How automatic transmissions came into being

automatic transmissions

Automatic gearboxes

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC SPEAK, RELEASE AND CONTROL THE SPEED ONLY WITH THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS, RELATING TO THE NERVOUSLY LEFT FEET TO CONTROL THE CLUTCH. WHAT IS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND WHAT VERSIONS ARE ON THE MARKET

The idea of ​​an automatic transmission in a car came into existence very early, in the early 1923s. The first automatic transmission was patented back in XNUMX and used steam in its work.

Unfortunately, it proved to be complicated and inefficient, so drivers had to wait another ten years for the first automatic transmission to use hydraulic fluid in operation.

Hybrid Toyota Transmission Gear Lever

Hybrid Toyota Transmission Gear Lever

He introduced the first automatic transmission into series production General Motors 1940 with the commercial name "hidra matik". The concept has received great reception, especially in the US market. The first automatic transmissions had only three gears, and some manufacturers were comfortable with two-speed gearboxes.

Planetary gearbox

Planetary gearbox

One of the first things the US government standardized was the order in which the modes of gearshift lever were compared. The famous "PRND" schedule is prescribed by law to prevent arbitrary and different routing from model to model, which could certainly lead to danger when the driver switches from one model to another.

Due to the use of pressure hydraulics and torque converters, automatic transmissions have proven to be less efficient than manual ones. They provided lower performance and had higher fuel consumption.

Regulated standardized layout on the automatic transmission lever

Regulated standardized layout on the automatic transmission lever

It is only in the last ten years that, with the refinement of the mechanism and the use of electronics to regulate gear changes, automatic transmissions have reached or even surpassed manual ones.

For decades, engineers have struggled to refine the automation system, and even several completely different designs have been made, such as CVT, or a semi-automatic transmission.

Automatic Transmission Torque Converter

Automatic Transmission Torque Converter

Standard automatic

The basic part of the standard automatics is the torque converter which serves to connect the engine and the transmission. Basically, these are two turbines submerged in hydraulic fluid through which one turbine drives the other.

automatic transmissions

Newer models have a lock to neutralize losses at constant speeds. The transmission itself contains planetary gears of individual gears which are put into operation by means of a clutch controlled by a centrifugal controller.

CVT

How does CVT work?
Basically, a gearbox with continuously variable gear ratios is very simple. It consists of two spools that can change their diameter and one rain that connects them. By reducing the diameter of one and increasing the diameter of the other coil, the gear ratio changes continuously without jerking.

Ford CVT gearbox

Ford CVT gearbox

The advantage of CVT over classic automatic is that it has much less mechanical loss of operation. Also, the CVT works by keeping the engine at constant rpm while the car accelerates by changing gears. Running at constant rpm is the most efficient, which is why fuel consumption is reduced, even in comparison to a manual transmission.

Volkswagen DSG gearbox

Volkswagen DSG gearbox

Semi-automatic
By definition, a semi-automatic transmission uses a manual gearbox, while clutch operation and gear shifting are done by an electro-magnetic device. Over time, the semi-automatic transmission has been perfected, so a dual-axle and two-clutch device is now in circulation. Even gears are on one axle and odd on the other axle, so changing gears up and down is noticeably faster and smoother than previous solutions.

Semi-automatic

Semi-automatic

Source: www.magazinauto.com

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