Combination torque conversion and transfer system and method thereof

Abstract

The present invention broadly comprises a combination torque transmission system for a vehicle including a planetary gear set in a rotating housing and a gear set device in a stationary housing. The gear set has an input arranged for connection to a torsional output for an engine. The gear set device has an input connected to an output of the planetary gear set. In some aspects, the at least one gear set device is a planetary transmission such as a Ravigneaux gearset, a Simpson gearset, a plurality of simple gearsets, or a Lepelletier six speed arrangement. The gear set device includes a plurality of gear ratios and the planetary gear set is configured to augment the plurality of gear ratios by adding at least one first gear ratio to the plurality of gear ratios. In some aspects, the planetary gear set is configured to double the number of gear ratios.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a present invention combination torque transmission system with a configuration of simple gearsets;

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating gears and gear ratios according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a present invention combination torque transmission system with a Simpson gearset;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a present invention combination torque transmission system with a Ravigneaux gearset;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a present invention combination torque transmission system with a Lepelletier six speed arrangement; and,

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a present invention combination launch and torque conversion system.

Claims

1. A combination torque transmission system for a vehicle, comprising: a planetary gear set in a rotating housing, said gear set with an input arranged for connection to a torsional output for an engine;a gear set device in a stationary housing, where said gear set device includes an input connected to an output of said planetary gear set.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one gear set device is a planetary transmission.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said planetary transmission is selected from the group consisting of a Ravigneaux gearset, a Simpson gearset, a plurality of simple gearsets, and a Lepelletier six speed arrangement.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said gear set device further comprises a first plurality of gear ratios and said planetary gear set is configured to augment said first plurality of gear ratios.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said planetary gear set is configured to augment said first plurality of gear ratios by adding at least one first gear ratio to said first plurality of gear ratios.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said first plurality of gear ratios comprises a first number of gear ratios and said planetary gear set is configured to double said first number of gear ratios.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said planetary gear set and said gear set device are configured to generate an upshift plurality of gear ratios when said gear set device operates in an upshift mode and a downshift plurality of gear ratios when said gear set device operates in a downshift mode.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said first plurality of gear ratios is different than each of said upshift and downshift pluralities of gear ratios and said upshift plurality of gear ratios is different than said downshift plurality of gear ratios.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said planetary gear set further comprises a first clutch configured to transmit said torsional output for an engine to said gear set device during a first launch event for said vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising: a second plurality of gear ratios; and, wherein said first clutch is configured to establish a second gear ratio from among said second plurality of gear ratios.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a third plurality of gear ratios; and, wherein said planetary gear set further comprises a second clutch configured to establish a third gear ratio from among said third plurality of gear ratios.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said planetary gear set further comprises a one-way clutch arranged to prevent torque reversal in said gear set device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said rotating housing and said stationary housing are in fluid communication.

14. A combination launch and torque transmission system for a vehicle, comprising: a launch clutch element in a rotating housing, said clutch element with an input arranged for connection to a torsional output for an engine;a gear set device in a stationary housing, said gear set device with an input connected to an output of said clutch element, where said launch clutch element is configured to transfer said torsional output for an engine to said gear set device during a first launch event for said vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said rotating housing and said stationary housing are in fluid communication.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one gear set device is a planetary transmission.

17. A method for optimizing gear ratios in a combination torque transmission system, comprising: supplying a torsional output for an engine to an input for a planetary gear set in a first housing;operating said planetary gear set to generate a first plurality of rotational ratios between said input for said planetary gear set and an output for said planetary gear set;providing said output of said planetary gear set to an input of a planetary transmission, said planetary transmission disposed in a second housing separate from said first housing and said planetary transmission configured to provide a second plurality of rotational ratios between said input for said planetary transmission and an output for said planetary transmission; and,operating said planetary transmission to add at least one more rotational ratio to said second plurality of rotational ratios.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said second plurality comprises a first number of gear ratios and operating said planetary transmission further comprises doubling said first number of gear ratios.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said planetary transmission is selected from the group consisting of a Ravigneaux gearset, a Simpson gearset, a plurality of simple gearsets, and a Lepelletier six speed arrangement.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising: upshifting said planetary transmission and operating said planetary gear set to generate an upshift plurality of gear ratios; and,downshifting said planetary transmission and operating said planetary gear set to generate a downshift plurality of gear ratio, said upshift plurality of gear ratios different than said downshift plurality of gear ratios.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said planetary gear set comprises a first clutch; and, said method further comprising: operating said first clutch to establish a first gear ratio from among said second plurality of rotational ratios with said at least one more rotational ratio added.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising: blocking, in said planetary gear set, torque reversal of said input for said planetary transmission.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising: rotating said first housing.

24. A method for launching a vehicle, comprising: generating engine torque to launch said vehicle;supplying said engine torque to an input for a launch clutch in a first housing;connecting an output of said launch clutch to an input of a planetary transmission, said planetary transmission disposed in a second housing separate from said first housing; and,operating said launch clutch to transfer said engine torque to said planetary transmission.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising: rotating said first housing.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said planetary transmission is selected from the group consisting of a Ravigneaux gearset, a Simpson gearset, a plurality of simple gearsets, and a Lepelletier six speed arrangement.