Automatic shift of mechanical gearbox
AssigneeClark Equipment Company
InventorsNathalie LeBeuze, Allen C. Olheiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are power machines, and drive systems for use thereon, as well as methods of providing automatic gear shifting. The drive system includes a controller configured to implement automatic gear shifting. Gear engagement is determined following a gear shift, and a drive pump or other drive system components is automatically controlled to rotate a gearbox gear in first and second directions until the gear is properly engaged.
Claims20
A drive system for a power machine, comprising:
- a drive pump;
- a drive motor operably coupled to and driven by the drive pump, the drive motor having a rotational output member;
- a gearbox having an input shaft operably coupled to the rotational output member of the drive motor and an output shaft operably coupled to a wheel, the gearbox further including:
- a plurality of gear reduction sets coupled to the output shaft;
- and
- a coupling mechanism for coupling the input shaft to the output shaft via engagement with a selected one of the plurality of gear reduction sets;
- and
- a controller configured to provide an alignment signal to align the coupling mechanism with the selected gear reduction set from the plurality of gear reduction sets.
A power machine, comprising:
- a frame,
- a drive system, including:
- a drive pump;
- a drive motor operably coupled to and driven by the drive pump, the drive motor having a rotational output member;
- a gearbox having an input shaft operably coupled to the rotational output member of the drive motor and an output shaft operably coupled to a wheel, the gearbox further including:
- a plurality of gear reduction sets coupled to the output shaft;
- and
- a coupling mechanism for coupling the input shaft to the output shaft via engagement with a selected one of the plurality of gear reduction sets;
- an operator compartment for carrying an operator mounted to the frame with at least one operator control for selecting the selected gear reduction set accessible from the operator compartment;
- and
- a controller in communication with the at least one operator control and configured to provide an alignment signal to align the coupling mechanism with the selected gear reduction set from the plurality of gear reduction sets.
A method of causing a gearbox input to be engaged with a selected one of a plurality of gear reduction sets within the gearbox in a power machine having a drive pump, a drive motor in communication with the drive pump and an output from the drive motor in communication with the gearbox input, comprising:
- receiving a signal indicating an intention to engage the selected gear reduction set;
- providing a command signal to a coupling mechanism capable of engaging the selected gear reduction set with the gearbox input;
- determining whether the coupling mechanism has engaged with the selected gear reduction set after providing the command signal;
- and
- providing an alignment signal to align the coupling mechanism with the selected gear reduction set when it is determined that the coupling mechanism has not engaged with the selected gear reduction set after providing the command signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.