Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Transmission control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-12
2003-07-22
Nguyen, Tan Q. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Transmission control
C701S103000, C123S436000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06597976
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a torque-transmitting system and to a method of operating a torque-transmitting system.
The term “torque-transmitting system” as used in the context of the present invention means an apparatus performing the function of converting one or more input torques, i.e., torques introduced into the apparatus, into one or more output torques. The output torques can, in particular, act as load quantities on mechanical elements that are spatially and functionally arranged outside the torque-transmitting system. In particular, the torque-transmitting system includes a clutch device or a transmission device such as a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Torque-transmitting systems belong to the known state of the art.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the objective of providing a technically modified torque-transmitting system.
In particular, the invention is driven by the objective of providing an adjustable and controllable torque-transmitting system with improved accuracy in responding to controls and adjustments.
Under a further aspect, the invention aims to provide a design for a torque-transmitting system, in particular for a continuously variable transmission, that offers a simple way of adapting the control signals to a modified geometry of the torque-transmitting system. According to another aspect of the same invention, the object is to provide in a continuously variable transmission a simple, yet highly accurate way to control the holding forces for maintaining a transmission ratio at a set level and/or to control the ratio-changing forces for changing the transmission ratio from one level to another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the foregoing objective is attained by a torque-transmitting system or a control device which, in addition to known state-of-the-art features, incorporates one or more of the features disclosed herein.
A torque-transmitting system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes several different modules or devices, as follows:
A) an input device and an output device that are adjustable in relation to each other by adjusting the ratio between a first and a second characteristic operating value, where the first characteristic operating value indicates an operating condition of the input device while the second characteristic operating value indicates an operating condition of the output device;
B) an actuator device that acts on the input- and/or output device in order to a adjust the position of these devices in relation to each other and/or in order to hold the devices at a set condition by exerting a predetermined holding force (or predetermined holding forces) on the input- and/or output device;
C) a control device that generates a control signal and transmits the control signal to the actuator device; thereby compelling the actuator device to act on the input- and/or output device as described above under B);
D) a computing device which computes and, if necessary, repeatedly adapts, a first at least two-dimensional characteristic data array that indicates how a third characteristic operating value is dependent on at least a fourth characteristic operating value of the torque-transmitting system, the third characteristic operating value being dependent in particular on the magnitude of the holding force or holding forces acting on the input- and/or output device at a given point in time.
A variation of the foregoing preferred embodiment includes the input, output, actuator, control and computing devices as described above under A) through D). Additionally included is a memory storage device for storing at least a first characteristic value which, at least in part, determines the signal transfer characteristics between the control device and the input- and/or output device. The computing device (in addition to any other computations that it may carry out) computes the control signal as a function of the first characteristic value, and the control signal compels the actuator to act as described above under B), if a set of predetermined conditions exists.
In another variation of the preferred embodiment, the computing device (in addition to any other functions that it may perform) contains at least a partial image representation of the coupling or conversion functions of the signal-transfer path between the control device and the input- and/or output device. In generating the control signal, the computing device will take the image representation of the coupling or conversion functions into account.
In particular, the signals transferred along the aforementioned signal-transfer path can be forces that are coupled to each other along a force-transfer path.
In yet another variation of the preferred embodiment, the computing device (in addition to other computations that it may perform) computes a predetermined third operating value dependent on a second and third characteristic data array. Both the second and third data array are at least two-dimensional. The second characteristic data array indicates how the second characteristic value depends on a fifth characteristic operating value, and the third characteristic data array indicates how the third characteristic value depends on a sixth characteristic operating value.
The object of the invention as stated above is further achieved by a method of operating a torque-transmitting system according to the embodiment or any of the variations described above. The method according to the invention has the steps of:
a) identifying among the characteristic operating values at least one on which the magnitude of a force depends that is generated in the input- and/or output device, particularly for holding a set transmission ratio between the input and output device and/or for shifting the positions of the input device and output device in relation to each other; and
b) adapting the characteristic operating value that has been identified in step a).
A preferred embodiment of the method applies specifically to a continuously variable transmission, in which an endless flexible torque-transmitting device such as a belt or chain transmits a torque from the input device to the output device. In addition to the concept of adapting a characteristic operating value as described in steps a) and b) above, the process of operating the inventive torque-transmitting system also involves a concept of converting a signal from one type to another according to the following steps:
a′) computing at least one actuator-control signal;
b′) transmitting the at least one actuator-control signal along a signal-transfer path;
c′) in the course of step b′), converting the at least one actuator-control signal at least once from one type of signal to another to another, where the different signal types can include electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic signals, or also forces, moments, or any other suitable physical quantity;
d′) delivering the converted actuator-control signal to the actuator device and thereby causing the latter to perform its holding and/or shifting function.
As a particular feature of the method just described, the conversion of step c′) is taken into account when performing step a′), so that after the conversion in step c′), the converted control signal will have a magnitude corresponding to a predetermined target value.
As a particular feature of the invention, the torque-transmitting system is equipped with a computing device.
The computing device has the primary function of computing and/or repeatedly modifying at least a first, predetermined, two-dimensional characteristic data array. The first characteristic data array represents the functional dependency of a third characteristic operating value from at least a fourth characteristic operating value of the torque-transmitting system or of a motor vehicle that is equipped with the torque-transmitting system.
An at least two-dimensional data array in the particular sense of the present invention r
Abele Andreas
Fritzer Anton
Reuschel Michael
Darby & Darby
LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
Nguyen Tan Q.
Tran Dalena
LandOfFree
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