AUTOMATED MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT METHODOLOGY FOR TANKER TRUCKS

• US 20100256882A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Sauter, Ingo-Gerd, Dreier, Loren Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/62
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/405 Rate of change of output shaft speed or vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/48 Inputs being a function of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/50 Inputs being a function of the status of the machine, e.g. position of doors or safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/54 dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes
• 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 method and system for hybrid automated manual transmission and non-hybrid automated manual transmission shift methodologies for tanker trucks are disclosed. A request is received to change a transmission gear ratio of a vehicle transporting a liquid. The request is rejected if a condition indicative of liquid sloshing is detected, and the gear ratio is changed from a current gear ratio to a target gear ratio if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is not detected. A trigger may enable the detection of liquid sloshing. A transmission controller selects a current gear ratio of the transmission, detects a condition indicative of sloshing of the liquid transported by the vehicle, disables a selection of a select a target gear ratio of the transmission if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is detected, and selects a target gear ratio of the transmission if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is not detected.

Claims

1. A method of changing gear ratios of a transmission in a vehicle transporting a liquid, the method comprising:

receiving a request to change a gear ratio in a transmission of a vehicle transporting a liquid, wherein the change is from a current gear ratio to a target gear ratio;

rejecting the request if a condition indicative of liquid sloshing is detected; and

changing the gear ratio in the transmission from the current gear ratio to the target gear ratio if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is not detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a measured vehicle acceleration exceeding a predetermined limit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a measured vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined limit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a change in vehicle velocity exceeding a predetermined limit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a vehicle mass calculation that falls outside of a threshold of a previous mass calculation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a vehicle mass calculation that falls outside of a threshold of an average mass calculation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises a current vehicle location within a threshold distance of a previous location associated with liquid sloshing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a trigger to enable the detection of liquid sloshing, wherein the trigger is indicative of the occurrence of a triggering event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises a vehicle wheel speed measurement that differs from a previous vehicle wheel speed measurement by a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises a predetermined position of a vehicle brake pedal.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises a predetermined position of a vehicle accelerator pedal.

12. A method of changing gear ratios of a transmission in a vehicle transporting a liquid, the method comprising:

detecting a condition indicative of liquid sloshing in a vehicle transporting a liquid; and

disabling an ability to change a gear ratio in the transmission of the vehicle from a current gear ratio to a target gear ratio.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting an absence of the condition indicative of liquid sloshing; and

restoring the ability to change a gear ratio in the transmission of the vehicle from the current gear ratio to the target gear ratio.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a measured vehicle acceleration exceeding a predetermined limit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a measured vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined limit.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a change in vehicle velocity exceeding a predetermined limit.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a vehicle mass calculation that falls outside of a threshold of a previous mass calculation.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a vehicle mass calculation that falls outside of a threshold of an average mass calculation.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the condition comprises a current vehicle location within a threshold distance of a previous location associated with liquid sloshing.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a trigger to enable the detection of liquid sloshing, wherein the trigger is indicative of the occurrence of a triggering event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the triggering event comprises a vehicle wheel speed measurement that differs from a previous vehicle wheel speed measurement by a predetermined threshold.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the triggering event comprises a predetermined position of a vehicle brake pedal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the triggering eve comprises a predetermined position of a vehicle accelerator pedal.

24. A vehicle, comprising:

a prime mover;

a transmission operative to couple prime mover power from a transmission input to a transmission output at a plurality of different gear ratios;

a sensor, operative to receive a signal indicative of sloshing of a liquid transported by the vehicle; and

a controller, in communication with the sensor and the transmission, operative to;

select a current gear ratio of the transmission;

detect a condition indicative of sloshing of the liquid transported by the vehicle;

disable a selection of a target gear ratio of the transmission if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is detected; and

select a target gear ratio of the transmission if the condition indicative of liquid sloshing is not detected.