CVT control system having variable power source speed

• US 8,554,428 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Hubbard, Milton Carter, Hoff, Brian Douglas, Rettig, Mark Edward, Juricak, Steven James
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUSTAFA, IMRAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/905,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 701/54, 701/51
• US Class Current: 701/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/101 Infinitely variable gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/088 Power split variators with summing differentials, with the input of the CVT connected or connectable to the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/04 the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/465 for achieving a target input speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/47 for achieving a target output speed

Abstract

A powertrain control system is disclosed. The powertrain control system may have a power source and a CVT coupled to an output of the power source. The powertrain control system may further have a controller in communication with the power source and the CVT. The controller may have a map with a plurality of speed modes, and, for at least one of the plurality of speed modes, the controller may be configured to vary an actual power source speed based on at least one of a CVT output speed or a ground speed.

Claims

1. A powertrain control system associated with a power source and a CVT coupled to an output of the power source, comprising:

a controller in communication with the power source and the CVT,

wherein the controller includes a map with a plurality of speed modes including at least a first speed mode and a second speed mode, the controller being configured to transition from the first speed mode to the second speed mode as a result of a ground speed exceeding a threshold speed, the map including a power source speed limit for the plurality of speed modes, wherein the power source speed limit of the first speed mode varies as a function of ground speed for a constant machine load,

the power source speed limit of the first speed mode for a constant machine load having;

a first value at zero ground speed, and

a second value at a ground speed greater than zero, wherein the first value is greater than the second value,

wherein for the first speed mode, the controller is configured to;

allow direct modulation of an actual power source speed up to, but not above, the power source speed limit via an operator input device.

2. The powertrain control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to scale the power source speed limit up based on an increase in the machine load.

3. The powertrain control system of claim 2, wherein the controller includes a third speed mode having a power source speed limit, and the power source speed limit of the third speed mode increases as a function of increasing ground speed at a constant machine load, a power source speed limit of the second speed mode staying constant as a function of increasing ground speed at a constant machine load.

4. The powertrain control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to vary the actual power source speed directly as a function of the ground speed when the controller implements the third speed mode.

5. The powertrain control system of claim 4, wherein the operator input device is configured to control an output torque of the CVT when the controller implements the third speed mode.

6. The powertrain control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to transition from the second speed mode to the third speed mode as a result of the ground speed exceeding a second threshold speed, wherein the controller is configured to set the second threshold speed at one of a lower threshold speed or an upper threshold speed as a function of at least one of a machine acceleration or a degree of operator input device actuation.

7. The powertrain control system of claim 1, wherein the CVT further includes a mechanical transmission operated in parallel with a hydrostatic transmission, and the mechanical transmission has a plurality of discrete gear ratios, each of the plurality of discrete gear ratios being associated with one of the plurality of speed modes.

8. The powertrain control system of claim 1, further including a speed sensor disposed on the CVT, the speed sensor being configured to measure a CVT output speed, and the controller being configured to calculate the ground speed based on the CVT output speed.

9. A machine, comprising:

a power source;

a traction device;

a CVT including a mechanical transmission and a hydrostatic transmission, the CVT coupled to transmit output of the power source to the traction device;

a speed sensor located on an output of the CVT, the speed sensor being configured to measure a CVT output speed; and

a controller in communication with the power source and the CVT, wherein the controller includes a map with a plurality of speed modes including at least a first speed mode, a second speed mode, and a third speed mode, the controller being configured to transition from the first speed mode to the second speed mode as a result of a CVT output speed exceeding a threshold speed, the map including a power source speed limit for the plurality of speed modes, wherein the power source speed limit of the first speed mode varies as a function of CVT output speed for a constant machine load,

the power source speed limit of the first speed mode for a constant machine load having;

a first value at zero CVT output speed, and

a second value at a CVT output speed greater than zero, wherein the first value is greater than the second value, and

wherein the controller is configured to scale the power source speed limit up based on an increase in the machine load, and

wherein for the third speed mode, the controller is configured to increase an actual power source speed directly as a function of an increase in the CVT output speed.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the map includes a power source speed limit for each of the plurality of speed modes.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein for the first speed mode, the controller is configured to:

allow direct modulation of the actual power source speed up to the power source speed limit via an operator input device.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein an entire power source speed limit curve scales down based on a decrease in the machine load.

13. The machine of claim 10, wherein the first speed mode is a low-speed mode, the second speed mode is a mid-speed mode, and the third speed mode is a high-speed mode, the power source speed limit of the low speed mode decreasing as a function of ground speed, wherein the power source speed limit of the mid-speed mode is constant as a function of ground speed.

14. A powertrain control system associated with an engine and a CVT coupled to an output of the engine, comprising:

a controller in communication with the engine and the CVT, wherein the controller includes a map with a plurality of speed modes including a first speed mode and a second speed mode, the controller being configured to transition from the first speed mode to the second speed mode when a ground speed exceeds a threshold speed, the map including a power source speed limit for the plurality of speed modes, wherein the power source speed limit of the first speed mode varies as a function of ground speed for a constant machine load,

the engine speed limit of the first speed mode for a constant machine load having;

a first value at zero ground speed, and

a second value at a ground speed greater than zero, wherein the first value is greater than the second value,

wherein the controller is configured to scale the power source speed limit up based on an increase in the machine load,

and wherein for the first speed mode the controller is configured to allow direct modulation of the actual engine speed up to, but not above, the power source speed limit via an operator input device.

15. The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the map includes an engine speed limit for each of the plurality of speed modes, the plurality of speed modes further including a third speed mode.

16. The powertrain control system of claim 15, wherein the engine speed limit of the third speed mode increases as a function of increasing ground speed at a constant machine load.

17. The powertrain control system of claim 16, wherein the operator input device is configured to control an output torque of the CVT when the controller implements the third speed mode.

18. The powertrain control system of claim 17, wherein the CVT further includes a mechanical transmission operated in parallel with a hydrostatic transmission, and the mechanical transmission has a plurality of discrete gear ratios, each of the plurality of discrete gear ratios being associated with one of the plurality of speed modes.

19. The powertrain control system of claim 18, further including a speed sensor disposed on the CVT, the speed sensor being configured to measure the CVT output speed.

20. The powertrain control system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to calculated the ground speed based on the CVT output speed.