Method for starting a mobile vehicle

• US 10,208,855 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Hofler, Hans, Sauter, Joachim, Brugger, Norbert, Duller, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky, Sherry L
• Application Number:
  US15/206,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20170016531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/06 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18118 Hill holding
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0225 in relation with the gear ratio or shift lever position
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/663 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/205 Hill hold control, e.g. with torque converter or a friction device slightly engaged to keep vehicle stationary
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2312/04 Holding or hillholding
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/66 : Road conditions, e.g. slope, slippery
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/20 : Preventing gear creeping ; Transmission control during standstill, e.g. hill hold control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/50 : Signals to an engine or motor

Abstract

A method of starting or holding a mobile vehicle and, in particular, a working machine. The method determines whether the vehicle is rolling backward on an inclined surface and, as a function of that knowledge, the rotational speed of the drive engine is increased, or a downshift by one gear is carried out in the transmission.

Claims

1. A method of starting or holding a mobile vehicle, having a drive engine which drives a vehicle wheel by way of a hydrodynamic torque converter, the method comprising:

either;

increasing a rotational speed of the drive engine, or

downshifting a shiftable step-down transmission from an engaged gear ratio to a higher gear ratio,

for starting or holding the vehicle as a function of at least one condition parameter of the vehicle; and

determining an inclination of the vehicle, as the at least one condition parameter, by an inclination sensor, and

above a predetermined inclination of the mobile vehicle, increasing the rotational speed of the drive engine.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the rotational speed as a function of the inclination and an engaged gear in such a manner that the mobile vehicle remains at rest on an incline and is prevented from rolling backward.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising increasing the rotational speed of the drive engine as a function of a vehicle weight.

4. A method of starting or holding a mobile vehicle, having a drive engine which drives a vehicle wheel by way of a hydrodynamic torque converter, the method comprising:

either;

increasing a rotational speed of the drive engine, or

downshifting a shiftable step-down transmission from an engaged gear ratio to a higher gear ratio,

for starting or holding the vehicle as a function of at least one condition parameter of the vehicle; and

determining, as the at least one condition parameter, an inclination of the vehicle by an inclination sensor, and,

above a predefined inclination of the mobile vehicle, downshifting the shiftable step-down transmission from an engaged gear ratio to a higher gear ratio.

5. A method of starting or holding a mobile vehicle, having a drive engine which drives a vehicle wheel by way of a hydrodynamic torque converter, the method comprising:

either;

increasing a rotational speed of the drive engine, or

downshifting a shiftable step-down transmission from an engaged gear ratio to a higher gear ratio,

for starting or holding the vehicle as a function of at least one condition parameter of the vehicle; and

determining, with a sensor, a rotation direction of a vehicle wheel of the mobile vehicle as the at least one condition parameter, and

when a gear is engaged for a forward driving direction and the vehicle wheel rotates in a backward driving direction, increasing the rotational speed of the drive engine.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising determining, with the sensor, the rotation direction of the vehicle wheel of the mobile vehicle as the at least one condition parameter, and when a gear is engaged for the forward driving direction and the vehicle wheel rotates in the backward driving direction, downshifting the shiftable step-down transmission from the engaged gear ratio to the higher gear ratio.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising increasing the rotational speed of the drive engine as a function of a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle.