Shift control device for vehicle and vehicle incorporating same

• US 20080077301A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Osamu, Hatanaka, Kaoru, Miyagishi, Syunichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/65
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/163 Holding the gear for delaying gear shifts under unfavorable conditions, e.g. during cornering
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/58 dependent on signals from the steering
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle is provided with a shift control device including a rolling angular velocity sensor for detecting a rolling angular velocity of a component of the vehicle, and a steering-angle angular velocity sensor for detecting a steering-angle angular velocity of a handlebar of the vehicle. The shift control device is operable to inhibit shifting of a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission during rolling operation of the vehicle when detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor respectively are equal to or greater than predetermined reference values.

Claims

1. A shift control device for controlling a gear ratio of an automatic transmission mounted on a vehicle, said shift control device comprising

a rolling angular velocity sensor for detecting a rolling angular velocity of a component of the vehicle;

and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor which detects a steering-angle angular velocity of a steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein the shift control device is adapted to inhibit shifting of gear ratio when values of detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values.

2. A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein the rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position above a rear wheel at a rear portion of the vehicle.

3. A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic transmission is a continuously variable transmission.

4. A shift control device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit which stores said references values of the rolling angular velocity and the steering-angle angular velocity.

5. A shift control device according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit which receives values of said detection signals;

and compares said values of respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

6. A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from a power unit of the vehicle.

7. A motorcycle comprising said shift control device of claim 1.

8. A shift control device for controlling gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, said shift control device comprising

a rolling angular velocity sensor which detects a rolling angular velocity of a vehicle;

and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor which detects a steering-angle angular velocity of a steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein the shift control device maintains a gear ratio when values of detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values.

9. A shift control device according to claim 8, wherein the rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from an engine of the vehicle.

10. A shift control device according to claim 8, wherein said vehicle is a motorcycle.

11. A shift control device according to claim 8, further comprising a memory unit which stores said references values of the rolling angular velocity and the steering-angle angular velocity.

12. A shift control device according to claim 8, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit which receives values of said detection signals;

and compares said values of respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

13. A shift control device according to claim 8, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from an engine of the vehicle.

14. A shift control device for a vehicle having a power unit including an engine and a continuously variable transmission joined to the engine;

said shift control device comprising

an engine rotation speed sensor which detects rotational speed of the engine;

a vehicle speed sensor which detects traveling speed of the vehicle;

a rolling angular velocity sensor which detects a rolling angular velocity of the vehicle; and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor which detects a steering-angle angular velocity of a steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein, when detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values, and when each of the rotational speed of the engine and traveling speed of the vehicle has a positive value, the shift control device controls shifting of a gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission.

15. A shift control device according to claim 14, wherein said shift control device is selectively operable to inhibit the shifting a gear ratio.

16. A shift control device according to claim 14, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is mounted at a position spaced away from the power unit.

17. A shift control device according to claim 14, wherein said power unit is disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body and said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body.

18. A shift control device according to claim 14, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit which compares values of said respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

19. A shift control device according to claim 14, further comprising an actuator drive unit which is adapted to inhibit shifting of said gear ratio.

20. A shift control device according to claim 19, wherein said actuator drive unit inhibits shifting of said gear ratio irrespective said rotational speed of the engine.