System, method, and apparatus for operating a high efficiency, high output transmission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047472-B2
Application number	US-201916596435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 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. A shift actuator selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling 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 controller controls the shift actuator utilizing an actuating pulse and an opposing pulse.

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 configured 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;
a progressive actuator operationally coupled to a clutch, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch;
the clutch configured to selectively decouple the prime mover from the input shaft; and
a means for providing a consistent lock-up time of the clutch, the consistent lock-up time comprising a time commencing with a clutch torque request time and ending with a clutch lock-up event,
wherein the clutch torque request time comprises at least one request condition selected from the request conditions selected from: a service brake pedal release event a service brake pedal decrease event a gear engagement request event and a prime mover torque increase event,

wherein the clutch lock-up event comprises a clutch slip value being lower than a clutch lock-up slip threshold value.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the means for providing the consistent lock-up time of the clutch further comprises a controller having a launch characterization logic, the launch characterization logic configured to interpret at least one launch parameter selected from the launch parameters consisting of: a vehicle grade value; a vehicle mass value; and a driveline configuration value.

3. The transmission of claim 2 , wherein the controller further comprises:
a vehicle environment logic configured to perform an operation a) to interpret a motive torque value, the vehicle grade value, and a vehicle acceleration value;
a mass estimation logic configured to perform an operation b) to determine a first correlation comprising a first correlation between the motive torque value and the vehicle grade value, a second correlation between the motive torque value and the vehicle acceleration value, and a third correlation between the vehicle grade value and the vehicle acceleration value;
wherein the mass estimation logic is further configured to perform an operation c) to adapt an estimated vehicle mass value, an estimated vehicle drag value, and an estimated vehicle effective inertia value in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation;
a model consistency logic to perform an operation d) to determine an at least one request condition adaptation consistency value, and in response to the adaptation consistency value, to adjust an adaptation rate of the adapting; and
wherein the vehicle environment logic, the mass estimation logic, and the model consistency logics are further configured to iteratively perform operations a), b), c), and d) to provide an updated estimated vehicle mass value; and
wherein the launch characterization logic is further configured to interpret the updated estimated vehicle mass value as one of the at least one launch parameters.

4. The transmission of claim 3 , wherein the model consistency logic is further configured to perform the operation c) to slow or halt an adapting the estimated values in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation having an unexpected correlation configuration, and to increase the adapting rate or continue the adapting the estimated values in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation having an expected correlation configuration.

5. 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 configured 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;
a progressive actuator operationally coupled to a clutch, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch;
the clutch configured to selectively decouple the prime mover from the input shaft;
a means for providing a consistent lock-up time of the clutch, the consistent lock-up time comprising a time commencing with a clutch torque request time and ending with a clutch lock-up event;
a controller, comprising:
a clutch characterization logic configured to interpret a clutch torque profile, the clutch torque profile providing a relation between a position of the clutch and a clutch torque value;
a clutch control logic configured to command a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile;
wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to:
interpret a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque, and
update the clutch torque profile in response to the position of the progressive actuator and the indicated clutch torque; and

wherein the clutch torque profile further comprises a first clutch engagement position value and a second clutch engagement position value, and wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to utilize the first clutch engagement position value as a maximum zero torque position, and to utilize the second clutch engagement position value as a minimum significant engagement torque position.

6. The transmission of claim 5 , wherein the clutch torque profile further comprises a clutch torque curve comprising a plurality of clutch position values corresponding to a plurality of clutch torque values, wherein each of the clutch position values is greater than the second clutch engagement position value.

7. 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 configured 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;
a clutch configured to selectively decouple the prime mover from the input shaft;
a progressive actuator operationally coupled to the clutch, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch;
a controller, comprising:
a clutch characterization logic configured to interpret a clutch torque profile, the clutch torque profile providing a relation between a position of the clutch and a clutch torque value;
a clutch control logic configured to command a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile; and
wherein the clutch char

Assignees

• Eaton Cummins Automated Trans Tech Llc

Inventors

• Connolly Thomas
• Furner Joseph Paul
• Chen Sipei
• Hawarden Jeff
• Mckenzie Ian Daniel
• Deboer Christopher

Classifications

• F16H37/046

  with an additional planetary gear train, e.g. creep gear, overdrive · CPC title

• F16H61/06

  by controlling rate of change of fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16H59/38

  of gearing elements · CPC title

• F16H57/0478

  Synchromesh devices · CPC title

• F16H57/032

  characterised by the materials used · CPC title