AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND METHODS THEREFOR

• US 20160146342A1
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enviolo BV
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vasiliotis, Christopher M., McDaniel, Loren T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,739,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/14 with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/16 built in, or adjacent to, the ground-wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/52 in which a member of uniform effective diameter mounted on a shaft may co-operate with different parts of another member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66 specially adapted for continuously variable gearings control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6645 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed and torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6646 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling transmissions and associated vehicles, machines, equipment, etc., are disclosed. In one case, a transmission control system includes a control unit configured to use a sensed vehicle speed and a commanded, target constant input speed to maintain an input speed substantially constant. The system includes one or more maps that associate a speed ratio of a transmission with a vehicle speed. In one embodiment, one such map associates an encoder position with a vehicle speed. Regarding a specific application, an automatic bicycle transmission shifting system is contemplated. An exemplary automatic bicycle includes a control unit, a shift actuator, various sensors, and a user interface. The control unit is configured to cooperate with a logic module and an actuator controller to control the cadence of a rider. In one embodiment, a memory of, or in communication with, the control unit includes one or more constant cadence maps that associate transmission speed ratios with bicycle speeds.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a ball-planetary continuously variable transmission (CVT) on a bicycle, the ball-planetary CVT having a plurality of balls, each ball being rotatable about a tiltable axle, the angle of the axle defining a transmission ratio, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user, an input associated with a target user pedaling speed;

determining a current transmission ratio; and

tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the ball-planetary CVT to adjust the current transmission ratio of the CVT to the target transmission ratio.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the ball-planetary CVT comprises tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the ball-planetary CVT to maintain a current user pedaling speed within a band of the target user pedaling speed based upon the target user pedaling speed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 10 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 5 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising commanding a motor to move to the determined encoder position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the current transmission ratio of the CVT comprises determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed and a determined speed of the bicycle.

8. A bicycle having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of tiltable power transmitting balls, each ball being rotatable about a tiltable axle, the angle of the axle defining a transmission ratio, the bicycle comprising:

a processor configured to perform

receiving, from a user, an input associated with a target user pedaling speed,

determining a current transmission ratio, and

tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the CVT to adjust the current transmission ratio of the CVT to the target transmission ratio.

9. The bicycle of claim 8, wherein tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the CVT comprises tilting the angle of the plurality of balls in the CVT to maintain a current user pedaling speed within a band of the target user pedaling speed based upon the target user pedaling speed.

10. The bicycle of claim 9, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 10 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

11. The bicycle of claim 9, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 5 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

12. The bicycle of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed.

13. The bicycle of claim 12, wherein adjusting the current transmission ratio comprises commanding a motor to move to the determined encoder position.

14. The bicycle of claim 13, wherein adjusting the current transmission ratio of the CVT comprises determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed and a determined speed of the bicycle.