Transmission control device and method for working vehicle

• US 8,565,985 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Tomohiro, Yamamoto, Shigeru, Shimada, Kenjiro
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US12/675,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20100256877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/51, 701/52, 701/53, 701/54, 701/61, 701/62, 701/64, 701/67, 701/68, 701/79, 701/84, 701/87, 701/90, 701/95, 701/110, 701/34.2, 701/1, 701/48, 701/57, 123/350, 477/43, 477/70, 477/92, 477/122, 477/125, 477/176, 477/8, 743/35, 74/60, 192/218, 290/45
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/146 for smoothing gear shift shock
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/48 Inputs being a function of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0437 by using electrical signals F16H61/0403 and F16H61/061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism

Abstract

A transmission control device includes a load increase rate computation portion and a transmission control portion. The load increase rate computation portion is configured to compute an increase rate of a load acting on the work vehicle. The transmission control portion is configured to shift a high-speed gear down to a low-speed gear with producing a lock-up state in which a lock-up clutch is engaged when the load increase rate is less than a load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear, and producing a torque converter state in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged when the load increase rate is equal to or greater than the load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear.

Claims

1. A transmission control device of a work vehicle composed of an engine, a travel device and a power transmission unit, the power transmission unit including a torque converter, a lock-up clutch and a transmission, the power transmission unit being configured to transmit an output of the engine to the travel device via either the torque converter or the lock-up clutch, and subsequently via the transmission, the transmission control device being configured to shift a high-speed gear of the transmission down to a low-speed gear in accordance with reduction in a vehicle speed, the transmission control device comprising:

a load increase rate computation portion configured to compute an increase rate of a load acting on the work vehicle; and

a transmission control portion configured to selectively

shift the high-speed gear in a torque converter state, in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged, down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state via the low-speed gear in a lock-up state, in which the lock-up clutch is engaged, when the load increase rate is less than a load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear, and

shift the high-speed gear in the torque converter state down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state while skipping the low-speed gear in the lock-up state when the load increase rate is equal to or greater than the load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear.

3. The transmission control device of a work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the transmission control portion is configured to shift a second speed in the torque converter state to a first speed in the lock-up state when the load increase rate is less than the load increase rate threshold in shifting the second speed down to the first speed, and

the transmission control portion is configured to shift the second speed in the torque converter state to a first speed in the torque converter state when the load increase rate is equal to or greater than the load increase rate threshold in shifting the second speed down to the first speed.

2. A transmission control device of a work vehicle composed of an engine, a travel device and a power transmission unit, the power transmission unit including a torque converter, a lock-up clutch and a transmission, the power transmission unit being configured to transmit an output of the engine to the travel device via either the torque converter or the lock-up clutch and subsequently via the transmission, the transmission control device being configured to shift a high-speed gear of the transmission down to a low-speed gear in accordance with reduction in a vehicle speed, the transmission control device comprising:

an acceleration detection portion configured to detect a reduction rate of a speed of the work vehicle; and

a transmission control portion configured to selectively

shift the high-speed gear in a torque converter state, in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged, down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state via the low-speed gear in a lock-up state, in which the lock-up clutch is engaged, when the vehicle speed reduction rate is less than a vehicle speed reduction rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear, and

shift the high-speed gear in the torque converter state down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state while skipping the low-speed gear in the lock-up state when the vehicle speed reduction rate is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed reduction rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear.

4. The transmission control device of a work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the transmission control portion is configured to shift a second speed in the torque converter state to a first speed in the lock-up state when the vehicle speed reduction rate is less than the vehicle speed reduction rate threshold in shifting the second speed down to the first speed, and

the transmission control portion is configured to shift the second speed in the torque converter state to a first speed in the torque converter state when the vehicle speed reduction rate is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed reduction rate threshold in shifting the second speed down to the first speed.

5. A transmission control method for controlling a transmission of a work vehicle in which an output of an engine is transmitted to a travel device via either a torque converter or a lock-up clutch, and subsequently via a transmission, where a high-speed gear of the transmission is configured to be shifted down to a low-speed gear in accordance with reduction in a vehicle speed, the transmission control method comprising:

computing, via a load increase rate computation portion, an increase rate of a load acting on the work vehicle; and

shifting the high-speed gear in a torque converter state, in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged, down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state via the low-speed gear in a lock-up state, in which the lock-up clutch is engaged, when the increase rate of the load acting on the work vehicle is less than a load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear, and shifting the high-speed gear in the torque converter state down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state while skipping the low-speed gear in the lock-up state when the increase rate of the load acting on the work vehicle is equal to or greater than the load increase rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear.

6. A transmission control method for controlling a transmission of a work vehicle in which an output of an engine is transmitted to a travel device via either a torque converter or a lock-up clutch, and subsequently via a transmission, where a high-speed gear of the transmission is shifted down to a low-speed gear in accordance with reduction in a vehicle speed, the transmission control method comprising:

computing, via an acceleration detection portion, a reduction rate of speed of the work vehicle; and

shifting the high-speed gear in a torque converter state, in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged, down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state via the low-speed gear in a lock-up state in which the lock-up clutch is engaged when the reduction rate of the speed of the work vehicle is less than a vehicle speed reduction rate threshold in shifting the high-speed gear down to the low-speed gear, and shifting the high-speed gear in the torque converter state down to the low-speed gear in the torque converter state while skipping the low-speed gear in the lock-up state when the reduction ratio of the speed of the work vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed reduction ratio threshold in shifting the high- speed gear down to the low-speed gear.