High efficiency, high output transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895321-B2
Application number	US-201715663144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift control circuit operates a shift actuator using a first opposing pulse command and a first actuating pulse command, and releases pressure with shift actuating and opposing volumes of the shift actuator upon determining a shift completion event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transmission, comprising:
an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover;
a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;
a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;
an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
a shift actuator structured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;
an integrated actuator housing, wherein the shift actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing, and wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single external power access for the shift actuator;
a controller, comprising:
a shift control circuit structured to:
provide a first opposing pulse command, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of the shift actuator in a shift direction;
determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction;
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air; and
release pressure in the first closed volume and the second closed volume in response to determining a shift completion event; and

wherein the shift actuator is responsive to the first opposing pulse command and the first actuating pulse command.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising a diaphragm spring clutch.

3. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein a clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered by a common air supply.

4. The transmission of claim 3 , further comprising a friction brake configured to engage the countershaft, and wherein the friction brake is powered by the common air supply.

5. The transmission of claim 4 , wherein the transmission does not include any external pneumatic hoses.

6. The transmission of claim 2 , further comprising a clutch actuator comprising a progressive actuator, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of a clutch.

7. The transmission of claim 6 , the wherein the clutch actuator is pneumatically activated, wherein the clutch actuator has a first extended position and a second retracted position, and wherein the clutch actuator includes a near zero dead air volume in the second retracted position.

8. The transmission of claim 7 , wherein the clutch comprises an organic clutch.

9. The transmission of claim 1 , further comprising a cast aluminum housing.

10. The transmission of claim 9 , further comprising a first PTO interface comprising a side housing access to a gear of the countershaft, and second PTO interface comprising a rear housing access to a rear of the countershaft.

11. The transmission of claim 10 , wherein the countershaft comprises helical gears.

12. The transmission of claim 11 , wherein the transmission further comprises a low loss lubrication system.

13. The transmission of claim 12 , wherein the transmission does not include a cooler.

14. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to modulate the first actuating pulse command in response to a previously determined gear departure position value.

15. The transmission of claim 14 , wherein the modulating comprises providing the first actuating pulse command as a full open command in response to a position of the shift actuator being on an engaged side of the gear departure position value.

16. The transmission of claim 15 , wherein the modulating further comprises providing the first actuating pulse command as a pulse-width modulated (PWM) command in response to the position of the shift actuator being one of approaching or exceeding the gear departure position value.

17. The transmission of claim 16 , wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to provide a second opposing pulse command in response to a shift actuator position indicating an engaging synchronizer is off the block.

18. The transmission of claim 17 , wherein the shift control circuit is further structured to interrupt at least one of the first actuating pulse command and the second opposing pulse command to synchronize pressure decay in the first closed volume and the second closed volume.

19. A transmission, comprising:
an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover;
a countershaft having a first plurality of gears mounted thereon;
a main shaft having a second plurality of gears mounted thereon;
an output shaft selectively providing a torque output to a driveline;
a shift actuator structured to selectively couple the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first plurality of gears to the countershaft and the second plurality of gears to the main shaft, wherein the shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and wherein the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing;
an integrated actuator housing, wherein the shift actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing;
a clutch actuator housing, wherein a clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing, and wherein the clutch actuator housing is one of coupled to the integrated actuator housing and comprising a portion of the integrated actuator housing;
a controller, comprising:
a shift control circuit structured to:
provide a first opposing pulse command, the first opposing pulse command comprising a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, wherein pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of the shift actuator in a shift direction;
determine a second predetermined amount of air in response to at least one of a speed of at least one of the shafts, an air supply pressure, and a transmission temperature value, the second predetermined amount of air comprising an amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, wherein pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction;
provide a first actuating pulse command, the first actuating pulse command comprising the second predetermined amount of air; and
release pressure in the first closed volume and the second closed volume in response to determining a shift completion event; and

wherein the shift actuator is responsive to the first opposing pulse command and the first actuating pulse command.

20. The transmission of claim 19 , wherein the integrated actuator housing comprises a single air supply port, wherein both of the clutch actuator and the shift actuator are powered through the single air supply port, and wherein the transmission does not include any external pneumatic hoses.

21. The transmission of claim 19 , wherein gear teeth on th

Assignees

• Eaton Cummins Automated Trans Tech Llc

Inventors

• Peterson Paul
• Jackson Graeme Andrew
• Smith Timothy Scott
• Wilson Paul
• Chimner Christian
• Wota Andrzej
• Connolly Thomas
• Furner Joseph Paul
• Chen Sipei
• Mckenzie Ian Daniel
• Deboer Christopher

Classifications

• H04J3/125

  One of the channel pulses or the synchronisation pulse is also used for transmitting monitoring or supervisory signals · CPC title

• B60W2710/1005

  Transmission ratio engaged · CPC title

• F16H57/0494

  with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion · CPC title

• F16H61/30 Primary

  Hydraulic {or pneumatic} motors {or related fluid control means} therefor · CPC title

• F16H57/0478

  Synchromesh devices · CPC title