Shift control system for continuously variable transmission

• US 6,513,610 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transtechnology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Jatco Transtechnology Limited
• Inventors: Hino, Akira, Ochiai, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHMANN, BRYAN R
• Application Number:
  US09/921,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 180/170, 180/171, 180/172, 180/173, 180/174, 180/175, 180/176, 180/177, 180/178, 180/179, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 701/93, 701/95, 701/96, 474/18, 474/28, 474/69, 474/70, 477/43, 477/44, 340/903, 342/69, 342/70
• US Class Current: 180/176
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/101 Infinitely variable gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/6644 dependent on control input parameters other than ambient conditions or driver's choice
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66259 using electrical or electronical sensing or control means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66272 characterised by means for controlling the torque transmitting capability of the gearing

Abstract

A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission CVT) has a gear ratio controller for controlling the gear ratio of CVT by determining a target gear ratio from a drive point determined on the basis of at least a throttle opening and a vehicle speed. The shift control system also has a vehicle distance controller for maintaining a proper vehicle distance by controlling the throttle opening of an engine. A shift speed control device provided in the gear ratio controller increases the shift speed from the shift speed established at the time the vehicle distance is not controlled by the vehicle distance controller, when the vehicle distance is controlled by the vehicle distance controller.

Claims

1. A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission which has a gear ratio control means for controlling a gear ratio of said continuously variable transmission by determining a target gear ratio from a drive point determined on the basis of at least a throttle opening and a vehicle speed, and a vehicle distance control means for maintaining a proper vehicle distance by controlling a throttle opening of an engine,

wherein said gear ratio control means includes a shift speed control device for making a shift speed higher than a shift speed established when a vehicle distance is not controlled, when a vehicle distance is controlled by said vehicle distance control means.

2. A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission according to claim 1,

wherein said shift speed control device is provided with a first shift speed map for setting a shift speed according to a deviation between a target gear ratio and an actual gear ratio when a vehicle distance is not controlled and a second shift speed map for setting a shift speed which is constant and higher than a shift speed at the time when a vehicle distance is not controlled, regardless of a deviation between a target gear ratio and an actual gear ratio when a vehicle distance is controlled.

3. A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission according to claim 1,

wherein said shift speed control device is equipped with a line pressure-correcting device for adding a correction line pressure to a line pressure for an ordinary control when performing a gear ratio control for increasing the shift speed.

4. A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission according to claim 1,

wherein said shift speed control device is equipped with a shift speed limiter for setting an upper limit of the shift speed at the time of obtaining a deceleration torque by lowering the gear ratio when the vehicle distance is controlled.

5. A shift control system for a continuously variable transmission according to any of claims 1 to 4,

wherein said gear ratio control means is provided with a target shift map for a vehicle distance control for determining a target gear ratio so that the gear ratio is set higher when the vehicle distance control means controls a vehicle distance, compared to the time when the vehicle distance control means does not control a vehicle distance.