US 12,215,781 B2 · Systems and methods for shifting multi-speed transmissions

Abstract

A method for shifting multi-speed transmissions of marine propulsion devices each having a power head and a shift schedule for shifting between first and second gears to transmit torque from the powerhead. The method includes configuring the transmissions of leader and follower marine propulsion devices to shift when shift schedules of the leader and of the follower indicate shift recommendations, respectively. The method further includes receiving a request to shift the transmission of the leader when the shift schedule of the leader indicates the shift recommendation. The method further includes determining whether conditions are met for the follower to follow the leader in shifting. The method further includes automatically requesting, when conditions are determined to be met for the follower to follow the leader, to shift the transmission of the follower so as to be coordinated with shifting the transmission of the leader.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for shifting multi-speed transmissions of marine propulsion devices, each of the marine propulsion devices having a power head and a shift schedule for shifting between a first gear and a second gear of the multi-speed transmission corresponding thereto to transmit torque from the powerhead, the method comprising:

configuring the multi-speed transmission of a leader among the marine propulsion devices to shift when a shift schedule of the leader indicates a shift recommendation;
configuring the multi-speed transmission of a follower among the marine propulsion devices to shift when a shift schedule of the follower indicates a shift recommendation;
receiving a request to shift the multi-speed transmission of the leader when the shift schedule of the leader indicates the shift recommendation;
determining whether conditions are met for the follower to follow the leader in shifting;
and
automatically requesting, when conditions are determined to be met for the follower to follow the leader, to shift the multi-speed transmission of the follower so as to be coordinated with shifting the multi-speed transmission of the leader.

3 more elements

A system for operating a plurality of marine propulsion devices each having powerheads, the system comprising:

a leader among the marine propulsion devices, the leader comprising a first multi-speed transmission having a first gear and a second gear selectively engageable to transmit torque from the powerhead of the leader;
a follower among the marine propulsion devices, the follower comprising a second multi-speed transmission having a first gear and a second gear selectively engageable to transmit torque from the powerhead of the follower;
and
a control system storing a first shift schedule and a second shift schedule, the first shift schedule indicating a shift recommendation for when to shift the first multi-speed transmission from the first gear to the second gear, the second shift schedule indicating a shift recommendation for when to shift the second multi-speed transmission from the first gear to the second gear, wherein the control system is configured to:
receive a request to shift the first multi-speed transmission when the first shift schedule indicates the shift recommendation;
determine whether conditions are met for the second multi-speed transmission to follow the first multi-speed transmission in shifting;
and
automatically request, when conditions are determined to be met for the second multi-speed transmission to follow the first multi-speed transmission, when the second shift schedule indicates a non-shift recommendation, and after receiving the request to shift the first multi-speed transmission, to shift the second multi-speed transmission so as to be coordinated with shifting the first multi-speed transmission.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for shifting multi-speed transmissions

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for shifting multi-speed transmissions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20