Patent ID: 8627736

Claim:
A variable speed transmission for motor vehicles, comprising: gear sets defining shiftable drive gears, said gear sets including shiftable idler gears in cooperation with fixed gears; a gear changing device operably connected to the gear sets for shifting between the drive gears; a first shifting device subdividing the variable speed transmission into at least two part-transmissions, each including a plurality of the drive gears, such that a first one of the part-transmissions is coupled and a second one of the part-transmissions is disengaged as a function of one of the drive gears as selected by the gear changing device and/or as a function of defined shifting states of the first shifting device; an input shaft, said input shaft being functionally split into two input sub-shafts by the first shifting device and being operably connected to the first and second part-transmissions via associated ones of the gear sets; and a driven shaft, wherein one of the input sub-shafts carries the shiftable idler gears of higher ones of the drive gears, with the associated ones of the fixed gears being arranged on the driven shaft, wherein the other one of the input sub-shafts of the second part-transmission carries the fixed gears of lower drive gears, with the associated ones of the idler gears mounted onto the driven shaft.