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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247680-B2
Application number	US-201916596415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

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. An integrated actuator housing includes a single external power access for the shift actuator. A controller interprets controls the shift actuator with actuating and opposing pulses, and interprets a shaft displacement angle, determines if the transmission is in an imminent zero or zero torque region, and performs a transmission operation in response to the transmission in the imminent zero or zero torque region.

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 the clutch, wherein a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch;
a clutch configured to selectively decouple the prime mover from the input shaft;
a controller, comprising:
a shaft displacement logic configured to interpret a shaft displacement angle, the shaft displacement angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from the angles consisting of:
an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the countershaft;
a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and the output shaft; and
an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft;

a torque input determination logic configured to determine a prime mover torque value in response to the shaft displacement angle;
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 characterization logic is further configured to:
interpret a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque;
wherein the interpreting the indicated clutch torque is in response to the prime mover torque value; and
to update the clutch torque profile in response to the position of the progressive actuator and the indicated clutch torque.

2. The transmission of claim 1 , wherein the clutch torque profile comprises a first clutch engagement position value, and wherein the clutch control logic is further configured to utilize the first clutch engagement position value as a maximum zero torque position.

3. The transmission of claim 2 , wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to interpret the clutch torque profile by performing a clutch first engagement position test, the clutch first engagement position test comprising: determining that an input shaft speed is zero, the clutch control logic positioning the clutch at the first clutch engagement position value, and comparing an acceleration of the input shaft speed to a first expected acceleration value of the input shaft speed.

4. The transmission of claim 3 , wherein the clutch first engagement position test further comprises a friction brake control logic configured to command a friction brake to bring the input shaft speed to zero.

5. The transmission of claim 4 , wherein the clutch torque profile further comprises a second clutch engagement position value, and wherein the clutch control logic is further configured to utilize the second clutch engagement position value as a minimum significant engagement torque position.

6. The transmission of claim 5 , wherein the clutch characterization logic is further configured to interpret the clutch torque profile by performing a clutch second engagement position test, the clutch second engagement position test comprising: determining that the input shaft speed is zero, the clutch control logic positioning the clutch at the second clutch engagement position value, and comparing the acceleration of the input shaft speed to a second expected acceleration value of the input shaft speed.

7. The transmission of claim 6 , wherein the clutch second engagement position test further comprises the friction brake control logic further configured to command the friction brake to bring the input shaft speed to zero.

8. The transmission of claim 1 , 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.

9. The transmission of claim 8 , 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.

10. 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 shaft displacement logic configured to interpret a shaft displacement angle, the shaft displacement angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from the angles consisting of:
an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the countershaft;
a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and the output shaft; and
an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft;

a torque input determination logic configured to determine a prime mover torque value in response to the shaft displacement angle;
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 characterization logic is further configured to:
interpret a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque;
wherein the interpreting the indicated clutch torque is in response to the prime mover torque value; and
to update t

Assignees

• Eaton Cummins Automated Trans Tech Llc

Inventors

• Connolly Thomas
• Furner Joseph Paul
• Hawarden Jeff
• Mckenzie Ian Daniel
• Deboer Christopher
• Jackson Graeme Andrew

Classifications

• F16H61/0213 Primary

  characterised by the method for generating shift signals · CPC title

• F16H61/08

  Timing control · CPC title

• B60W10/111

  with separate change-speed gear trains arranged in series · CPC title

• F16D2500/30807

  Estimation of the engaged transmission ratio · CPC title

• F16H2312/022

  Preparing to drive off · CPC title