Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Transmission control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2001-06-19
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Transmission control
C701S064000, C701S110000, C074S473360
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249734
ABSTRACT:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a neutral position determination method for a speed change gear shaft for an electrically operated speed change gear wherein gear shifting and connection or disconnection of a clutch are performed electrically. More particularly, the present invention relates to a neutral position determination method for a speed change gear shaft for an electrically operated speed change gear which performs predetermined speed change control based on a rocking direction and a rocking angle of the speed change gear shaft which is rocked by a drive motor.
2. Description of Related Art
While a conventional speed change gear performs gear shifting by operation of a clutch pedal (or a clutch lever) and a shift change lever, an electrically operated speed change gear which performs gear shifting making use of motor power is disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei-5-39865. Furthermore, it is possible to perform connection or disconnection of a clutch simultaneously using a motor.
In this instance, the speed change gear shaft is rotated by the drive motor, and connection or disconnection of the clutch is controlled in association with the speed change gear shaft. Furthermore, a sleeve is driven on a main shaft through a shift drum and a shift fork which operates in association with the speed change gear shaft so that the sleeve is engaged with a predetermined gear to establish a shift stage.
The operation timing must be determined based on a rotational angle of the speed change gear shaft. Therefore, when connection or disconnection of the clutch and rotation of the shift drum, etc. are performed in association with the speed change gear shaft, the rotational angle of the speed change gear shaft must be detected accurately.
If it is intended to represent the rotational position of the speed change gear shaft with a relative rotational angle from the middle position of the rocking motion of the speed change gear shaft, i.e., a neutral position, then mounting of an angle sensor or connection of an angle sensor and the speed change gear shaft or the like must be performed accurately so that an output voltage of the angle sensor when the speed change gear shaft is in a neutral position may indicate a predetermined value.
Furthermore, even if the angle sensor, etc. can be mounted accurately, if the sensitivity of the angle sensor is varied by a secular deterioration, then the rotational position of the speed change gear cannot be detected accurately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a neutral position determination method for a speed change gear shaft for an electrically operated speed change gear which solves the problems of the prior art described above and can detect a rotational position of the speed change gear shaft accurately without the necessity for a complicated assembling operation.
In order to attain the above object, according to the present invention, a neutral position determination method for a speed change gear shaft for an electrically operated speed change gear including a speed change gear shaft which is rocked to one side or the other side by a drive motor and an angle sensor for detecting a rotational angle of the speed change gear shaft for executing predetermined speed change control based on a rocking direction and a rocking angle from a neutral position of the speed change gear shaft includes the following countermeasures.
(1) The rotational angles of the speed change gear shaft when the speed change gear shaft is rocked to a rotational limit on the one side or the other side are detected, and a middle point of a rotational angle detected from the rotational limits of the one side and the other side is updated in registration as a neutral position of the speed change gear shaft.
(2) When the speed change gear shaft is rocked to a rotational limit on the one side or the other side, the rotational angles of the speed change gear shaft are detected. It is then determined whether or not each of the detected rotational angles is within an allowable range on the one side or the other side. If the rotational angles are within the respective allowable ranges, the rotational angles are updated in registration as maximum angles and the allowable range is reduced. However, if any of the rotational angles is outside the allowable range, the allowable range is expanded. A middle point between the maximum angles on the one side and the other side is then updated in registration as a neutral position of the speed change gear shaft.
According to the countermeasure (1) described above, however, if the speed change gear shaft is rocked to the rotational limit on the one side or the other side, a neutral position of the speed change gear shaft is determined based on the rotational angles of the speed change gear shaft. Accordingly, an accurate neutral position can be always determined.
According to the countermeasure (2) described above, since the allowable range is narrowed as detection of the neutral position of the speed change gear shaft proceeds, even if a wrong rotational angle is input as a result of the influence of noise, etc., it can be removed. Furthermore, since the allowable range is gradually widened each time a rotational angle which exceeds the allowable range is detected, even when a rotational angle which exceeds the allowable range is a real rotational angle, the rotational angle is prevented from being repetitively eliminated.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description
REFERENCES:
patent: 5809836 (1998-09-01), Patzold et al.
patent: 6027179 (2000-02-01), Arai
patent: 5-39865 (1993-02-01), None
Arthur Gertrude
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Neutral position determination method for speed change gear... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Neutral position determination method for speed change gear..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Neutral position determination method for speed change gear... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2472011