METHOD FOR SELECTING A STARTING GEAR

• US 20140297143A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Sderstrm, Johan, Lundgren, Edvard
• Application Number:
  US13/994,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297143A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/60
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/023 Drive-off gear selection, i.e. optimising gear ratio for drive off of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/52 dependent on the weight of the machine, e.g. change in weight resulting from passengers boarding a bus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0293 the signals being purely mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles

Abstract

Method to control a drivetrain of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is provided with a vibration sensor and a system for calculating the mass of the vehicle during driving, and where a starting gear of the transmission is automatically chosen dependent on the calculated mass of the vehicle. The method chooses a lower starting gear than the during, driving calculated mass has indicated if the vibration sensor has registered a vibration of the vehicle at stand still.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a starting gear in a transmission, wherein the vehicle is provided with a vibration sensor and a system for calculating the mass of the vehicle during driving, and whereby a starting gear of the transmission is automatically chosen dependent on the calculated mass of the vehicle, and wherein the method comprises;

sensing a vibration of the vehicle, and

altering the automatically chosen starting gear in dependence of the sensed vibration.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the altering comprises a lowering of the automatically chosen starting gear.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that the ignition is on.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that an engine speed is essentially constant.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that the vehicle is at stand still.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that an essentially constant braking force is applied on the braking means.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that the during driving calculated mass of the vehicle is calculated to be equal or close to an unloaded vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

sensing a characteristics of the vibration,

analysing the characteristics of the vibration, and thereby

choosing a lower starting gear if, it is determined that the amplitude of the vibration is higher than a predefined threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising

analysing the characteristics of the vibration, and thereby choosing a lower starting gear if it is determined that a first peak of the vibration is directed in a predefined direction.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the predefined direction is downwards.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

analysing the characteristics of the vibration, and

choosing a lower starting gear if it is determined that the vibration has a diminishing characteristic.

12. The method according to claim 8, and if a launch of the vehicle is successful, the method further comprising

saving the characteristics of a vibration, and

connect the saving with the chosen starting gear.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

comparing the characteristics of a sensed vibration with the saved characteristics of a vibration,

selecting the same starting gear connected with the saved characteristics of a vibration, if the characteristics of the sensed vibration is equal or similar to the characteristics of the saved vibration.