Patent ID: 7935018

Claim:
An automatic transmission comprising: an input shaft; an output shaft; a first planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first carrier supporting a first pinion in meshed engagement with the first sun gear, and a first ring gear in meshed engagement with the first pinion, with the output shaft always being connected to the first ring gear to rotate therewith; a second planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second carrier supporting a second pinion in meshed engagement with the second sun gear, and a second ring gear in meshed engagement with the second pinion, with the second ring gear being always fixed; a third planetary gear unit including a third sun gear, a third carrier supporting a third pinion in meshed engagement with the third sun gear, and a third ring gear in meshed engagement with the third pinion, with the first carrier and the third ring gear being connected together as a unit to form a first rotating member and the second sun gear and the third carrier being connected together as a unit to form a second rotating member; a first friction element arranged to selectively connect the first ring gear and the second carrier together; a second friction element arranged to selectively connect the input shaft and the third sun gear together; a third friction element arranged to selectively connect the first sun gear and the second carrier together; a fourth friction element arranged to selectively connect the first sun gear and the second rotating member together; and a fifth friction element arranged to selectively connect the first rotating member and the input shaft together, the first to fifth friction elements being operatively arranged with respect to the first, second and third planetary gear units to selectively establish at least six forward speeds and one reverse speed by combining simultaneous engagement of three out of the first to fifth friction elements for transmitting torque from the input shaft to the output shaft.