Dual Clutch Transmission Apparatus

Abstract

A dual clutch transmission apparatus includes: a first input shaft; a second input shaft arranged in parallel with the first input shaft; a counter shaft arranged in parallel with the first input shaft; a connecting clutch adapted to establish or interrupt a transmitting path of rotation of the first input shaft to the output shaft; mid a low/high shift stage switching mechanism having a low-speed shift stage gear train and a high-speed shift stage gear train, each mounted on the counter shaft and the output shaft, the low/high shift stage switching mechanism having a low/high shift stage switching clutch stretching the low-speed shift stage gear train and the high-speed shift stage gear train and changing a rotational speed of the counter shaft to a high or low rotational speed. Either the connecting clutch or the low/high shift stage switching mechanism is selected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating an entire structure of a dual clutch transmission apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating an example of a switching clutch according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a table explaining a shift operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation of a dual clutch mechanism used for a dual clutch-type transmission apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating al entire structure of a dual clutch transmission apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a table explaining a shift operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Claims

1. A dual clutch transmission apparatus, comprising: a first input shaft;a second input shaft arranged in parallel with the first input shaft;a counter shaft arranged in parallel with the first input shaft;a drive shaft connected to a power source and rotatably transmitted with power of the power source;a dual clutch mechanism detachably connecting the drive shaft to the first input shaft and the second input shaft, the dual clutch, mechanism having a first clutch transmitting rotation of the drive shaft to the first input shaft and a second clutch transmitting rotation of the drive shaft to the second input shaft;a gear change mechanism mounted on the counter shaft, the first input shaft or the second input shaft;an output shaft transmitted with rotation of the counter shaft;a connecting clutch adapted to establish or interrupt a transmitting path of rotation of the first input shaft to the output shaft; anda low/high shift stage switching mechanism having a low-speed shift stage gear train and a high-speed shift stage gear train, each mounted on the counter shaft and the output shaft, the low/high shift stage switching mechanism further having a low/high shift stage switching clutch selectively switching the low-speed shift stage gear train and the high-speed shift stage gear train and changing a rotational speed of the counter shaft to a high or low rotational speed, wherein the high or low rotational speed is transmitted to the output shaft, wherein either the connecting clutch or the low/high shift stage switching mechanism is selected.

2. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 1), while an intermediate shift stage within an entire range of shift stages, is selected, rotation of the drive shaft is transmitted to the output shaft via the first clutch being engaged, the first input shaft and the connecting clutch being engaged; 2) within a range of shift stages lower than the intermediate shift stage, the rotation of the drive shaft is transmitted to the output shaft via the gear change mechanism and the low/high shift stage switching mechanism selecting, therein, the low-speed shift stage gear train; and 3) within a range of shift stages higher than the intermediate shift stage, the rotation of the drive shaft is transmitted to the output shaft via the gear change mechanism and the low/high shift stage switching mechanism selecting, therein, the high-speed shift stage gear train.

3. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the high rotational speed is defined within the range of the shift stages higher than the intermediate shift stage, and the low rotational speed is defined within the range of the shift stages lower than the intermediate shift stage.

4. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first input shaft and the output shaft are arranged coaxially with each other.

5. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claims 4, wherein, the second input shaft is of hollow shaped and the first input shaft penetrates the hollow second input shaft to be coaxial with the second input shaft.

6. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate shift stage is a 5th shift stage.

7. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate shift stage is a 4th shift stage.

8. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting clutch connects the first input shaft to the output shaft directly.

9. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein either the connecting clutch or the low/high shift stage switching mechanism is selected in accordance with a condition of a vehicle.

10. A dual clutch transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the condition of the vehicle is at least an accelerator opening degree, an engine rotational speed (rpm) or a speed of the vehicle.