Engine economizing vehicle shifting system and method

• US 6,314,801 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Luis Alberto Garcia Reggiardo
• Original Assignee: Luis Alberto Garcia Reggiardo
• Inventors: Reggiardo, Luis Alberto Garcia
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, MAURICE E
• Application Number:
  US09/312,397
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 731/29, 731/181, 731/12, 731/16, 748/66, 748/46
• US Class Current: 73/112.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/366 Engine or motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/38 of gearing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/54 dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/20 Preventing gear creeping ; Transmission control during standstill, e.g. hill hold control

Abstract

A system and associated method of economizing engine operation by automatically shifting the transmission of a motorized vehicle into a neutral gear from a drive gear when specific, predetermined conditions of the vehicle concurrently exist. A first sensing assembly is designed and structured to monitor and determine the engine speed of the vehicle in terms of RPM. A second sensing assembly is designed and structured to monitor and determine the braking condition of the vehicle at least to the extent that the brakes are applied. A transmission control assembly is operatively connected to the transmission of the vehicle and is-structured to shift the vehicle transmission from a lower drive gear to the neutral gear when the first predetermined condition relating to engine speed of the vehicle and the second predetermined condition relating to the braking mode of the vehicle concurrently exist. Absence of either of the aforementioned of predetermined conditions will prevent the automatic shifting of the transmission into the neutral gear. In addition, once the transmission of the vehicle has been automatically shifted into the neutral gear it will automatically shift back into a low drive gear when either or both of the predetermined first and second conditions fail to concurrently exist. An activation assembly as well as safety measures are incorporated to allow for selective, manual activation/de-activation and automatic de-activation upon the occurrence of certain events and/or driving conditions.

Claims

1. An engine economizing system for the motor of a vehicle comprising:

a) a first sensing system structured to determine a vehicle engine speed,

b) a second sensing assembly structured to determine a braking condition of a braking system of the vehicle,

c) a transmission control assembly operatively connected to a transmission of the vehicle and structured to cause automatic shifting of the vehicle transmission only between a neutral gear and a lowest drive gear,

d) both said first and second sensing assemblies further structured to respectively generate a first activating signal and a second activating signal upon the existence of a first predetermined condition of the vehicle engine speed and a second predetermined condition of the braking system,

e) said first predetermined condition comprising the vehicle engine speed being at or below a predetermined RPM and said second predetermined condition comprising the braking condition exceeding a predetermined limit,

f) said transmission control assembly being responsive to both said first and second sensing assemblies and structured to automatically shift the vehicle transmission from the lowest drive gear to the neutral gear upon receipt of both said first and second activating signals,

g) said transmission control assembly further structured to automatically maintain the transmission of the vehicle in the neutral gear as long as both said first and second predetermined conditions concurrently exist,

h) said transmission control assembly structured to automatically shift the vehicle transmission back from the neutral gear only to the lowest drive gear when either of said first and second activating signals are not received, and

i) said transmission control assembly further structured to prevent automatic shifting back from the neutral gear to the lowest drive gear when the vehicle transmission is first manually shifted and not automatically shifted into the neutral gear.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said second sensing assembly is structured to determine a position of a brake pedal upon activation of the vehicle braking system and said second predetermined condition is at least partially defined by said brake pedal being depressed below a predetermined height.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said second sensing assembly is structured to determine a brake fluid pressure during activation of the vehicle braking system and said second predetermined condition is at least partially defined by said brake fluid pressure rising above a predetermined level.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said second sensing assembly is structured to determine pressure exerted on a brake pedal upon activation of the vehicle braking system and said second predetermined condition is at least partially defined by said pressure exerted on said brake pedal exceeding a predetermined level.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an actuation assembly structured to selectively actuate or de-actuate said shifting system upon manual operation thereof.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 further comprising an auxiliary activation assembly structured to sense an orientation of the vehicle and automatically de-activate said shifting system dependent on predetermined vehicle orientation parameters.

7. A system as recited in claim 5 further comprising an auxiliary activation assembly structured to sense physical movement of a shift lever of the vehicle and automatically de-activate said shifting system dependent on predetermined shift level position parameters.

8. A system as recited in claim 5 further comprising an auxiliary activation assembly structured to sense the physical speed of the vehicle and automatically de-activate said shifting system dependent on predetermined vehicle speed or parameters.

9. An engine economizing motor vehicle shifting system comprising:

a) a first sensing assembly structured to determine a vehicle engine speed,

b) a second sensing assembly structured to determine the vehicle braking mode,

c) a transmission control assembly operatively connected to the vehicle transmission and structured to cause shifting of the vehicle transmission between a neutral gear and a drive gear,

d) both said first and said second sensing assemblies further structured to respectively generate a first activating signal and a second activating signal upon the existence of a first predetermined condition of said engine speed and a second predetermined condition of said braking mode,

e) said transmission control assembly being responsive to both said first and second sensing assemblies and structured to automatically shift the vehicle transmission from the drive gear to the neutral gear upon receipt of both said first and said second activating signals,

f) said transmission control assembly structured to automatically shift the vehicle transmission back from the neutral gear to the drive gear when either of said first and second activating signals are not received, and

g) said transmission control assembly further structured to prevent automatic shifting back from the neutral gear to the drive gear when the vehicle transmission was first manually shifted and not automatically shifted into the neutral gear.

10. A method of economizing operation of a vehicle engine and minimizing wear on a vehicle transmission, said method comprising the steps of:

a) sensing an engine speed of a vehicle powered by the vehicle engine;

b) determining if the engine speed is at or below a predetermined RPM;

c) sensing a braking condition of a braking system of the vehicle;

d) determining if the braking condition exceeds a predetermined limit including identifying an extent to which the braking system is activated;

e) shifting the vehicle transmission automatically from a lowest drive gear to a neutral gear when both the engine speed is at or below the predetermined RPM and the braking condition exceeds the predetermined limit;

f) automatically maintaining the vehicle transmission in the neutral gear as long as both the engine speed is at or below the predetermined RPM and the braking condition exceeds the predetermined limit;

g) shifting the vehicle transmission automatically back from the neutral gear only to the lowest drive gear when either the engine speed exceeds the predetermined RPM or the braking condition is less than a predetermined limit, and

h) shifting the vehicle transmission automatically from the neutral gear only to the lowest drive gear if the vehicle transmission was first automatically shifted into the neutral gear due to the occurrence of both the engine speed being at or below the predetermined RPM and the braking condition exceeding the predetermined limit.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of identifying the extent to which said braking system is activated further comprises determining if a brake pedal of the braking system is below a predetermined height.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of identifying the extent to which said braking system is activated further comprises determining if a brake fluid pressure of the braking system is above a predetermined level.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising selectively adjusting the predetermined RPM.