Patent ID: 7552658

Claim:
A triple-clutch transmission for use in a motor vehicle having an engine and a driveline, comprising: an input shaft continuously driven by the engine; an output shaft adapted for connection to the driveline and having a first output gear fixed thereto; a countershaft having a second output gear fixed thereto in meshed engagement with the first output gear; a first clutch operable for establishing a releasable drive connection between the engine and a first substantially tubular shaft having a first drive gear fixed thereto, the first tubular shaft concentrically encompassing a portion of the input shaft; a second clutch operable for establishing a releasable drive connection between the input shaft and a second substantially tubular shaft, the second tubular shaft concentrically encompassing a portion of the output shaft and having a second drive gear fixed thereto; a third clutch operable for establishing a releasable drive connection between the input shaft and a third substantially tubular shaft, the third tubular shaft concentrically encompassing a portion of the input shaft and having a third drive gear fixed thereto; first, second and third speed gears rotatably supported on the countershaft, the first speed gear being in meshed engagement with the first drive gear, the second speed gear being in meshed engagement with the second drive gear and the third speed gear being in meshed engagement with the third drive gear; and first, second and third speed gear clutches, the first speed gear clutch operable for releasably drivingly coupling the first speed gear and the countershaft, the second speed gear clutch operable for releasably drivingly coupling the second speed gear and the countershaft, the third speed gear clutch operable for releasably drivingly coupling the third speed gear and the countershaft.