Method of and apparatus for influencing the shifting of transmissions in the power trains of motor vehicles

• US 6,322,477 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Luk Getriebe-Systeme GmbH
• Original Assignee: LUK Getriebe GmbH
• Inventors: Jäger, Thomas, Eich, Jürgen, Salecker, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky, Sherry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Tisha D.
• Application Number:
  US09/415,935
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 477/97, 477/903, 477/34, 364/424.27, 364/424.22, 364/424.83, 364/424.94, 701/65, 701/53, 701/50, 701/51, 701/55
• US Class Current: 477/97
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/107 with endless flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0068 Giving intention of direction, e.g. by indicator lights, steering input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/085 Power mode
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/666 Determining road conditions by using vehicle location or position, e.g. from global navigation systems [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2302/04 Determining a modus for shifting selection of shift speed modus F16H2059/0226
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/48 Inputs being a function of acceleration
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66 : specially adapted for continuously variable gearings control of exclusively fluid gearing F16H61/38
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/66254 : controlling of shifting being influenced by a signal derived from the engine and the main coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/903 : Control signal is steering

Abstract

A method for influencing a shift process connected with a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle that has a set of driven wheels subject to longitudinal and transverse forces, the method including detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and, if doing so when the shift process is in progress, influencing the shift process so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the disclosed method including a detector for detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and a transmission ratio shifter responsive to the detector that, if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress, performs the shift process so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process.

Claims

1. A method for influencing a shift process associated with a change in transmission ratio in a motor vehicle that has driven wheels subject to, in relation to the motor vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising the steps of:

detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress,

influencing the shift process so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes measuring the transverse forces and if the transverse forces exceed a predetermined value, the shift process is influenced so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the motor vehicle has an automated clutch and when shifting while traveling around a curve, engagement of the automated clutch after the shift is slowed down.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a continuously variable transmission and a change in transmission ratio occurring therein is slowed down when traveling around a curve.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has an emergency running mode and, if the emergency running mode is to be activated when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, activation of the emergency running mode is delayed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a normal running mode and an emergency running mode and, if the emergency running mode is to be activated when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, activation of the emergency running mode includes a continuous transition from the normal running mode to the emergency running mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes measuring and evaluating a transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has wheels located on an axle, and the detecting step includes evaluating a difference in the respective speed of each individual wheel compared to the mean speed of the wheels.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has steering wheels and the detecting step includes evaluating the steering angle of the steering wheels and the vehicle speed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a power steering system and the detecting step includes evaluating at least one operating parameter thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a navigation system and the detecting step includes evaluating signals of the navigation system.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the navigation system is a global positioning system.

13. An apparatus for influencing a shift process connected with a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle that has a set of driven wheels subject to, in relation to the vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising:

a detector for detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

a transmission ratio shifter that is responsive to the detector and, if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress, performs the shift process in a manner that decreases the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detector detects whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve by sensing the transverse forces and if the transverse forces exceed a predetermined value, the transmission ratio shifter performs the shift process in a manner that decreases the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has an automated clutch and when shifting while traveling around a curve, the engagement of the automated clutch after the shift is slowed down.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has a continuously variable transmission and a change in transmission ratio occurring therein is slowed down when traveling around a curve.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle has an emergency running mode and, when traveling around a curve, an activation of the emergency running mode is delayed.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle has a normal running mode and an emergency running mode and, when traveling around a curve, an activation of the emergency running mode includes a continuous transition from the normal running mode to the emergency running mode.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detector includes a transverse acceleration sensor.

20. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has wheels located on an axle and the detector measures and evaluates a difference in the respective speed of each individual wheel of one axle compared to the mean speed of the wheels.

21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has steering wheels and the detector measures and evaluates the steering angle and the speed of the vehicle.

22. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has a power steering system and the detector senses and evaluates at least one operating parameter thereof.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has a navigation system and the detector evaluates signals of the navigation system.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the navigation system is a global positioning system.

25. A method for influencing a shift process associated with a change in transmission ratio in a motor vehicle that has driven wheels subject to, in relation to the motor vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising the steps of:

detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress,

influencing the shift process so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process,

wherein the vehicle has an emergency running mode and, if the emergency running mode is to be activated when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, activation of the emergency running mode is delayed.

26. A method for influencing a shift process associated with a change in transmission ratio in a motor vehicle that has driven wheels subject to, in relation to the motor vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising the steps of:

detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress,

influencing the shift process so as to decrease the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process,

wherein the vehicle has a normal running mode and an emergency running mode and, if the emergency running mode is to be activated when the vehicle is traveling around a curve, activation of the emergency running mode includes a continuous transition from the normal running mode to the emergency running mode.

27. An apparatus for influencing a shift process connected with a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle that has a set of driven wheels subject to, in relation to the vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising:

a detector for detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

a transmission ratio shifter that is responsive to the detector and, if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress, performs the shift process in a manner that decreases the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process,

wherein the vehicle has an emergency running mode and, when traveling around a curve, an activation of the emergency running mode is delayed.

28. An apparatus for influencing a shift process connected with a change in transmission ratio when driving a motor vehicle that has a set of driven wheels subject to, in relation to the vehicle, longitudinal and transverse forces acting thereon, comprising:

a detector for detecting whether or not the vehicle is traveling around a curve and,

a transmission ratio shifter that is responsive to the detector and, if the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the shift process is in progress, performs the shift process in a manner that decreases the longitudinal forces that act on the driven wheels as a result of the shift process,

wherein the vehicle has a normal running mode and an emergency running mode and, when traveling around a curve, an activation of the emergency running mode includes a continuous transition from the normal running mode to the emergency running mode.