eliminates the need to provide an additional high-pressure oil supply path, shortening the length in the axial direction of the automatic transmission 1.

A third lip sealing 78c provided at the outer periphery of the second annular portion 75 slides on the inner peripheral face of the fourth annular portion 85. The piston 68 forms a balancing chamber 88 in a region which is surrounded by the sleeve 73, the first annular portion 74, the fourth annular portion 85, and the second annular portion 75 and is prevented from oil leakage by the first and third two lip sealings 78. Within the balancing chamber 88, a plurality of return springs 89 are arranged in the peripheral direction for pushing the second annular portion 75 of the piston 68 toward the transmission casing side wall 11a. Thus, the first annular portion 74 and the fourth annular portion 85, which serve in combination as a joint member between the hub 64 and the sleeve 73, also serve as a sealing plate of the balancing chamber 88, achieving further size reduction of the hydraulic servo 69.

In the first annular portion 74, an operation oil supply guide 90 is formed for supplying the operation oil to the hub 64 from the opposite side of the first annular portion 74 to the piston 68. Namely, though the arrangement of the piston 68 inside the hub 64 necessitates supply of the operation oil to the hub 64 from the opposite side to the piston 68, an additional operation oil supply path therefor is unnecessary because the operation oil supply guide 90 formed in the first annular portion 74 guides and supplies the operation oil to the hub 64.

As shown in FIG. 2, an input side rotation sensor 93 for detecting the rotation of the hub 64 is provided at the exterior of the drum 66. The input side rotation sensor 93 is composed of a proximity sensor, for example.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, an extended portion 91 is formed at the outer peripheral end of the piston 68 on the side open to the drum 66 (the transmission casing side wall 11a side) so as to extend radially from the outer peripheral end thereof and extend further in the axial direction between the input side rotation sensor 93 and the drum 66. The extended portion 91 forms notches 92 open to the output gear 33 side equally. The notches 92 are located below the input side rotation sensor 93 to function as a sensing rotor as a to-be-detected part at which the input side rotation sensor 93 detects the rotation of the hub 64. Thus, the input side rotation sensor 93 detects the notches 92 of the piston 68 to detect the number of rotation of the turbine shaft 15.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an output side rotation sensor 94 composed of a proximity sensor is provided at the exterior of the output gear 33 for detecting the number of rotation of the output gear 33 as an output.

Accurate detection of the respective numbers of rotations of the turbine shaft 15 and the output gear 33 by the input side rotation sensor 93 and the output side rotation sensor 94 enables speed change at appropriate timing, improving the shift quality.

Effects of the Embodiment

Hence, in the automatic transmission in accordance with the present embodiment, the hydraulic servo 69 is provided inside the hub 64 connected to the turbine shaft 15 so that the piston 68 and the hub 64 rotate integrally with each other. This eliminates the need to create clearance for contact prevention between the piston 68 and the hub 64. As described above, when the plurality of notched portions 70, 71 are formed in the piston 68 and the hub 64, respectively, with their position displaced from each other in the peripheral direction and the parts of the hub 64 where the hub side notched portions 71 are not formed are inserted into the piston side notched portions 70 of the piston 68, the piston 68 and the hub 64 are overlapped with each other in the axial direction. This shortens the length in the axial direction of the turbine shaft 15 to reduce the size of the automatic transmission 1.

As described above, the hub 64 is provided inside the drum 66 to be covered with drum 66, thereby disabling direct detection of the number of rotation of the hub 64. While, the piston 68 and the hydraulic servo 69 are provided inside the hub 64 connected to the turbine shaft 15 so that the piston 68 and the hub 64 rotate integrally with each other. Accordingly, when the notches 92 as the to-be-detected part for the input side rotation sensor 93 is formed in the piston 68, the input side rotation sensor 93 provided at the exterior of the drum 66 can detects the number of rotation of the hub 64 through the notches 92, resulting in effective detection of the rotation of the piston 68 provided inside the hub 64 to achieve space-saving.

It should be noted that the above embodiment is substantially a mare preferred example and does not intend to limit the present invention and applicable subjects and use thereof.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission comprising: an input shaft;an output section;a first rotary member connected to the input shaft;a second rotary member connected to the output section;a multiple-disc clutch that connects/disconnects the first rotary member to/from the second rotary member;a hub provided inside the multiple-disc clutch;a drum provided around the multiple-disc clutch;a piston which pushes the multiple-disc clutch; anda hydraulic servo that controls the piston, the hydraulic servo being provided at the hub or a member connected to the hub,wherein a plurality of notched portions are formed in the piston and the hub with positions thereof displaced from each other in a peripheral direction, andthe piston and the hub are overlapped with each other in an axial direction in such a fashion that parts of one of the piston and the hub where no notched portions are formed are inserted into the notched portions of the other.

2. The automatic transmission of claim 1, further comprising: a transmission casing surrounding the automatic transmission and including a transmission casing side wall; anda boss which extends in the axial direction from an axial center of the transmission casing side wall and through which the input shaft is inserted,wherein the first rotary member includes: the hub;a sleeve rotatably fitted to the boss; anda first annular portion connecting the hub and the sleeve.

3. The automatic transmission of claim 2, wherein the piston includes: a second annular portion having an inner peripheral part sliding on an outer periphery of the sleeve and extending radially outwardly;a cylindrical portion connected to an outer periphery of the second annular portion and extending toward the transmission casing side wall; anda third annular portion connected to an end part on the transmission casing side wall side of the cylindrical portion and extending in a radial direction.

4. The automatic transmission of claim 2, further comprising: a sealing plate which includes an inner peripheral part caught immovably toward the transmission casing side wall by the outer periphery of the sleeve and which extends radially outwardly so as to slide at an outer periphery thereof on an inner periphery of the cylindrical portion,wherein the piston forms a pressure chamber in a region surrounded by the sleeve, the second annular portion, the cylindrical portion, and the sealing plate.

5. The automatic transmission of claim 4, wherein the hub includes a fourth annular portion cylindrically extending toward the transmission casing side wall,the second annular portion incudes an outer peripheral part sliding on an inner peripheral face of the fourth annular portion, andthe piston forms a balancing chamber in a region surrounded by the sleeve, the first annular portion, the fourth annular portion, and the second annular portion.

6. The automatic transmission of claim 2, wherein an operation oil supply guide is formed in the first annular portion for supplying operation oil to the hub from an opposite side of the first annular portion to the piston.

7. The automatic transmission of claim 1, further comprising: a rotation sensor which detects rotation of the hub, the rotation sensor being provided at an exterior of the drum,wherein the piston and the hydraulic servo are provided at the hub or a member connected to the hub, anda to-be-detected part at which the rotation sensor detects the rotation thereof is provided at the piston.

8. The automatic transmission of claim 7, wherein the to-be-detected part for the rotation sensor extends radially from an outer peripheral end of the piston on a side open to the drum and further extends in the axial direction between the rotation sensor and the drum.

9. The automatic transmission of claim 7, wherein the hub is connected to the input section.

10. The automatic transmission of claim 7, wherein the piston includes: a second annular portion having an inner peripheral part sliding on an outer periphery of the sleeve and extending radially outwardly;a cylindrical portion connected to an outer peripheral part of the second annular portion and extending toward the transmission casing side wall; anda third annular portion connected to an end part on the transmission casing side wall side of the cylindrical portion and extending in the radial direction,the automatic transmission further comprising:a transmission casing which includes a transmission casing side wall and through which the input shaft is inserted;a boss which extends in the axial direction from an axial center of the transmission casing side wall and through which the input shaft is inserted;a sleeve rotatably fitted to the boss;a first annular portion connecting the hub and the sleeve; anda sealing plate which includes an inner peripheral part caught immovably toward the transmission casing side wall by an outer periphery of the sleeve and which extends outwardly radially so as to slide at an outer periphery thereof on an inner periphery of the cylindrical portion,wherein the piston forms a pressure chamber in a region surrounded by the sleeve, the second annular portion, the cylindrical portion, and the sealing plate.

11. The automatic transmission of claim 10, wherein the hub includes a fourth annular portion cylindrically extending toward the transmission casing side wall,the second annular portion includes an outer peripheral part sliding on an inner peripheral face of the fourth annular portion, andthe piston forms a balancing chamber in a region surrounded by the sleeve, the first annular portion, the fourth annular portion, and the second annular portion.