METHOD OF CONTROLLING OPERATION OF A VEHICLE

• US 20100332089A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meritor Technology, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Meritor Technology, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bassi, Marco, Cesari, Chiara, Gianone, Roberto, Fratelli, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 10,502,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0409 characterised by the problem to increase efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0443 for supply of lubricant during tilt or high acceleration, e.g. problems related to the tilt or extreme acceleration of the transmission casing and the supply of lubricant under these conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/045 Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0483 Axle or inter-axle differentials

Abstract

A method of controlling a fluid level around a transmission gear of a vehicle includes the steps of providing a set of predetermined operating conditions, each predetermined operating condition having a corresponding predetermined fluid level requirement, operating the vehicle at an actual operating condition, determining a predetermined operating condition equivalent to the actual operating condition, and arranging the fluid level around the transmission gear to be equivalent to the predetermined fluid level requirement corresponding to the predetermined operating condition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a fluid level around a transmission gear of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a set of predetermined operating conditions, each predetermined operating condition having a corresponding predetermined fluid level requirement;

(b) operating a vehicle at an actual operating condition;

(c) determining a predetermined operating condition equivalent to the actual operating condition; and

(d) arranging a fluid level around a transmission gear to be equivalent to the predetermined fluid level requirement corresponding to the predetermined operating condition,

wherein the predetermined operating conditions are selected from the group of;

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a direction of torque being transmitted through the transmission gear,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a longitudinal inclination of the vehicle,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a lateral inclination of the vehicle,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a lateral acceleration of the vehicle,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a reverse gear ratio of the vehicle,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by an amount of contaminant of the fluid,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a fluid quality,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a temperature of a transmission component,

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a previous actual operating condition, and

a predetermined operating condition that is at least defined by a predicted future operating condition.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 including the step of providing a fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid level around the transmission gear is controlled by transferring fluid to or from the reservoir.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein a corresponding predetermined fluid level requirement equates to transferring substantially all the fluid from the reservoir to an area around transmission gear.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein one of the corresponding predetermined fluid level requirements equates to substantially filling the fluid reservoir.

5. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein one of said corresponding predetermined fluid level requirements equates to allowing the fluid in the reservoir to drain into the area around the transmission gear.

6. The method as defined in claim 2 including a first pump for transferring fluid to or from the reservoir to the area around the transmission gear and a second pump for transferring fluid from the reservoir to the area around the transmission gear.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the first pump includes a first valve and the second pump includes a second valve.