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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11603099-B2
Application number	US-202117159246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

A transmission includes an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing torque output to a driveline. A controller determines a shaft displacement angle representing an angle value of rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and performs a transmission operation responsive to the shaft displacement angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer product in a non-transitory memory for controlling a vehicle based on a shaft displacement angle and a zero or imminent zero torque region of a transmission, wherein the computer product configures a processor when implemented from the memory to:
determine that the transmission is in one or more of: a zero torque region, an imminent zero torque region, a backlash region, and an imminent backlash region;
wherein the determination is based at least in part upon a shaft displacement angle that comprises an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of a transmission; and

selectively control a transmission operation based at least in part upon the determination.

2. The computer product of claim 1 ,
wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:
an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;
a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission;
an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

3. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

4. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

5. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

6. The computer product of claim 2 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region.

7. The computer product of claim 6 , wherein the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:
determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the gear mesh;
determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;
determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the gear mesh;
determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and
determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event.

8. An apparatus comprising a torque state description logic that selectively controls a transmission operation based at least in part upon a determination that a shaft displacement angle between at least two shafts of a transmission meets a predetermined program code that indicates the transmission is in one or more of:
a zero torque region;
an imminent zero torque region;
a backlash region; and
an imminent backlash region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 ,
wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:
an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;
a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission; and
an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the determination that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:
determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the gear mesh;
determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the gear mesh is likely to induce a backlash crossing event;
determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the gear mesh;
determining that a transmission input torque value indicates an imminent zero crossing event; and
determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event.

15. A method for controlling a vehicle based on shaft displacement angle and a zero or imminent zero torque region of a transmission, comprising:
determining that the transmission is in one of: a zero torque region, an imminent zero torque region, a backlash region and an imminent backlash region;
wherein the determining is based at least in part upon a shaft displacement angle that comprises an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of a transmission; and

selectively controlling a transmission operation based at least in part upon the determination.

16. The method of claim 15 ,
wherein the shaft displacement angle comprises at least one angle selected from angles consisting of:
an input angle comprising an angle value representative of a rotational displacement difference between an input shaft and a countershaft of the transmission;
a main box angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the countershaft and an output shaft of the transmission;
an output angle comprising a rotational displacement difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission; and

wherein the transmission operation comprises an operation of a shift actuator.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a prime mover torque pulse command.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing a shift pre-load command.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises providing an opposing pulse command.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation of the shift actuator comprises reducing engagement force by a gear mesh in response to the determining that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region, and wherein the determining that the transmission is in a backlash or imminent backlash region comprises one or more of:
determining that an imminent rotational direction of the gear mesh is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction

Assignees

• Eaton Cummins Automated Trans Tech Llc
• Eaton Cummins Automated Trans Technologies

Inventors

• Hawarden Jeff
• Wang Yeidei
• Connolly Thomas
• Chen Sipei
• Jackson Graeme Andrew

Classifications

• F16H59/52

  dependent on the weight of the machine, e.g. change in weight resulting from passengers boarding a bus · CPC title

• F16H57/0484

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

• F16H2059/148

  Transmission output torque, e.g. measured or estimated torque at output drive shaft · CPC title

• F16H2003/0931

  each countershaft having an output gear meshing with a single common gear on the output shaft · CPC title

• F16H61/30

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