Patent ID: 6837817

Claim:
A clutch changeover method for changing over speed-changeable clutches in a change-speed apparatus having a direct coupling clutch and a speed-up or speed-down clutch which are disposed on a movable element which is movable along an axial direction of an input shaft or an output shaft and is meshed with a carrier of a composite planetary gear device in such a manner as not to rotate relative to said carrier and is provided concentrically with said input shaft or said output shaft of a power transmission path of a speed-changeable clutch with the composite planetary gear device, said movable element being adapted to move along an axial direction of said input shaft or said output shaft, and an elastic body and an actuator both for changing over a state between engagement and disengagement of said direct coupling clutch or said speed-up or speed-down clutch, said elastic body and said actuator being disposed such that operating directions of said elastic body and said actuator are opposed to each other in the axial direction, said clutch changeover method comprising the steps of: keeping one of said direct coupling clutch and said speed-up or speed-down clutch in engagement by normally moving said movable element in one direction by virtue of a biasing force of said elastic body; and changing over the engagement of said clutches from said one clutch to the other clutch by moving said movable element against the biasing force of said elastic body by activating said actuator.