Shift control device for vehicle and vehicle incorporating same

• US 8,306,711 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Osamu, Hatanaka, Kaoru, Miyagishi, Syunichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US11/901,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/55, 701/65, 180/282, 180/338, 477/37, 477/42, 477/64, 477/80, 477/84, 477/89, 477/91, 477/120
• US Class Current: 701/65
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/163 Holding the gear for delaying gear shifts under unfavorable conditions, e.g. during cornering
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/58 dependent on signals from the steering
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/16 Inhibiting or initiating shift during unfavourable conditions, e.g. preventing forward reverse shift at high vehicle speed, preventing engine over speed unintentional control input F16H61/18

Abstract

A vehicle is provided with a shift control device including a rolling angular velocity sensor for detecting a rolling angular velocity of a component of the vehicle, and a steering-angle angular velocity sensor for detecting a steering-angle angular velocity of a handlebar of the vehicle. The shift control device is operable to inhibit shifting of a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission during rolling operation of the vehicle when detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor respectively are equal to or greater than predetermined reference values.

Claims

1. In a two wheeled saddle-type vehicle having a steering handle, the improvement comprising a shift control device for controlling a gear ratio of a continuously variable automatic transmission mounted on the vehicle, said shift control device comprising:

a rolling angular velocity sensor configured to detect a rolling angular velocity of a body of the vehicle during vehicle operation; and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor configured to detect a steering-angle angular velocity of the steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle is configured to be operable for fast slalom traveling between obstacles;

and wherein the shift control device is configured to inhibit shifting of a gear ratio of the continuously variable automatic transmission when values of detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values.

2. A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein the rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position above a rear wheel at a rear portion of the vehicle.

3. A shift control device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit configured to store said references values of the rolling angular velocity and the steering-angle angular velocity.

4. A shift control device according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit configured to receive values of said detection signals;

and compares said values of respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

5. A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from a power unit of the vehicle.

6. A motorcycle comprising said shift control device of claim 1.

7. In a two wheeled saddle-type vehicle having a steering handle, the improvement comprising a shift control device for controlling a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission mounted on the vehicle, said shift control device comprising:

a rolling angular velocity sensor configured to detect a rolling angular velocity of a body of the vehicle during vehicle operation; and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor configured to detect a steering-angle angular velocity of the steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle is configured to be operable for fast slalom traveling between obstacles;

and wherein the shift control device maintains a gear ratio when values of detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values.

8. A shift control device according to claim 7, wherein the rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from an engine of the vehicle.

9. A shift control device according to claim 7, wherein said vehicle is a motorcycle.

10. A shift control device according to claim 9, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a position spaced away from an engine of the vehicle.

11. A shift control device according to claim 7, further comprising a memory unit configured to store said reference values of the rolling angular velocity and the steering-angle angular velocity.

12. A shift control device according to claim 7, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit configured to receive values of said detection signals;

and compare said values of respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

13. In a two wheeled saddle-type vehicle having a steering handle and a power unit including an engine and a continuously variable transmission joined to the engine, the improvement comprising a shift control device comprising:

an engine rotation speed sensor configured to detect rotational speed of the engine;

a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect traveling speed of the vehicle;

a rolling angular velocity sensor configured to detect a rolling angular velocity of a body of the vehicle during vehicle operation; and

a steering-angle angular velocity sensor configured to detect a steering-angle angular velocity of a steering handle of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle is configured to be operable for fast slalom traveling between obstacles;

and wherein, when detection signals from the rolling angular velocity sensor and the steering-angle angular velocity sensor are greater than or equal to respective reference values, and when each of the rotational speed of the engine and traveling speed of the vehicle has a positive value, the shift control device temporarily inhibits shifting of a gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission.

14. A shift control device according to claim 13, wherein said rolling angular velocity sensor is mounted at a position spaced away from the power unit.

15. A shift control device according to claim 13, wherein said power unit is disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body and said rolling angular velocity sensor is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle body.

16. A shift control device according to claim 13, further comprising an arithmetic operation unit configured to compare values of said respective detection signals with said respective reference values.

17. A shift control device according to claim 13, further comprising an actuator drive unit which is configured to inhibit shifting of said gear ratio.

18. A shift control device according to claim 17, wherein said actuator drive unit inhibits shifting of said gear ratio irrespective of said rotational speed of the engine.