Patent ID: 6960149

Claim:
A multi-step reduction gear comprising: a drive shaft ( 1 ) which is connected to a front-mounted gear group (VS), an output shaft ( 3 ) which is connected to a rear-mounted gear group (NS), a plurality of switch elements (A, B, C, D, E) acting on the front-mounted gear group (VS); and first and second switch elements (M, H, L) acting on the rear-mounted gear group (NS), and by selectively switching said switch elements (A, B, C, D, E and M, H, L), acting on the front-mounted and rear-mounted gear groups (VS, NS), an input speed (n) of the drive shaft ( 1 ) can be transmitted to the output shaft ( 3 ) for the purpose of shifting at least seven forward gears in such a way that in order to change from one gear to the next highest or next lowest gear the switch elements (A, B, C, D, E and M, H, L, M), acting on the front-mounted and rear-mounted gear groups (VS, NS), that have just been actuated only disconnect one switch element and connect one further switch element, and the rear-mounted group (NS) can be connected to the drive shaft ( 1 ) via at least the second switch element (H) acting on the rear-mounted group (NS); wherein the front-mounted gear group (VS) is formed by first and second coupled, shiftable front-mounted planetary gear sets (VS 1 , VS 2 ) and a maximum of two further non-shiftable front-mounted planetary gear sets (VSa, VSb), and the rear-mounted gear group (NS) is firmly connected to the front-mounted gear group (VS) by one spacer shaft ( 2 ) rotating at an output speed (nvs) of the front-mounted gear group (VS), with the spacer shaft not being connected to any one of the switch elements (A, B, C, D, E and M, H, L), acting on the front-mounted and rear-mounted gear groups (VS, NS), and the output speed (nvs) of the front-mounted gear group (VS) is generated by selectively engaging a maximum of two of the plurality switch elements (A, B, C, D, E) acting on the front-mounted gear group (VS).