Automated manual transmission shift sequence controller
First Claim
1. A hybrid transmission system for a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine, a drive wheel, a drive shaft connected to the drive wheel for rotating the drive wheel, comprising:
- a transmission gear set substantially arranged as a manual transmission gear set having an input shaft and an output shaft the input shaft being driven by and driving the output shaft, the output shaft being adapted to cause motion of the drive wheel through the drive shaft, the input and output shafts having a plurality of gears which selectively mesh for engagement to vary a relative speed of rotation between the input shaft and the output shaft;
a plurality of shift motors to effect engagement and disengagement of the gears;
a clutch for selectively coupling the engine to the transmission;
a clutch motor for engaging and disengaging the clutch;
an electric machine connected to the input shaft for selectively increasing and decreasing the speed of the input shaft;
a selection lever for selecting between one of park, neutral, drive, and reverse conditions for the transmission gear set, the shifter generating a condition signal, wherein a drive condition defines a plurality of forward gear combinations;
a transmission controller which receives a plurality of input signals, including the condition signal, and generates a plurality of output signals, the output signals controlling the electric machine to vary the speed of the input shaft in order to synchronize engagement of the gears of the transmission and controlling the motors to mesh the gears for engagement, the transmission controller automatically operating the motors and the electric machine for a selected condition; and
a shift state machine within the transmission controller, the shift state machine controlling changes from one state to another state, wherein the transmission is generally in one of a plurality of states which define a respective plurality of configurations of the transmission.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A powertrain system for a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes a heat engine, such as a diesel engine, and an electric machine, which operates as both, an electric motor and an alternator, to power the vehicle. The hybrid vehicle also includes a manual-style transmission configured to operate as an automatic transmission from the perspective of the driver. The engine and the electric machine drive an input shaft which in turn drives an output shaft of the transmission. In addition to driving the transmission, the electric machine regulates the speed of the input shaft in order to synchronize the input shaft during either an upshift or downshift of the transmission by either decreasing or increasing the speed of the input shaft. When decreasing the speed of the input shaft, the electric motor functions as an alternator to produce electrical energy which may be stored by a storage device. Operation of the transmission is controlled by a transmission controller which receives input signals and generates output signals to control shift and clutch motors to effect smooth launch, upshift shifts, and downshifts of the transmission, so that the transmission functions substantially as an automatic transmission from the perspective of the driver, while internally substantially functioning as a manual transmission.
113 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A hybrid transmission system for a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine, a drive wheel, a drive shaft connected to the drive wheel for rotating the drive wheel, comprising:
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a transmission gear set substantially arranged as a manual transmission gear set having an input shaft and an output shaft the input shaft being driven by and driving the output shaft, the output shaft being adapted to cause motion of the drive wheel through the drive shaft, the input and output shafts having a plurality of gears which selectively mesh for engagement to vary a relative speed of rotation between the input shaft and the output shaft; a plurality of shift motors to effect engagement and disengagement of the gears; a clutch for selectively coupling the engine to the transmission; a clutch motor for engaging and disengaging the clutch; an electric machine connected to the input shaft for selectively increasing and decreasing the speed of the input shaft; a selection lever for selecting between one of park, neutral, drive, and reverse conditions for the transmission gear set, the shifter generating a condition signal, wherein a drive condition defines a plurality of forward gear combinations; a transmission controller which receives a plurality of input signals, including the condition signal, and generates a plurality of output signals, the output signals controlling the electric machine to vary the speed of the input shaft in order to synchronize engagement of the gears of the transmission and controlling the motors to mesh the gears for engagement, the transmission controller automatically operating the motors and the electric machine for a selected condition; and a shift state machine within the transmission controller, the shift state machine controlling changes from one state to another state, wherein the transmission is generally in one of a plurality of states which define a respective plurality of configurations of the transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A hybrid transmission system for a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine, a drive wheel, a drive shaft connected to the drive wheel for rotating the drive wheel, comprising:
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a transmission gear set substantially arranged as a manual transmission gear set having an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft being driven by and driving the output shaft, the output shaft being adapted to cause motion of the drive wheel through the drive shaft, the input and output shafts having a plurality of gears which selectively mesh for engagement to vary a relative speed of rotation between the input shaft and the output shaft; a plurality of shift motors to effect engagement and disengagement of the gears; a clutch for selectively coupling the engine to the transmission; a clutch motor for engaging and disengaging the clutch; an electric machine connected to the input shaft for selectively increasing and decreasing the speed of the input shaft; a selection lever for selecting between one of park, neutral, drive, and reverse conditions for the transmission gear set, the shifter generating a condition signal, wherein a drive condition defines a plurality of forward gear combinations; a transmission controller which receives a plurality of input signals and generates a plurality of output signals, the output signals controlling the electric machine to vary the speed of the input shaft in order to synchronize engagement of the gears of the transmission and controlling the motors to mesh the gears for engagement, the transmission controller automatically operating the motors and the electric machine for a selected condition; and a shift state machine within the transmission controller, the shift state machine controlling changes from one state to another state, wherein the transmission is generally in one of a plurality of states which define a respective plurality of configurations of the transmission; wherein the shift state machine selects one of the plurality of states in accordance with at least one of whether the clutch is engaged, whether the transmission is in a predetermined, selected one of the plurality of gears, whether the transmission is synchronized, and whether the clutch is commanded to be engaged. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification