Machine element or mechanism – Gearing – Interchangeably locked
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-18
2003-03-25
Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)
Machine element or mechanism
Gearing
Interchangeably locked
C074S337000, C477S006000, C477S007000, C477S181000, C701S053000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536296
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of controlling a vehicle.
As a vehicle provided a gear drive transmission mechanism, this type of vehicle has been conventionally known which utilizes a friction clutch as the smallest gear ratio of the gear drive transmission, controls the revolution speed of an input shaft of the transmission to be in synchronous to the revolution speed of an output shaft by slipping this friction clutch when shifting the gear, and corrects the torque lowered in shifting the gear by means of the torque transmitted by the friction torque for the purpose of realizing smoother gear shifting. The representative one of this type of vehicle is disclosed in JP-A-61-45163.
In shifting the gear, however, if the revolution speed is controlled only through the use of the friction clutch, the torque of the output shaft corrected by the friction clutch is made so variable that a passenger in a vehicle may disadvantageously feel uncomfortable with the vehicle.
Further, when terminating the gear shifting, if the correction for the lowered torque in gear shifting, corrected by the friction clutch, is not matched to the torque of the input shaft transmitted to the output shaft through a dog clutch, disadvantageously again, the torque may be abruptly changed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method of controlling a vehicle which are constructed to suppress the variation of the torque of the output shaft of the transmission caused by the control of the rotation speed in gear shifting and to reduce the abrupt change of the torque caused in terminating the gear shifting, for improving the performance in gear shifting.
In the gear shifting, the dog clutch may be engaged by matching the revolution speeds. The adverse effect by a control error and a variety of an oil pressure brings about inertia torque caused by the deviation of the revolution speed (ratio) in engaging the dog clutch, which inertia torque may lead to a vibrating torque variation (shaft vibration). It is a further object of the present invention to alleviate the inertia torque and thereby suppressing the torque variation, for improving the performance in gear shifting of a vehicle.
The present invention concerns with an apparatus of controlling a vehicle which provides torque transmission devices between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission, uses a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a dog clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch when shifting one gear ratio position to another position. This apparatus includes a lowered torque correcting unit for correcting the lowered torque of the output shaft in shifting the gear and a revolution speed control unit for controlling a revolution speed of the input shaft on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque given by the lowered torque correcting unit.
More preferably, the apparatus of controlling a vehicle includes a torque adjusting unit for adjusting the torque of the input shaft when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque.
Further, the present invention concerns with a method of controlling a vehicle which is arranged to provide a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission, use a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a dog clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another gear ratio position. This control method includes the steps of correcting the lowered torque of the output shaft in gear shifting and controlling the revolution speed of the input shaft on the corrected value of the lowered torque.
More preferably, the method of controlling a vehicle according to the invention is arranged to adjust the torque of the input shaft when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the torque corrected value.
Further, the invention concerns with an apparatus of controlling a vehicle which is constructed to separate a torque transmission system located between the input shaft and the output shaft of the gear drive transmission into a first transmission system and a second transmission system, each of which is composed of a combination of dog clutches, use the friction clutches for the torque transmission systems located between an engine and the first transmission system and between the engine and the second transmission system, and control the friction clutches in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control apparatus includes a lowered torque correcting unit for correcting the lowered torque of the output shaft in gear shifting and a revolution speed control unit for controlling the revolution speed of the input shaft on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque given by the lowered torque correcting unit.
More preferable, the apparatus of controlling a vehicle according to the invention includes a torque adjusting unit for adjusting the torque of the input shaft in terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque.
Further, the present invention concerns with a method of controlling a vehicle in which a torque transmitting system located between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission is separated into a first transmission system and a second transmission system, each of which is a combination of dog clutches, the torque transmitting systems located between an engine and the first transmission system and between the engine and the second transmission system are friction clutches, and the friction clutches are controlled when one gear stage is changed into another gear stage, the method including the step of correcting the lowered torque value of the output shaft in the gear shifting during the shifting, and the step of controlling a revolution speed of said input shaft on the basis of the corrected lowered torque correction.
More preferably, the method of controlling a vehicle according to the invention is arranged to adjust the torque of the input shaft when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the torque corrected value.
Further, the invention concerns with an apparatus of controlling a vehicle wherein devices for transmitting torque are located between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission, the torque transmitting device of at least one gear stage is a friction clutch, said torque transmitting device of another gear stage is a dog clutch, and the friction clutch is controlled when one gear stage is changed into another gear stage, said apparatus including a unit for suppressing torque variation of said output shaft taking place when the dog clutch is engaged by means of at least one friction clutch provided in the gear drive transmission in the case of the gear shifting.
Further, the present invention concerns with an apparatus of controlling a vehicle which is constructed to provide a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission, use a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a dog clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control apparatus includes a torque variation suppressing unit for suppressing the torque variation of the output shaft generated in engaging the dog clutches through the effect of at least one friction clutch located in the gear drive transmission.
Moreover, the present invention concerns with a method of controlling a vehicle which is constructed to locate a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear drive transmission, use a friction clutch for t
Kayano Mitsuo
Minowa Toshimichi
Ochi Tatsuya
Okada Takashi
Sakamoto Hiroshi
Crowell & Moring LLP
Hitachi , Ltd.
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