Work vehicle and control method for work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11739833-B2
Application number	US-202017611967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2020
Priority date	Jun 19, 2019
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A control method for a work vehicle, includes: acquiring a signal for changing a state of a traveling device, to which power is transmitted via a transmission and a clutch, between forward, neutral, and reverse states; outputting a command for reducing a torque of an output shaft connected to the traveling device in a state where a first clutch is engaged, before a specified time elapses from a time point at which the signal for changing to the neutral state is acquired in a state where the first clutch is engaged; outputting a command for releasing the first clutch after the specified time elapses; and outputting a command for controlling the transmission so that a rotation speed of an input-side element of a second clutch to be engaged next coincides with that of an output-side element of the second clutch in a state where the first clutch is released.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
an input shaft that is connected to an engine;
an output shaft that is connected to a traveling device;
a power transmission device that transmits power input to the input shaft to the output shaft via a clutch mechanism;
a forward-reverse operation device operated to change a state of the traveling device between a forward state, a neutral state, and a reverse state; and
a control device,
wherein the control device includes:
an operation signal acquisition unit that acquires an operation signal generated by an operation of the forward-reverse operation device;
a torque reduction command unit that outputs a torque reduction command for reducing a torque of the output shaft in a state where a first clutch among a plurality of clutches of the clutch mechanism is engaged, before a specified time elapses from a time point at which the operation signal for changing to the neutral state is acquired in a state where the first clutch is engaged;
a clutch control unit that outputs a release command for releasing the first clutch after the specified time elapses; and
a power control unit that outputs a control command for controlling the power transmission device so that a rotation speed of an input-side element of a second clutch to be engaged next coincides with a rotation speed of an output-side element of the second clutch in a state where the first clutch is released.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch control unit determines the second clutch to be engaged next based on a speed ratio indicating a ratio between a rotation speed of the input shaft and a rotation speed of the output shaft, and outputs a clutch command for engaging the second clutch.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an input shaft rotation speed sensor that detects the rotation speed of the input shaft; and
an output shaft rotation speed sensor that detects the rotation speed of the output shaft,
wherein the clutch control unit determines the second clutch based on a detection signal of the input shaft rotation speed sensor and a detection signal of the output shaft rotation speed sensor.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the power transmission device includes a hydraulic transmission mechanism including a first hydraulic pump motor and a second hydraulic pump motor and transmitting power input to the input shaft to the output shaft via the clutch mechanism, the first hydraulic pump motor functioning as one of a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor and the second hydraulic pump motor functioning as the other of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor,
the control command output from the power control unit includes a capacity command for changing at least one of a capacity of the first hydraulic pump motor and a capacity of the second hydraulic pump motor,
the control device includes a storage unit that stores correlation data indicating a relationship between the speed ratio and the capacity of the first hydraulic pump motor and the capacity of the second hydraulic pump motor, and
the power control unit outputs the capacity command based on the speed ratio and the correlation data so that the rotation speed of the input-side element of the second clutch coincides with the rotation speed of the output-side element of the second clutch.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein a function as the hydraulic pump and a function as the hydraulic motor of the first hydraulic pump motor and the second hydraulic pump motor are switched based on the speed ratio, and
the power control unit outputs the capacity command so that the capacity of one of the first hydraulic pump motor and the second hydraulic pump motor that functions as the hydraulic motor is changed at the speed ratio at which the second clutch is engaged.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the power transmission device includes a mechanical transmission mechanism including a planetary gear mechanism and transmitting power input to the input shaft to the output shaft via the clutch mechanism.

7. A control method for a work vehicle, comprising:
acquiring an operation signal for changing a state of a traveling device, to which power is transmitted via a power transmission device and a clutch mechanism, between a forward state, a neutral state, and a reverse state;
outputting a torque reduction command for reducing a torque of an output shaft connected to the traveling device in a state where a first clutch of the clutch mechanism is engaged, before a specified time elapses from a time point at which the operation signal for changing to the neutral state is acquired in a state where the first clutch is engaged;
outputting a release command for releasing the first clutch after the specified time elapses; and
outputting a control command for controlling the power transmission device so that a rotation speed of an input-side element of a second clutch to be engaged next coincides with a rotation speed of an output-side element of the second clutch in a state where the first clutch is released.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ikeda Hiroaki
• Kawakita Shinya

Classifications

• F16H61/0403 Primary

  Synchronisation before shifting · CPC title

• F16H47/04 Primary

  the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion · CPC title

• F16H61/438

  Control of forward-reverse switching, e.g. control of the swash plate causing discharge in two directions · CPC title

• F16H61/439

  Control of the neutral position, e.g. by zero tilt rotation holding means · CPC title

• F16H2061/0481

  during range shift from drive (D) or reverse (R) to neutral (N) · CPC title