Automatic transmissions and methods therefor

• US 9,739,375 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enviolo BV
• Original Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC (Fallbrook Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vasiliotis, Christopher M., McDaniel, Loren T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US15/012,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20160146342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/14 with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/16 built in, or adjacent to, the ground-wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 15/52 in which a member of uniform effective diameter mounted on a shaft may co-operate with different parts of another member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66 specially adapted for continuously variable gearings control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6645 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed and torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/6646 controlling shifting exclusively as a function of speed

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling transmissions and associated vehicles, machines, equipment, etc., are disclosed. In one case, a transmission control system includes a control unit configured to use a sensed vehicle speed and a commanded, target constant input speed to maintain an input speed substantially constant. The system includes one or more maps that associate a speed ratio of a transmission with a vehicle speed. In one embodiment, one such map associates an encoder position with a vehicle speed. Regarding a specific application, an automatic bicycle transmission shifting system is contemplated. An exemplary automatic bicycle includes a control unit, a shift actuator, various sensors, and a user interface. The control unit is configured to cooperate with a logic module and an actuator controller to control the cadence of a rider. In one embodiment, a memory of, or in communication with, the control unit includes one or more constant cadence maps that associate transmission speed ratios with bicycle speeds.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a ball-planetary continuously variable transmission (CVT) on a bicycle comprising a controller, the ball-planetary CVT having a plurality of balls, each ball being rotatable about a tiltable axle, the angle of the axle defining a transmission ratio, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user, an input selecting one of a manual mode and an automatic mode;

if the received input is associated with the manual mode, performing, using the controller, the steps of

receiving an input associated with an increase or a decrease of the transmission ratio, and

communicating a signal to tilt the angle of the axle to increase or decrease the transmission ratio; and

if the received input is associated with the automatic mode, performing, using the controller, the steps of

receiving from the user, an input associated with a target user pedaling speed,

determining, using the controller, a present transmission ratio, and

tilting the angle of the axle to adjust the present transmission ratio of the CVT to a target transmission ratio, wherein the target user pedaling speed is maintained substantially constant over a range of output speeds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tilting the angle of the axle comprises tilting the angle of the axle to maintain a present user pedaling speed within a band of the target user pedaling speed based upon the target user pedaling speed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 10 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 5 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising commanding a motor to move to the determined encoder position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the present transmission ratio of the CVT comprises determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed and a determined speed of the bicycle.

8. A bicycle having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) having a plurality of tiltable power transmitting balls, each ball being rotatable about a tiltable axle, the angle of the axle defining a transmission ratio, the bicycle comprising:

a processor configured to perform

receiving, from a user, an input selecting one of a manual mode and an automatic mode;

if the received input is associated with the manual mode, performing the steps of

receiving an input associated with an increase or a decrease of the transmission ratio, and

communicating a signal to tilt the angle of the axle to increase or decrease the transmission ratio; and

if the received input is associated with the automatic mode, performing the steps of

receiving, from the user, an input associated with a target user pedaling speed,

determining a present transmission ratio, and

tilting the angle of the axle to adjust the present transmission ratio of the CVT to a target transmission ratio, wherein the target user pedaling speed is maintained substantially constant over a range of output speeds.

9. The bicycle of claim 8, wherein tilting the angle of the axle comprises tilting the angle of the axle to maintain a present user pedaling speed within a band of the target user pedaling speed based upon the target user pedaling speed.

10. The bicycle of claim 9, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 10 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

11. The bicycle of claim 9, wherein the band is a range of speeds within 5 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) of the target user pedaling speed.

12. The bicycle of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed.

13. The bicycle of claim 12, wherein adjusting the present transmission ratio comprises commanding a motor to move to the determined encoder position.

14. The bicycle of claim 13, wherein adjusting the present transmission ratio of the CVT comprises determining an encoder position associated with the target user pedaling speed and a determined speed of the bicycle.