An automatic transmission is provided. The transmission includes clutches coaxially arranged in layers in a radial direction of the transmission. The transmission includes a piston provided to each clutch, the pistons being aligned in the radial direction on a same plane perpendicular to an axis of the transmission, without overlapping with each other in an axial view. The transmission includes a common rotational member having a wall, commonly used for the clutches, and disposed at a predetermined position of the transmission in an axial direction, wherein the wall is formed along the plane. The transmission includes operational hydraulic passages parallely arranged in the wall of the common rotational member in a circumferential direction of the transmission on the same plane perpendicular to the axis, each of the operational hydraulic passages communicating with one of operational hydraulic chambers of the respective clutches.

A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving torque of an engine, an output shaft outputting changed torque of the engine, a first planetary gear set including first, second, and third rotation elements, a second planetary gear set including fourth, fifth, and sixth rotation elements, a third planetary gear set including seventh, eighth, and ninth rotation elements, a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotation elements, and seven friction elements disposed to selectively connect the rotation elements with each other and selectively connect the rotation elements with a transmission housing.

Disclosed is method for operating a multi-gear vehicle transmission having a plurality of shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) for engaging gears of the vehicle transmission. In a neutral gear a transmission input (1) and a transmission output (2) of the vehicle transmission are decoupled from one another. In a driving gear the transmission input (1) and the transmission output (2) of the vehicle transmission are coupled with one another by closing the shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) associated with the driving gear in order to propel the vehicle. When the neutral gear is engaged, a transmission condition is determined, and if a transmission condition with elevated drag losses exists, then in addition to the shifting elements (A, B, C, D, E) of a driving gear, at least one further shifting element (A, B, C, D, E) of the vehicle transmission is closed.

A multi-stage transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear devices disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft to transmit rotary force, each of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear devices having three rotary elements, and at least six shifting elements connected to the rotary elements of the planetary gear devices.

A transmission is provided having a control module, an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of interconnecting members, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes. The control module includes a control logic sequence for performing a coasting downshift of the transmission.

A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least eight forward speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have four planetary gearsets and six selective couplers. The six selective couplers may include two clutches and four brakes.

A planetary gear train of automatic transmission may include input shaft, output gear, first to fourth planetary gear sets, first rotating shaft including first sun gear, second rotating shaft including first planet carrier, second ring gear, third planet carrier, and fourth ring gear, third rotating shaft including first ring gear and third ring gear, and selectively connected to transmission housing, fourth rotating shaft including second sun gear, and selectively connected to transmission housing, fifth rotating shaft including second planet carrier, and selectively connected with first rotating shaft and simultaneously and directly connected with input shaft, sixth rotating shaft including third sun gear, seventh rotating shaft including fourth sun gear, and selectively connected with sixth rotating shaft and simultaneously and selectively connected to transmission housing, eighth rotating shaft including fourth planet carrier, and selectively connected with sixth rotating shaft and simultaneously and directly connected with output gear, and six friction elements.

Eleven forward speeds and one reverse speed are achieved by a planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle. The planetary gear train includes: an input shaft, an output shaft, four planetary gear sets respectively having three rotational elements, and six control elements for selectively interconnecting the rotational elements and a transmission housing. In particular, the six control elements may be four clutches and two brakes, and the rotational elements of each planetary gear set may be a sun gear, a planet carrier rotatably supporting pinion gears, and a ring gear which internally meshes with the pinion gears.

A method of controlling an automatic transmission is provided. The automatic transmission includes first and second frictional engageable elements and a hydraulic mechanism. The method includes controlling a first hydraulic pressure control valve of the first element to adjust hydraulic pressure to a given value in a first period in response to the gear shift command and increase the hydraulic pressure until first friction plates engaged in a second period, and a second hydraulic pressure control valve of the second element to pre-charge in response to the gear shift command, maintain the hydraulic pressure at a lower value than a highest target value immediately after the pre-charging, and increase the hydraulic pressure until second friction plates engaged immediately after the maintaining the pressure, a time length of the first period being shorter than a time length between a start of the pre-charging and a start of the increasing the pressure.

A method of controlling an automatic transmission is provided. The automatic transmission includes a piston having first and second surfaces opposite from each other, friction plates, engaging and disengaging hydraulic pressure chambers for supplying/discharging hydraulic pressure and directing the piston to push the friction plates to be engaged and disengaged, a hydraulic pressure control valve for supplying/discharging hydraulic pressure to/from the chambers, and first and second oil paths communicating the valve with the chambers. The second surface has a larger area for receiving hydraulic pressure than the first surface. The method includes controlling the disengaged friction plates to be engaged by adjusting the hydraulic pressure to a first pressure in a first period in response to a gear shift command and adjusting the hydraulic pressure to a second pressure in a second period. The first pressure is changed depending on a state of the automatic transmission.