Patent ID: 8348796

Claim:
Transmission configured to transfer power between an input member, first and second torque machines and an output member, comprising: a transmission case; a differential gear set; first and second torque transfer clutches; a first torque machine rotatably operatively couplable to a first element of the differential gear set when the second torque transfer clutch is in an applied state; a second torque machine rotatably operatively coupled to a second element of the differential gear set; the first torque transfer clutch configured to ground a third element of the differential gear set to the transmission case when in an applied state; the differential gear set configured to transfer torque between the first torque machine and the output member in a first continuously variable mode when the first torque transfer clutch is in the applied state; the differential gear set configured to transfer torque between the first and second torque machines and the output member in a second continuously variable mode when the second torque transfer clutch is in the applied state; the first and second torque transfer clutches comprising frictionless engagement clutches each selectively operative in an open state and selectively operative in an applied state; the first torque transfer clutch configured to transition between the open state and the applied state only when rotational speed of the third element of the differential gear set is substantially zero; and the second torque transfer clutch configured to transition between the open state and the applied state only when rotational speed of the first torque machine is substantially synchronized with the rotational speed of the first element of the differential gear set.