Control method for transmission for motorcycle

• US 20070186705A1
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/335
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/16 Inhibiting or initiating shift during unfavourable conditions, e.g. preventing forward reverse shift at high vehicle speed, preventing engine over speed unintentional control input F16H61/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism

Abstract

A control method for a transmission for a motorcycle having a plurality of shift gear trains such that the combination of gears meshing with each other is changed by driving an actuator to change a shift position. When a vehicle body inclination angle β as a sideward inclination angle of a vehicle body of the motorcycle during running of the motorcycle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, a change in shift position in the transmission is inhibited. The method controls the transmission for the motorcycle in order to reduce an operational load on a rider during turning of the motorcycle.

Claims

1. A control method for a transmission for a motorcycle having a plurality of shift gear trains such that a combination of gears meshing with each other is changed by driving an actuator to change a shift position, wherein

when a vehicle body inclination angle as a sideward inclination angle of a vehicle body of said motorcycle during running of said motorcycle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, a change in shift position in said transmission is inhibited.

2. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is driven according to a shift instruction from shift operating means operated by a rider on said motorcycle.

3. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is driven according to a shift position decided by shift position deciding means according to at least a throttle angle, an engine rotation speed, and a vehicle speed.

4. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle body inclination angle is calculated according to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

5. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 3, wherein said vehicle body inclination angle is calculated according to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

6. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle body inclination angle is detected by an inclination angle sensor.

7. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle body inclination angle is detected by a gimbal.

8. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the shift operating means includes an upshift switch and a downshift switch.

9. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is driven only after at least one of an upshift switch and a downshift switch has been operated by a rider on said motorcycle.

10. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 8, wherein the actuator is driven only after at least one of the upshift switch and the downshift switch has been operated by a rider on said motorcycle.

19. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 1, further comprising:

driving the shifting motor only after at least one of an upshift switch and a downshift switch has been operated by a rider on said motorcycle.

11. A control method for a transmission for a motorcycle having a plurality of shift gear trains such that a combination of gears meshing with each other is changed by driving a shifting motor to change a shift position, the method comprising:

determining whether of not a vehicle body inclination angle as a sideward inclination angle of a vehicle body of said motorcycle during running of said motorcycle is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle; and

preventing a change in shift position in said transmission when said vehicle body inclination angle during running is greater than or equal to the predetermined angle.

12. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 11, further comprising:

driving said shifting motor according to a shift instruction from shift operating means operated by a rider on said motorcycle.

13. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 11, further comprising:

automatically driving said shifting motor according to a shift position decided by shift position deciding means according to at least a throttle angle, an engine rotation speed, and a vehicle speed.

14. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating said vehicle body inclination angle according to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

15. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 13, further comprising:

calculating said vehicle body inclination angle according to a vehicle speed and a steering angle.

16. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 11, further comprising:

detecting said vehicle body inclination angle by an inclination angle sensor.

17. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 11, further comprising:

detecting said vehicle body inclination angle by a gyroscope.

18. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein the shift operating means includes an upshift switch and a downshift switch.

20. The control method for a transmission for a motorcycle according to claim 18, further comprising:

driving the shifting motor only after at least one of the upshift switch and the downshift switch has been operated by a rider on said motorcycle.