Gearbox shift lockout system
AssigneeDelaware Capital Formation, Inc.
InventorsBobby Bradley, Daryl Toole, Tony Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for preventing shifting between a plurality of gear ratios in a mechanical gearset. An operating sensor detecting rotation of a moving component in the mechanical gearset, a shift solenoid controlling shifting among the plurality of gear ratios, and a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the shift solenoid and the operating sensor that prevents activation of the shift solenoid when rotation is detected by the rotation sensor.
Claims18
A system for preventing shifting between a plurality of gear ratios in a mechanical gearset comprising:
- a rotation sensor detecting rotation of a moving component in the mechanical gearset;
- a shift solenoid controlling shifting among the plurality of gear ratios;
- and
- a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the shift solenoid and the rotation sensor that prevents activation of the shift solenoid when rotation is detected by the rotation sensor
- wherein the moving component comprises a compound planetary gearset having a plurality of stepped planetary gears with first and second gears on a common axis providing first and second output ratios at a planet carrier retaining the plurality of stepped planetary gears.
A system for preventing shifting between a plurality of gear ratios in a mechanical gearset comprising:
- an operating sensor providing a signal indicative of the mechanical gearset being in operation;
- a shift solenoid and valve block controlling shifting among the plurality of gear ratios in the gearset;
- and
- a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the shift solenoid and the operating sensor that prevents activation of the shift solenoid when the mechanical gearset is in operation
- wherein the microcontroller is configured to, in response to receiving an input shift command and the operating sensor indicating operation of the mechanical gearset, output a stop signal that causes an input drive to the mechanical gearset to cease operation before sending a signal to the shift solenoid.
A method for preventing shifting of a mechanical gearset when the gearset is in operation comprising:
- providing an operating sensor detecting rotation of an internal component of the mechanical gearset;
- and
- providing a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the operating sensor;
- wherein, in response to receiving an input shift command and the operating sensor indicating the internal component of the mechanical gearset is rotating, the microcontroller prevents a shift solenoid of the mechanical gearset from initiating a change of input/output ratio of the mechanical gearset and outputs a stop signal that causes an input drive to the mechanical gearset to cease operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.