Interrelated power delivery controls – including engine control – Plural engines – Electric engine
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-15
2001-11-20
Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)
Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control
Plural engines
Electric engine
C477S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319167
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a transmission control system for controlling a transmission having a plurality of gear positions. More particularly, the invention relates to a transmission control system suitable for an automated manual transmission.
An automated manual transmission (M/T) employs a mechanical clutch in place of a fluid clutch employed in an ordinary automatic transmission (A/T) to automatically manipulate a clutch for engaging and disengaging by means of an actuator. Such automated manual transmission is apt to be employed in some kinds of European sporty cars. In the automated manual transmission, a shift lever has the first speed gear position, second speed gear position, . . . sixth speed gear position and so forth, similarly to the ordinary manual transmission. A clutch operation of the driver in the conventional M/T is automated in such a manner that when a driver operates the shift lever, a shift control system detects the shifting operation, releases the clutch by controlling an actuator, shifts the gear positions, and then engages the clutch. On the other hand, the automated manual transmission also has a “Drive” (D) range position. In a period of holding at D range, engaging and disengaging of the clutch and shifting of the gear positions are performed automatically depending upon depression amount of an accelerator pedal and a vehicle speed, like shifting operation of an ordinary A/T.
As disclosed in JP-A-7-197955, automatic disengaging and engaging of the clutch is controlled by effecting an engine control for preventing the engine from causing stalling due to damping effect for forced operation of the clutch in such a manner that torque and engine revolution speed control in response to the shifting demand is performed by varying an output torque of the engine through a spark ignition timing, a fuel injection amount and an air flow rate of an induction air of the engine.
However, as disclosed in the above-identified JP-A-7-197955, in a system to perform the engine control in response to shifting operation, the engine is driven at engine operation parameter values far different from optimal values at a combustion demand in common engine control. As a counter effect, various problems, such as degradation of fuel economy, lowering of torque response, degradation of emission control performance and so forth can be caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shift control system which can reduce degradation of engine characteristics upon shifting operation and can reduce a load on the side of a clutch and a transmission due to delay of response.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, a shift control system, according to the present invention, comprises:
an engine generating a driving force;
a transmission having a plurality of gear positions for transmitting the driving force developed by the engine to driving wheels;
a clutch for connecting the engine and the transmission;
engine control means for controlling the engine;
transmission control means for switching gear positions of the transmission;
clutch control means for controlling disengagement and engagement of the clutch;
an electric motor connected to a drive shaft of the engine and capable of performing regenerating operation;
motor control means for controlling the electric motor for driving the electric motor for generating a driving force or for performing regenerating operation,
the motor control means transmitting the driving force to the driving wheels upon shifting operation by the transmission and performing regenerating portion by an energy from the driving wheels.
With the construction set forth above, by transmission of the driving force of the electric motor or regeneration operation by the electric motor upon shifting operation, degradation of the engine characteristics can be reduced. In conjunction therewith, load on the clutch and the transmission due to delay of response can be reduced.
In the construction set forth above, it is preferred that the shift control system further comprises general control means for making judgment of share of operation of torque generation by the engine and torque generation by the electric motor,
one of the engine control means and the motor control means controls one of the engine and the electric motor according to a command from the general control means.
In the construction set forth above, it is preferred that the general control means controls the electric motor by the motor control means when a difference between a torque demanded by a next gear position and a current gear torque is within a torque control range of the electric motor, during shifting of gear position by shifting operation.
Also, in the construction set forth above, it is preferred that the motor control means derives a target revolution speed of the electric motor variable according to elapsed time after shifting and controls revolution speed of the electric motor on the basis of the target revolution speed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a control system for controlling a transmission connected between an output of an engine and driving wheels, comprises:
regeneratable electric motor connected to an output shaft of the engine for transmitting and receiving driving force to and from the output shaft;
motor control means for selectively controlling operation for converting a driving energy from the driving wheels into an electric energy by the regeneratable electric motor; and
transmission control means for controlling operation of transmission of a driving force of the engine to the driving wheels and operation of transmission of a driving force of the regeneratable electric motor to the output shaft of the engine.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5833570 (1998-10-01), Tabata et al.
patent: 5993350 (1999-10-01), Lawrie et al.
patent: 6176808 (2001-01-01), Brown et al.
patent: 0 658 698 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 7-197955 (1995-08-01), None
Hori Toshio
Yoshida Yoshiyuki
Crowell & Moring LLP
Estremsky Sherry
Hitachi , Ltd.
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