Shift shock suppressing system for automotive power train

• US 5,577,979 A
• Filed: 02/13/1995
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Transtechnology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: JATCO Corp (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iizuka, Naonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWON, TAI CHOON
• Application Number:
  US08/387,122
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 477/109, 477/110, 477/111, 477/107
• US Class Current: 477/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/6807 Status of gear-change operation, e.g. clutch fully engaged
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/502 for smoothing gear shifts

Abstract

When on-going down-shifting state of an automatic transmission is detected, an output torque of an engine is lowered after expiration of a first predetermined period, which is set between detection of down-shifting and a timing immediately before completion of down shifting, and for a second predetermined period which is set for a given period to completion of down-shifting from expiration of the first predetermined period to suppress a shift shock.

Claims

1. A shift shock suppressing system for an automotive power train including an engine and an automatic transmission mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

shifting control means for performing shift control for said automatic transmission depending upon an operating condition of the engine and a traveling condition of the vehicle;

torque varying means for varying an output torque of the engine;

shifting state detecting means for detecting on-going shifting state of the automatic transmission controlled by said shift control means;

shift shock suppression control means for outputting a command lowering of the output torque of said engine to said torque varying means when initiating of down-shifting is detected by said shifting state detecting means, and when a first predetermined period is elapsed from detection of initiation of down-shifting, and maintaining the command for a second predetermined period;

arithmetic means for deriving a variation rate of an engine speed after initiation of down-shifting;

judgement means for judging whether a down-shifting is completed on the basis of an input from said arithmetic means;

measuring means for measuring a shifting period as a period from initiation of down-shifting to completion of down-shifting as judged by said judgement means; and

learning control means for modifying said first predetermined period with a value derived by subtracting a preliminarily set third predetermined period from said shifting period derived by said measuring means.

2. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said judgement means makes judgement that down-shifting is completed when the current variation rate becomes smaller than the variation rate in the immediately preceding cycle.

3. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first predetermined period is preliminarily set to be a period from detection of initiation of down-shifting to immediately before completion of down-shifting, and said first predetermined period is updated by said learning control means and stored in the memory at every occurrence of down-shifting.

4. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second predetermined period is set to be a period from a timing immediately before completion of down-shifting to a predetermined timing after completion of down-shifting, and is stored in the memory.

5. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second predetermined periods is preliminarily set corresponding to a load condition on the engine.

6. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second predetermining periods is preliminarily set corresponding to a vehicle speed.

7. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second predetermined periods is preliminarily set corresponding to a load condition of the engine and a vehicle speed.

8. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second predetermined periods is preliminarily set corresponding to types of shifting of the automatic transmission.

9. A shift shock suppressing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said first and second predetermined periods is set to be longer at greater engine load condition and at higher vehicle speed, respectively.