Controller of automatic transmission having a lockup clutch and control method of the automatic transmission

• US 6,036,619 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Fujitsuna, Masami, Kozaki, Tetsuji, Tashiro, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US08/948,938
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 477/109, 477/154, 477/64, 477/63, 477/65, 477/184, 477/83, 475/66
• US Class Current: 477/64
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/145 for controlling slip, e.g. approaching target slip value
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means

Abstract

A controller of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch and a control method of the automatic transmission, in which engine rotational speed is prevented from changing even though turbine rotational speed changes at gear shift and slip control can be carried out without making a driver feel uncomfortable are provided. When a speed change command is detected and it is determined that an inertia phase has not yet started, target engine rotational speed during a replenish period is calculated and the target engine rotational speed control is carried out to have the target engine rotational speed. When it is determined that the control is in the inertia phase, another target engine rotational speed during the inertia phase is calculated. Then, target engine rotational speed control in which the engine rotational speed at the start of the inertia phase is maintained as the target engine rotational speed is carried out.

Claims

1. A control device for an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch, the control device comprising:

slip quantity calculating means for calculating a slip quantity between an input shaft and an output shaft of a torque converter;

engaging force regulating means for regulating an engaging force of the lockup clutch disposed with the torque converter in parallel, so that slip control of the lockup clutch for controlling the slip quantity to a predetermined target slip quantity is carried out; and

detecting means for detecting a start of an inertia phase during a speed change of the automatic transmission;

wherein when the start of the inertia phase is detected by the detecting means, a target engine rotational speed is calculated according to one of an engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts and a value based on the engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts, and

a target engine rotational speed control is carried out so that the engine rotational speed is controlled to come close to the target engine rotational speed.

2. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 1, wherein the engaging force regulating means is for regulating the engaging force to effect target engine rotational speed control.

3. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 1, further comprising engine torque regulating means for regulating engine output torque to perform target engine rotational speed control.

4. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 1, wherein the target engine rotational speed control is completed when the engine rotational speed falls below a predetermined value calculated from the turbine rotational speed of the torque converter and the target slip quantity.

5. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 1, wherein the target engine rotational speed is set so that one of the engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts and the value based on the engine rotational speed when the inertial phase starts becomes uniform.

6. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 1, wherein the target engine rotational speed is controlled to be reduced at a predetermined slope from one of the engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts and the value based on the engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts.

7. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 6, further comprising slope setting means for setting the predetermined slope in response to an amount of engine torque.

8. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 6, further comprising slope setting means for setting the predetermined slope based on one of an engine rotational speed when a speed change command is detected and a turbine rotational speed of the torque converter.

9. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 6, further comprising slope setting means for setting the predetermined slope based on one of the engine rotational speed and turbine rotational speed of the torque converter at the start of the inertia phase.

10. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 6, further comprising slope setting means for setting the predetermined slope so that slopes of change in the engine rotational speed are substantially fixed.

11. A control device of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch according to claim 6, further comprising slope setting means for setting the predetermined slope so that time of change in the engine rotational speed is substantially fixed.

12. A control method of an automatic transmission having a lockup clutch, said method comprising:

regulating engaging force of the lockup clutch disposed with a torque converter in parallel; and

controlling slip quantity between an input shaft and an output shaft of the torque converter to a predetermined target slip quantity, wherein;

when a start of an inertia phase is detected during a speed change of the automatic transmission, a target engine rotational speed is calculated according to one of an engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts and a value based on the engine rotational speed when the inertia phase starts; and

a target engine rotational speed control for controlling engine rotational speed to come close to the target engine rotational speed.