Speed change system for work vehicle

• US 8,798,878 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Umemoto, Susumu, Mukai, Hisao, Ichikawa, Nobushige, Matsuzaki, Yushi, Inamori, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US13/889,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/56, 475/207, 475/275, 475/276, 743/35, 744/733.3, 743/36.R, 747/331, 746/06.R, 745/022
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/101 Infinitely variable gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/196 acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/00 Use of speed-sensing governors to control combustion engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/363 Rate of change of input shaft speed, e.g. of engine or motor shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/366 Engine or motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/6615 Imitating a stepped transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/421 Motor capacity control by electro-hydraulic control means, e.g. using solenoid valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/431 Pump capacity control by electro-hydraulic control means, e.g. using solenoid valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/47 for achieving a target output speed

Abstract

A speed change system for work vehicle having a continuously variable transmission device selects a first change gear ratio which is set larger than a smallest change gear ratio, when an engine rotational speed is a first set rotational speed which is set equal or close to an idling rotational speed of an engine; retains the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device at the smallest change gear ratio, when the engine rotational speed is equal to or above a second set rotational speed set on a high-speed side relative to the first set rotational speed; and makes the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device larger between the first change gear ratio and the smallest change gear ratio, as the engine rotational speed at that moment becomes lower, when the engine rotational speed is between the first and second set rotational speeds.

Claims

1. A speed change system for a work vehicle having a continuously variable transmission device comprising:

an engine rotational speed detector configured to detect an engine rotational speed; and

a vehicle speed control unit configured to control a change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device based on the rotational speed detected by the engine rotational speed detector,

wherein the vehicle speed control unit is configured to calculate a preliminary change gear ratio with a process comprising the steps of;

(a) when the engine rotational speed is a first set rotational speed which is set to a rotational speed equal or close to an idling rotational speed of an engine, selecting a first preliminary change gear ratio which is set to a change gear ratio larger than a smallest change gear ratio as the preliminary change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device;

(b) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed which is equal to or above a second set rotational speed which is set on a high-speed side relative to the first set rotational speed, retaining the preliminary change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device at the smallest change gear ratio; and

(c) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed between the first set rotational speed and the second set rotational speed, making the preliminary change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device larger between the first preliminary change gear ratio and the smallest change gear ratio, as the engine rotational speed at that moment becomes low, and

wherein the vehicle speed control unit is configured to control the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device for bringing an actual rotational speed into agreement with a target rotational speed obtained based on the calculated preliminary change gear ratio.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second set rotational speed is a rotational speed at which the engine outputs a maximum torque.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second set rotational speed is a rotational speed which is equal or close to a rated rotational speed of the engine.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed change step detector configured to detect a speed change step of a stepped transmission device having a speed change step for working and a speed change step for moving,

wherein;

when the speed change step of the stepped transmission device is the speed change step for working, the second set rotational speed becomes a rotational speed at which the engine outputs a maximum torque; and

when the speed change step of the stepped transmission device is the speed change step for moving, the second set rotational speed becomes a rotational speed equal or close to a rated rotational speed of the engine.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle speed control unit corrects the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device corresponding to the engine rotational speed, based on the smallest change gear ratio set for the continuously variable transmission device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed larger than zero, the continuously variable transmission device is controlled so as not to become neutral.

7. A speed change system for a work vehicle having a continuously variable transmission device comprising:

an engine rotational speed detector configured to detect an engine rotational speed; and

a vehicle speed control unit configured to control a change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device based on the rotational speed detected by the engine rotational speed detector,

wherein the vehicle speed control unit is configured to set a temporary change gear ratio for obtaining a target rotational speed based on the detected rotational speed, with a process comprising the steps of;

(a) when the engine rotational speed is a first set rotational speed which is set to a rotational speed equal or close to an idling rotational speed of an engine, selecting a first temporary change gear ratio larger than a smallest change gear ratio as a temporary change gear ratio;

(b) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed which is equal to or above a second set rotational speed which is set on a high-speed side relative to the first set rotational speed, retaining the temporary change gear ratio at the smallest change gear ratio; and

(c) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed between the first set rotational speed and the second set rotational speed, making the temporary change gear ratio larger between the first change gear ratio and the smallest change gear ratio, as the engine rotational speed at that moment becomes low, and

wherein the vehicle speed control unit is configured to calculate the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device for bringing an actual rotational speed into agreement with the target rotational speed obtained based on the set temporary change gear ratio, and to control the continuously variable transmission device at the calculated change gear ratio.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

an operation position detecting device configured to output a required change gear ratio to the continuously variable transmission device based on an operation position of a speed change operation tool,

wherein based on the required change gear speed ratio from the operation position detecting device, the temporary change gear ratio is adjusted and increased, as the required change gear speed ratio is increased.

9. A speed change system for a work vehicle having a continuously variable transmission device comprising:

an engine rotational speed detector configured to detect an engine rotational speed; and

a vehicle speed control unit configured to control a change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device based on the rotational speed detected by the engine rotational speed detector,

wherein the vehicle speed control unit controls the change gear ratio with a process comprising;

(a) when the engine rotational speed is a first set rotational speed which is set to a rotational speed equal or close to an idling rotational speed of an engine, selecting a first change gear ratio which is set to a change gear ratio larger than a smallest change gear ratio as the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device;

(b) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed which is equal to or above a second set rotational speed which is set on a high-speed side relative to the first set rotational speed, retaining the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device at the smallest change gear ratio; and

(c) when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed between the first set rotational speed and the second set rotational speed, making the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device larger between the first change gear ratio and the smallest change gear ratio, as the engine rotational speed at that moment becomes low, and

wherein the second set rotational speed is switchable between a first setting state for setting the second set rotational speed to a rotational speed at which the engine outputs a maximum torque, and a second setting state for setting the second set rotational speed to a rotational speed which is equal or close to a rated rotational speed of the engine.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a speed change step detector configured to detect a speed change step of a stepped transmission device having a speed change step for working and a speed change step for moving,

wherein;

when the speed change step of the stepped transmission device is the speed change step for working, the second set rotational speed is switched to the first setting state; and

when the speed change step of the stepped transmission device is the speed change step for moving, the second set rotational speed is switched to the second setting state.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a change gear ratio setting unit configured to set the smallest change gear ratio,

wherein the vehicle speed control unit corrects the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device corresponding to the engine rotational speed, based on an output from the change gear ratio setting unit.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein when the engine rotational speed is a rotational speed larger than zero, the change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission device is controlled based on an output from the engine rotational speed detector.