Work vehicle and method of controlling work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745722-B2
Application number	US-201414888822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A power transmission includes first and second clutches for switching a transmission path for a driving force. A work vehicle includes a clutch controlling unit and an engine controlling unit. The clutch controlling unit is configured to determine which of first and second modes the transmission path is switched into based on which of a range of greater than or equal to a mode switching threshold and a range of less than or equal to the mode switching threshold a speed ratio parameter falls into, and is configured to output a clutch command signal causing one of the first and second clutches to be engaged corresponding to the determined mode. The engine controlling unit is configured to apply an offset to a rotational speed of an input shaft such that after switching into the determined mode, the speed ratio parameter deviates from the mode switching threshold in the switched mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work vehicle, comprising:
an engine;
a hydraulic pump arranged and configured to be driven by the engine;
a work implement arranged and configured to be driven by a hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, the work implement including at least one hydraulic cylinder operatively arranged to be actuated by the hydraulic oil;
a travelling apparatus including at least one axle and at least one wheel, the at least one axle and the at least one wheel being operatively arranged and configured to be driven by the engine;
a power transmission configured to transmit a driving force from the engine to the travelling apparatus; and
a controller configured to control the power transmission,
the power transmission including
an input shaft,
an output shaft,
a gear mechanism having a planetary gear mechanism, the gear mechanism being configured to transmit a rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft,
a motor/generator connected to a rotary element of the planetary gear mechanism, the motor/generator being arranged such that a speed ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft changes in response to a change of a rotational speed of the motor,
a first clutch for switching a transmission path for the driving force in the power transmission into a first mode, and
a second clutch for switching the transmission path for the driving force in the power transmission into a second mode, the first mode being a mode in which the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and the second mode being a mode in which the second clutch is engaged and the first clutch is disengaged,
the power transmission being configured such that when a speed ratio parameter corresponding to the speed ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft is a predetermined mode switching threshold, a first rotational speed ratio of the motor to the input shaft in the first mode and a second rotational speed ratio of the motor to the input shaft in the second mode are equal to each other,

the controller including
a clutch controlling unit configured to determine which of the first mode and the second mode the transmission path will be switched into based on whether the speed ratio parameter is greater than or equal to the mode switching threshold or the speed ratio parameter is less than or equal to the mode switching threshold, and then output a clutch command signal for causing each of the first and second clutches to be engaged or disengaged corresponding to the determined mode, and
an engine controlling unit configured to apply an offset to a rotational speed of the input shaft such that the speed ratio parameter deviates from the mode switching threshold for a prescribed period after the power transmission is switched into the determined mode,

the controller being programmed to
determine an output torque of the engine such that a horsepower outputted by the engine will be kept unchanged at least during the prescribed period,
determine a target traction force based on a vehicle speed and an accelerator operating amount of the work vehicle, and
control a torque of the motor/generator based on the determined output torque of the engine such that the target traction force is obtained during the prescribed period.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the engine controlling unit is configured to set the offset to have a positive value when the speed ratio parameter exists in a range of less than or equal to the mode switching threshold in the determined mode and is configured to set the offset to have a negative value when the speed ratio parameter exists in a range of greater than or equal to the mode switching threshold in the determined mode.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
in changing the rotational speed of the input shaft, the engine controlling unit is configured to either increase a rotational speed of the engine and decrease the output torque of the engine or decrease the rotational speed of the engine and increase the output torque of the engine.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the engine controlling unit is configured to end the prescribed period and finish applying the offset when the speed ratio deviates from the mode switching threshold by a predetermined magnitude or greater.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the engine controlling unit is configured to finish applying the offset when the speed ratio deviates from the mode switching threshold by a predetermined magnitude or greater.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the engine controlling unit is configured to finish applying the offset when the speed ratio deviates from the mode switching threshold by a predetermined magnitude or greater.

7. A method of controlling a work vehicle equipped with a power transmission that includes
an input shaft,
an output shaft,
a gear mechanism having a planetary gear mechanism, the gear mechanism being configured to transmit a rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft,
a motor/generator connected to a rotary element of the planetary gear mechanism, the motor/generator being arranged such that a speed ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft changes in response to a change of a rotational speed of the motor,
a first clutch for switching a transmission path for the driving force in the power transmission into a first mode, and
a second clutch for switching the transmission path for the driving force in the power transmission into a second mode, the first mode being a mode in which the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and the second mode being a mode in which the second clutch is engaged and the first clutch is disengaged,
the power transmission being configured such that when a speed ratio parameter corresponding to the speed ratio of the output shaft to the input shaft is a predetermined mode switching threshold, a rotational speed ratio of the motor to the input shaft in the first mode and a rotational speed ratio of the motor to the input shaft in the second mode are equal to each other,

the method comprising:
determining which of the first mode and the second mode the transmission path will be switched into based on whether the speed ratio parameter is greater than or equal to the mode switching threshold or the speed ratio parameter is less than or equal to the mode switching threshold, and then outputting a clutch command signal for causing each of the first and second clutches to be engaged or disengaged corresponding to the determined mode;
applying an offset to a rotational speed of the input shaft for a prescribed period after the power transmission is switched into the determined mode, the offset being applied such that the speed ratio parameter deviates from the mode switching threshold;
determining an output torque of the engine such that a horsepower outputted by the engine will be kept unchanged during the prescribed period;
determining a target traction force based on a vehicle speed and an accelerator operating amount of the work vehicle; and
controlling a torque of the motor/generator based on the determined output torque of the engine such that the target traction force is obtained during the prescribed period.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Monden Hiroshi
• Nohara Tatsuro
• Miyazaki Shogo

Classifications

• B60K6/365 Primary

  with the gears having orbital motion · CPC title

• E02F3/283

  with a single arm pivoted directly on the chassis (linkage mechanism for it E02F3/3405) · CPC title

• B60L2240/443

  Torque · CPC title

• B60L15/2054

  by controlling transmissions or clutches · CPC title

• B60L50/40

  using propulsion power supplied by capacitors · CPC title