Patent ID: 8117933

Claim:
A transmission comprising: a transmission housing; a dual clutch assembly having a clutch housing connectable to a flywheel of an engine, wherein the clutch housing is rotationally supported within the transmission housing; a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets, wherein the first gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the second gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the third gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear and a third gear in mesh with the second gear, the fourth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear, the fifth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear and the sixth gear set includes a first gear in mesh with a second gear; a first transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing and wherein each of the first gear of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the first transmission input member; a second transmission input member rotatably supported in the transmission housing, wherein each of the first gear of the first and second gear sets are rotatably fixed for common rotation with the second transmission input member and wherein the second transmission input member is concentric with the first transmission input member and at least partially surrounds the first transmission input member; a first countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gear of the fourth gear set, fifth gear set and the sixth gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the first countershaft and wherein the second gear of the third gear set is configured to freely rotate about the first countershaft; a second countershaft rotatably supported within the transmission housing and spaced apart from and parallel with the first and second transmission input members, wherein the second gear of the first gear set, the second gear of the second gear set and the third gear of the third gear set are each selectively connectable for common rotation with the second countershaft; four synchronizer assemblies for selectively coupling at least one of the gears of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gear sets with at least one of the first countershaft and the second countershaft, and wherein the selective engagement of dual clutch assembly interconnects the dual clutch housing with at least one of the first and the second transmission input members and the selective engagement of at least one of the four synchronizer assemblies establishes at least one of five forward speed ratios.