Automated transmission systems

• US 7,123,998 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
• Inventors: Pollak, Burkhard, Song, In Ho, Rieger, Christian, Bates, Ian Richard Joseph, Park, Youngkeun
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/758,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/70, 701/74, 701/79, 701/93, 701/29, 701/34, 701/35, 324/161.165, 324/166, 324/173, 324/207.2, 324/207.25, 340/441, 340/670, 340/672
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/06 acting otherwise than on tread, e.g. employing rim, drum, disc, or transmission or on double wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18109 Braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0425 Bridging torque interruption
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0496 for low engine torque, e.g. during coasting, sailing or engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2312/04 Holding or hillholding
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/04 Smoothing ratio shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/21 Providing engine brake control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/22 Locking of the control input devices constructional features of locking or disabling mechanisms F16H63/34

Abstract

An automated transmission system includes a transmission brake which is used to apply a braking torque to the transmission, while the engine torque is negative and a transmission clutch is disengaged to effect a gear downshift, in order to avoid acceleration of the vehicle when the clutch is released and abrupt deceleration of the vehicle upon completion of the gear downshift.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting the direction of movement of a vehicle on starting from rest, comprising:

a plurality of vehicle speed sensors, said vehicle speed sensors each producing a pulsed signal, the frequency of the pulses corresponding to the speed of the vehicle, characterized in that the pulses of one sensor are out of phase with those of another sensor by less than half the frequency of the pulses, the pattern of pulses produced by the sensors at start-up of the vehicle being compared to the pattern of pulses when the vehicle last came to rest.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle speed sensors are associated with each of the wheels of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein two vehicle speed sensors are associated with a common component of a vehicle transmission system, the sensors being arranged to produce pulsed signals which are out of phase.