Manually shifted transmission with enhanced automatic range shift
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Huggins, Joseph D. Reynolds, David L. Wadas, Sharon L. Gualtieri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manually shifted, range-type compound transmission (110) is provided with enhanced automatic range shifting. A controller (222) receives input signals indicative of shift lever position in the shift pattern (low range/high range) and of vehicle speed (OS) and automatically commands range shifts as a function of both system parameters.
Claims25
A compound, manually shifted, change-gear transmission system comprising a range-type compound transmission (110) having a main transmission section (112) connected in series with a range-type auxiliary transmission section (114), said range-type auxiliary section including a double-acting range clutch (182) carrying a first set of clutch teeth for engaging a first array of clutch teeth associated with a low-range range gear upon axial movement of said range clutch in a first axial direction to a first position, and a second set of clutch teeth for engaging a second array of clutch teeth associated with a high-range range gear upon axial movement of said range clutch in a second axial direction to a second axial position, said transmission including a manually operated shift lever (212) having a shift pattern defining a low-range area and a high-range area, and a range sensor for sensing the position of said lever in said shift pattern and providing a first input signal indicative thereof, said system characterized by:
- a speed sensor for sensing the value of a parameter indicative of vehicle speed and providing a second input signal (OS) indicative thereof;
- an actuator (202) responsive to command output signals for causing said range clutch to move into a selected one of said first and second axial positions thereof;
- a controller (222) for receiving a plurality of input signals including said first and second input signals and processing same in a predetermined manner to issue command output signals to at least said actuator, said controller commanding a shift into low-range only upon sensing said lever in the low-range area of said shift pattern and said second input signal being less than a first reference (REF.sub.1) (OS<REF.sub.1).
A method for controlling automatic range shifting in a compound, manually shifted, change-gear transmission system comprising a range-type compound transmission (110) having a main transmission section (112) connected in series with a range-type auxiliary transmission section (114) including a double-acting range clutch (182) carrying a first set of clutch teeth for engaging a first array of clutch teeth associated with a low-range range gear upon axial movement of said range clutch in a first axial direction to a first position, and a second set of clutch teeth for engaging a second array of clutch teeth associated with a high-range range gear upon axial movement of said range clutch in a second axial direction to a second axial position, a manually operated shift lever (212) having a shift pattern defining a low-range area and a high-range area, and a range sensor for sensing the position of said lever in said shift pattern and providing a first input signal indicative thereof, a speed sensor for sensing the value of a parameter indicative of vehicle speed and providing a second input signal (OS) indicative thereof, an actuator (202) responsive to command output signals for causing said range clutch to move into a selected one of said first and second axial positions thereof, and a controller (222) for receiving a plurality of input signals including said first and second input signals and processing same in a predetermined manner to issue command output signals to at least said actuator, said method characterized by:
- commanding a shift into low-range only upon sensing said lever in the low-range area of said shift pattern and said second input signal being less than a first reference (REF.sub.1) (OS<REF.sub.1).
A compound, manually shifted, change-gear transmission system comprising a range-type compound transmission having a main transmission section connected in series with a range-type auxiliary transmission section shiftable to a low-range and a high-range ratio, a manually operated shift lever having a shift pattern defining a low-range area and a high-range area, and a range sensor for sensing the position of said lever in said shift pattern and providing a first input signal indicative thereof, said system characterized by:
- a speed sensor for sensing the value of a parameter indicative of vehicle speed and providing a second input signal indicative thereof;
- an actuator responsive to command output signals for causing said range section to be shifted to a selected one of said low-range and high-range ratios;
- a controller for receiving a plurality of input signals including said first and second input signals and processing same in a predetermined manner to issue command output signals to at least said actuator, said controller commanding a shift into low-range ratio only upon sensing said lever in the low-range area of said shift pattern and said second input signal being less than a first reference.
A compound, manually shifted, change-gear transmission system comprising a range-type compound transmission having a main transmission section connected in series with a range-type auxiliary transmission section shiftable to a low-range and a high-range ratio, a manually operated shift lever having a shift pattern defining a plurality of low-range ratio positions and a plurality of high-range ratio positions, and range shift sensing means for sensing an operator intent to shift (a) from a low-range ratio position to a high-range ratio position and providing a first input signal indicative thereof, and (b) from a high-range ratio position to a low-range ratio position and providing a second input signal indicative thereof, said system characterized by:
- a speed sensor for sensing the value of a parameter indicative of vehicle speed and providing a third input signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
- an actuator responsive to command output signals for causing said range section to be shifted to a selected one of said low-range and high-range ratios;
- a controller for receiving a plurality of input signals including said first, second and third input signals and processing same in a predetermined manner to issue command output signals to at least said actuator, said controller commanding a shift into a low-range ratio only upon sensing an operator intent to shift from a high-range ratio position to a low-range ratio position and the magnitude of said third input signal being less than a first reference.
A microprocessor-based system controller for controlling range shifting in a compound, manually shifted, change-gear transmission system comprising a range-type compound transmission having a main transmission section connected in series with a range-type auxiliary transmission section shiftable to a low-range and a high-range ratio, a manually operated shift lever having a shift pattern defining a plurality of low-range ratio positions and a plurality of high-range ratio positions, and range shift sensing means for sensing an operator intent to shift (a) from a low-range ratio position to a high-range ratio position and providing a first input signal indicative thereof, and (b) from a high-range ratio position to a low-range ratio position and providing a second input signal indicative thereof;
- a speed sensor for sensing the value of a parameter indicative of vehicle speed and providing a third input signal having a magnitude indicative thereof;
- and
- an actuator responsive to command output signals for causing said range section to be shifted to a selected one of said low-range and high-range ratios;
- said system controller receiving a plurality of input signals including said first, second and third input signals and processing same in a predetermined manner to issue command output signals to at least said actuator, said controller commanding a shift into a low-range ratio only upon sensing an operator intent to shift from a high-range ratio position to a low-range ratio position and the magnitude of said third input signal being less than a first reference.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.