Method for controlling a gear shift actuator and corresponding shift actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10520080-B2
Application number	US-201515302394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A method controls a shift actuator with a sliding gear for a gearbox. The gearbox includes a control element for controlling a shift fork responsible for disengaging and engaging pinions on a shaft of the gearbox that receives torque from a traction machine powered by the on-board electrical system of the vehicle. The control element is positioned upstream of a mechanical spring-assist system and regulated in position by a DC actuating motor. The method includes temporarily raising a supply voltage applied to the actuating motor above a base voltage of an on-board electrical system during the disengaging and engaging the pinions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a shift actuator with a sliding gear for a gearbox of a vehicle, the gearbox comprising a control element for controlling a shift fork responsible for disengaging and engaging pinions on a shaft of the gearbox that receives torque from a traction machine powered by an on-board electrical system of the vehicle, the on-board electrical system including a low voltage battery, a high voltage battery, and a DC/DC converter, the control element being positioned upstream of a mechanical spring-assist system and regulated in position by a DC actuating motor, the method comprising:
providing a supply voltage to the actuating motor that is equal to a base voltage of the lower voltage battery; and
temporarily raising the supply voltage applied to the actuating motor above the base voltage during the disengaging and engaging the pinions.

2. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the supply voltage of the actuating motor is increased during a cancellation the torque of the traction machine of the vehicle.

3. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the increase in the supply voltage of the actuating motor is activated via the DC/DC converter (DC/DC).

4. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the supply voltage of the actuating motor is increased at a level of a battery voltage supplying the traction machine of the vehicle.

5. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the temporarily raising includes:
temporarily increasing a voltage setpoint applied by the on-board electrical system to the actuating motor during the cancellation of the torque of the traction machine of the vehicle;
disengaging the pinion transmitting the torque on a first gear;
synchronizing the gearbox shaft and the pinion used on a second gear;
engaging the second pinion;
returning the voltage setpoint to a basic setpoint on the on-board electrical system during reapplication of the torque of the traction machine.

6. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base voltage is 12V.

7. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the supply voltage is raised to 16V during the temporarily raising.

8. The method for controlling a shift actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the high voltage battery is configured to power the traction machine of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Renault Sas
• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Merienne Ludovic

Classifications

• F16H2061/0422

  by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft · CPC title

• B60Y2200/90

  Vehicles comprising electric prime movers · CPC title

• F16H2306/50

  Coupling of new gear · CPC title

• F16H2306/46

  Uncoupling of current gear · CPC title

• F16H2061/0474

  by smoothing engagement or release of positive clutches; Methods or means for shock free engagement of dog clutches · CPC title