Power transfer system including power-interrupt auto-manual transmission, secondary power source of stored fluid pressure, and electronic throttle controls

• US 6,135,913 A
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Lyon, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parekh, Ankur
• Application Number:
  US09/453,016
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 477/2, 477/5, 477/6, 477/107, 477/109, 477/113, 74/661, 74/730.1, 74/731.1, 74/732.1, 74/733.1, 74/335, 180/165, 180/305, 180/307, 60/413, 91/5
• US Class Current: 477/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0433 by torque supply with an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/02 the fluid gearing being of the volumetric type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0403 Synchronisation before shifting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/4096 with pressure accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19014 : Plural prime movers selectively coupled to common output
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19163 : with interrelated controls

Abstract

A power transfer system for a vehicle having a power source and a driveline, the power transfer system including a power-interrupt auto-manual transmission, a hydraulic actuator and a source of stored fluid pressure into a conventional power-interrupt auto-manual transmission to provide the driveline with a secondary drive torque during a segment of the shifting cycle. Electronic throttle controls are preferably employed to regulate engine speed during the shifting cycle so as to eliminate the need for fuel interrupt schemes and to maintain a constant engine speed.

Claims

1. A power transfer system for a vehicle having a power source providing a source of input torque and a driveline, said power transfer system comprising:

a power-interrupt auto-manual transmission adapted for connection with said power source and said driveline to provide said driveline with a first input torque, said power-interrupt auto-manual transmission including a plurality of gear ratios for controlling a speed of said vehicle and means for interrupting the distribution of said first input torque to said driveline during a shift between said gear ratios;

engine throttle controls for controlling a delivery of air to said power source and controlling a rotational speed of said power source during at least a portion of said shift, said engine throttle controls being adapted for substantially maintaining said rotational speed during said shift; and

an apparatus having a source of stored fluid pressure, said apparatus adapted for connection with said driveline and releasing said stored fluid pressure to provide a second input torque to said driveline during at least a portion of said shift.

2. The power transfer system of claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a hydraulic motor.

3. The power transfer system of claim 2, wherein said source of stored fluid pressure is a hydraulic accumulator.

4. The power transfer system of claim 2, further comprising a valve, an actuator and a controller, said valve operable in a closed condition for inhibiting fluid communication between said source of stored fluid pressure and said hydraulic motor, said valve further operable in an open condition for permitting fluid communication between said source of stored fluid pressure and said hydraulic motor, said actuator coupled to said valve and operable for positioning said valve in said open and closed condition in response to a valve position signal generated by said controller.

5. The power transfer system of claim 2, wherein said hydraulic motor includes an output gear meshingly engaging an input gear coupled to an output shaft of said power-interrupt auto-manual transmission and transmitting said second input torque therebetween.

6. A power transfer system for a vehicle having a power source providing a source of input torque and a driveline, said power transfer system comprising:

a power-interrupt auto-manual transmission adapted for connection with said power source and said driveline to provide said driveline with a first input torque, said power-interrupt auto-manual transmission including a plurality of gear ratios for controlling a speed of said vehicle and means for interrupting the distribution of said first input torque, to said driveline during a shift between said gear ratios; and

an apparatus having an accumulator, a hydraulic motor a valve, an actuator, a controller and engine throttle controls, said accumulator fluidly coupled to said hydraulic motor, said valve operable in a closed condition for inhibiting fluid communication between said accumulator and said hydraulic motor, said valve further operable in an open condition for permitting fluid communication between said accumulator and said hydraulic motor, said actuator coupled to said valve and operable for positioning said valve in said open and closed condition in response to a valve position signal generated by said controller, said accumulator selectively releasing stored fluid pressure to said hydraulic motor to provide a second input torque to said driveline during at least a portion of said shift, said controller controlling said engine throttle controls to control a delivery of air to said power source during at least a portion of said shift to control a rotational speed of said power source, said engine throttle controls being adapted for substantially maintaining said rotational speed during said shift.

7. The power transfer system of claim 6, wherein said hydraulic motor includes an output gear meshingly engaging an input gear coupled to an output shaft of said power-interrupt auto-manual transmission and transmitting said second input torque therebetween.