Apparatus and method for active transmission synchronization and shifting

• US 6,319,168 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Snyder, Bryan R., Kidston, Kevin S., Morris, Robert L., Sarbacker, Shawn D., Chhaya, Sunil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US09/557,166
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 477/5, 477/3
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• 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 2710/1011 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0422 by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/126 using an electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0437 by using electrical signals F16H61/0403 and F16H61/061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A propulsion system designed for hybrid vehicle'"'"'s utilizing a first torque path from a coupled motor generator system and internal combustion engine through and automatically shifted manual transmission having a secondary torque path from a secondary torque source to the wheels. The system incorporates the high-efficiency of a manual transmission with the smoothness of the most advanced automatic transmissions by utilizing a second torque path to maintain driver requested torque during shifts. The system is also capable of performing shifts without opening the clutch by utilizing active synchronization of the input shaft RPM combined with the force control of the shifting actuator. This results in fast and smooth shifts that disengage and reengage without unpleasant torque pulsations.

Claims

1. The method of providing a propulsion force for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) providing a first driving force to at least one wheel of said hybrid vehicle, said first driving force being generated by an internal combustion engine coupled to an automated manual transmission;

b) anticipating torque drop-offs or oscillations associated with the shifting of said automated manual transmission; and

c) providing a second driving force to said wheel, said second driving force prevents said torque drop-offs or oscillations.

2. The method of providing a propulsion force for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) providing a first driving force to at least one wheel of said hybrid vehicle, said first driving force being generated by an internal combustion engine coupled to an automated manual transmission;

b) anticipating torque drop-offs or oscillations associated with the shifting of said automated manual transmission; and

c) providing a second driving force to another wheel of said hybrid vehicle, said second driving force prevents said torque drop-offs or oscillations.

3. The method of providing a driving force to a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) utilizing a first torque path for providing a driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle; and

b) utilizing a second torque path for providing a supplemental driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle, said second torque path being activated during a shift sequence of an automated manual transmission.

4. The method of providing a driving force to a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) using, ramp profiles to modify the sum torque applied to an input shaft by at least two propulsion systems; and

b) combining the properties of said propulsion systems into a single value, said value being an optimal condition for modifying the sum torque applied to said input shaft.

5. The method of shifting a transmission of a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) combining the torque force of an internal combustion engine and a motor/generator system in order to provide active speed synchronization to an input shaft of a transmission wherein said input shaft remains coupled to said internal combustion engine during said active speed synchronization of said input shaft.

6. The method as in claim 5, further comprising:

b) calculating a speed target for said input shaft during said speed synchronization.

7. The method as in claim 6, further comprising:

c) Applying a torque force to said input shaft in order to cause said input shaft to reach said speed target.

8. The method as in claim 7, further comprising:

d) calculating an offset value; and

e) modifying said speed target by a value equal to said offset value, said modified speed target prevents and proper meshing of a pair of the gears of a transmission.

9. The method as in claim 8, further comprising:

f) a first propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle;

g) a second propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to another wheel of said vehicle;

h) a second propulsion system controller for actuating said second propulsion system; and

i) a system controller for actuating said first propulsion system and providing command request to said second propulsion control system, said system controller utilizes a control algorithm for determining the necessary commands to be provided to said first and second propulsion systems so as to provide said hybrid vehicle with a continuous driving force.

10. A propulsion system for use in a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) a first propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle;

b) a second propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to another wheel of said vehicle;

c) a second propulsion system controller for actuating said second propulsion system; and

d) a system controller for actuating said first propulsion system and providing command request to said second propulsion control system, said system controller utilizes a control algorithm for determining the necessary commands to be provided to said first and second propulsion systems so as to provide said hybrid vehicle with a continuous driving force.

11. The propulsion system as in claim 10, wherein said second propulsion system comprises:

i) an internal combustion engine providing a driving force to an automated manual transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft, said output shaft being configured, dimensioned and positioned to provide a driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle.

12. The propulsion system as in claim 11, further comprising:

e) a motor/generator system being coupled to said input shaft at a first position and said input shaft being coupled to said internal combustion engine at a second position, said second position being remote from said first position, said motor/generator system is configured to provide a driving force to said input shaft or in the alternative receive a driving force from said input shaft.

13. The propulsion system as in claim 12, wherein said motor/generator system provides a torque force to said input shaft in order to facilitate the shifting of said transmission without decoupling said input shaft from said internal combustion engine.

14. The propulsion system as in claim 12, wherein said motor/generator system generates an electrical charge to be utilized by said hybrid vehicle.

15. The propulsion system as in claim 12, wherein said system controller utilizes a computer algorithm in order to determine the torque force to applied to said input shaft in order to facilitate the shifting of said transmission.

19. The propulsion system as in claim 13, wherein said first propulsion system is an electric traction drive for providing a continuous torque output to at least one wheel of said vehicle, and said system controller instincts said first propulsion system to increase and/or decrease the continuous torque output of said first propulsion system in order to provide said hybrid vehicle with the continuous driving force.

16. A propulsion system for use in a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a) a first propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to at least one wheel of said vehicle;

b) a second propulsion system being configured and positioned to provide a driving force to another wheel of said vehicle;

c) a second propulsion system controller for actuating said second propulsion system; and

d) a system controller for actuating said first propulsion system and providing command request to said second propulsion control system, said system controller utilizes a control algorithm for determining the necessary commands to be provided to said first and second propulsion systems so as to provide said hybrid vehicle with a continuous driving force.

17. The propulsion system as in claim 16, wherein said second propulsion system comprises:

i) an internal combustion engine providing a driving force to an automated manual transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft, said output shaft being configured, dimensioned and positioned to provide a driving force to said second set of wheels.

18. The propulsion system as in claim 17, wherein said first propulsion system is an electric traction drive for providing a continuous torque output to said first set of wheels, and said system controller instructs said first propulsion system to increase and/or decrease the continuous torque output of said first propulsion system in order to provide said hybrid vehicle with the continuous driving force.