Start gear ratio control system and method

• US 5,506,771 A
• Filed: 08/27/1992
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Mack, William J., Chan, Kwok W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US07/935,937
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.1, 364/431.07, 364/431.05, 364/424.01, 74/866, 74/867, 74/872, 74/858, 74/DIG. 7, 74/745, 74/331, 74/339, 74/335, 74/336 R, 192/0.08, 192/0.076, 192/0.052, 192/0.092, 192/4 B, 340/62, 340/815.04, 340/456, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462, 477/904, 477/78, 477/120, 477/144, 477/70, 477/124, 123/339.24, 123/493
• US Class Current: 701/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/111 with separate change-speed gear trains arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/006 Overriding automatic control
• 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 2312/02 Driving off
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2312/022 Preparing to drive off
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0248 Control units where shifting is directly initiated by the driver, e.g. semi-automatic transmissions generation of movements for final actuating mechanisms F16H61/28
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/702 using electric or electrohydraulic control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/904 Control signal is acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19167 In series plural interchangeably locked nonplanetary units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1926 Speed responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19284 Meshing assisters

Abstract

A control system and method for a semi-automatic mechanical transmission system (10) is provided for allowing operator request for a direct downshift or upshift into a preselected start ratio, under certain predefined conditions. The preselected start ratio is that ratio actually utilized in the immediately preceding vehicle start from stop operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automated mechanical change gear transmission system (10) comprising a fuel throttle control (24), a fuel throttle controlled engine (14), a multi-speed change gear mechanical transmission (12) having a lowest grouping of gear ratios (1st-5th) each suitable for start from stop operation and having a specific ratio within said lowest grouping of ratios determined to be a predetermined start ratio, a manually operated shift selection level (1), a central processing unit (38) for receiving inputs and for processing same according to predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to non-manually controlled operators including a transmission operation (34), said processing unit sensing operation of said manual shift selection lever and system parameters indicative of selection of a shift directly into the predetermined start ratio, said method comprising:

(i) sensing an actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation; and

(ii) memorizing the actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation as the current predetermined start ratio.

2. A system of controlling an automated mechanical change gear transmission system (10) comprising a fuel throttle control (24), a fuel throttle controlled engine (14), a multi-speed change gear mechanical transmission (12) having a lowest grouping of gear ratios (1st-5th) each suitable for start from stop operation and having a specific ratio within said lowest grouping of ratios determined to be a predetermined start ratio, a manually operated shift selection lever (1), a central processing unit (38) for receiving inputs and for processing same according to predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to non-manually controlled operators including a transmission operator (34), said processing unit sensing operation of said manual shift selection lever and system parameters to sense selection of a shift directly into the predetermined start ratio, said system comprising:

(i) means for sensing an actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation; and

(ii) means for memorizing the actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation as the current predetermined start ratio.

3. A method of controlling a semi-automatic mechanical change gear transmission system (10) comprising a fuel throttle control (24), a fuel throttle controlled engine (14), a multi-speed change gear mechanical transmission (12) having a lowest grouping of gear ratios (1st-5th) each suitable for start from stop operation and having a specific ratio within said lowest grouping of ratios determined to be a predetermined start ratio, a manually operated shift selection level (1), a central processing unit (38) for receiving inputs and for processing same according to predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to non-manually controlled operators including a transmission operator (34), said processing unit sensing operation of said manual shoft selection lever and system parameters to sense operator selection of a shift directly into the predetermined start ratio, said method comprising:

(i) sensing an actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation; and

(ii) memorizing the actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation as the current predetermined start ratio.

4. A system of controlling an automated mechanical change gear transmission system (10) comprising a manual fuel throttle control (24), a fuel throttle controlled engine (14), a multi-speed change gear mechanical transmission (12) having a lowest grouping of gear ratios (1st-5th) each suitable for start from stop operation and having a specific ratio within said lowest grouping of ratios determined to be a predetermined start ratio, a manually operated shift selection lever (1), a central processing unit (38) for receiving inputs and for processing same according to predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to non-manually controlled operators including a transmission operator (34), said processing unit sensing operation of said manual shift selection lever and system parameters to sense operator selection of a shift directly into the predetermined start ratio, said system comprising:

(i) means for sensing an actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation; and

(ii) means for memorizing the actual gear ratio utilized during each start from stop operation as the current predetermined start ratio.