System for allocating transmission clutch wear
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsTimothy Lorentz, Mathew Guldan, Hoon Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for a transmission engages at least three clutches to create braking within the transmission to slow a machine during a shuttle shifting operation. The control system may apply the clutches so as to allocate wear between the clutches equally or unequally, as desired.
Claims20
A clutch control system for allocating clutch wear during shuttle shifting of a transmission, the transmission being operatively connected to a prime mover to control velocity of a machine, the transmission having a first set of clutches and a second set of clutches, the first set of clutches being operatively connected to an input shaft of the transmission, the second set of clutches including a plurality of directional clutches operatively connected to an output shaft of the transmission, a first clutch of the second set of clutches operating as an engagement clutch, a second clutch of the second set of clutches operating as a first braking clutch, a third clutch of the second set of clutches operating as a second braking clutch, a first of the directional clutches being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a first direction, and a second of the directional clutches being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction, comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- transmit a first engagement signal to engage the engagement clutch;
- transmit an isolation signal to disengage a first clutch of the first set of clutches and isolate the prime mover from the directional clutches;
- transmit a first braking signal to the first braking clutch to apply a first braking force;
- transmit a second braking signal to the second braking clutch to apply a second braking force, the engagement clutch, the first braking clutch and the second braking clutch cooperating to apply a combined force to slow rotation of the output shaft;
- transmit a first reduction signal to a first clutch of the second set of clutches to reduce the combined force;
- transmit a second reduction signal to second clutch of the second set of clutches to reduce the combined force;
- and
- transmit a second engagement signal to engage a selected clutch of the first set of clutches upon an occurrence of a designated trigger event.
A clutch control system for allocating clutch wear during shuttle shifting of a transmission, the transmission being operatively connected to a prime mover to control velocity of a machine, the transmission having a plurality of speed clutches operatively connected to an input shaft of the transmission, and a plurality of directional clutches operatively connected to an output shaft of the transmission, a first of the directional clutches operating as an engagement clutch, a second of the directional clutches operating as a first braking clutch, a third of the directional clutches operating as a second braking clutch, the first braking clutch being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a first direction, and the engagement clutch and the second braking clutch being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction, comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- transmit a first engagement signal to engage the engagement clutch;
- transmit an isolation signal to disengage one of the speed clutches and isolate the prime mover from the directional clutches;
- transmit a first braking signal to the first braking clutch to apply a first braking force;
- transmit a second braking signal to the second braking clutch to apply a second braking force before reducing the first braking force, the engagement clutch, the first braking clutch and the second braking clutch cooperating to apply a combined force to slow rotation of the output shaft;
- transmit a first reduction signal to the first braking clutch to reduce the combined force;
- transmit a second reduction signal to one of the engagement clutch and the second braking clutch to reduce the combined force;
- and
- transmit a second engagement signal to engage a selected one of the speed clutches upon an occurrence of a designated trigger event.
A method of allocating clutch wear during shuttle shifting of a transmission, the transmission having a first set of clutches and a second set of clutches, the first set of clutches being operatively connected to an input shaft of the transmission, the second set of clutches including a plurality of directional clutches operatively connected to an output shaft of the transmission, a first clutch of the second set of clutches operating as an engagement clutch, a second clutch of the second set of clutches operating as a first braking clutch, a third clutch of the second set of clutches operating as a second braking clutch, a first of the directional clutches being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a first direction, and a second of the directional clutches being configured to cause the output shaft to rotate in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction, the method comprising:
- engaging the engagement clutch;
- disengaging a first clutch of the first set of clutches and isolating the directional clutches from a prime mover;
- engaging the first braking clutch to apply a first braking force;
- engaging the second braking clutch to apply a second braking force before reducing the first braking force, the engagement clutch, the first braking clutch and the second braking clutch cooperating to apply a combined force to slow rotation of the output shaft;
- disengaging a first clutch of the second set of clutches to reduce the combined force;
- disengaging a second clutch of the second set of clutches to reduce the combined force;
- and
- engaging a selected clutch of the first set of clutches upon an occurrence of a designated trigger event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.