Ratio Change Controlled Patents (Class 477/46)
  • Patent number: 11293528
    Abstract: A working vehicle of this invention includes a main speed change structure that includes a continuously variable speed change structure such as an HMT structure and a multi-speed speed change structure capable of switching between a first power transmission state with a first gear ratio and a second power transmission state with a second gear ratio providing a higher speed than the first gear ratio. A control device causes the continuously variable speed change structure to be accelerated to a forward travel side in accordance with an accelerating operation of a speed change operation member in a forward travel direction, and causes the multi-speed speed change structure to be changed from a first power transmission state to a second power transmission state when the rotational speed of the speed change output shaft reaches a switching speed set to exceed a work speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Kazuhiro Owada, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 11084394
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle state of charge communication method includes, among other things, communicating a charge state notification when an actual state of charge of a traction battery is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within a first reserve range. The method further includes adjusting the first reserve range to provide a second reserve range different than the first reserve range, and, after the adjusting, communicating the charge state notification when the actual state of charge is depleted such that the actual state of charge falls within the second reserve range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Heinrich Enslin, Jeffery R. Grimes
  • Patent number: 11067172
    Abstract: A control device for a continuously variable transmission performs transmission control so that an actual transmission control value becomes a target transmission control value. The control device includes a lead compensation unit, delay compensation unit, and a setting unit. The lead compensation unit performs lead compensation of the target transmission control value. The delay compensation unit performs delay compensation of the target transmission control value. The setting unit is configured to set as the target transmission control value a post-compensation target transmission control value for which compensation is performed by the lead compensation unit and the delay compensation unit according to at least one of an input side rotation speed of the continuously variable transmission, an input torque to a driven side rotation element of the continuously variable transmission, a transmission ratio of the continuously variable transmission, and a rate of change of the transmission ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Jateo Ltd.
    Inventor: Ken Okahara
  • Patent number: 11067165
    Abstract: In this vehicle control device (10), which controls operation of a vehicle provided with a transmission including a direct gear and an overdrive gear, which is a gear with a lower gear ratio than that of the direct gear, a travel segment determination unit (15) determines a next travel segment which, forward in the travel direction of the vehicle, has a road slope different from that of the current travel segment where the vehicle is currently traveling. A next gear stage selection unit (16) determines a next gear stage, which will be the gear stage of a transmission in the next travel segment, on the basis of the speed of the vehicle, an equal fuel consumption map of the engine of the vehicle, and the travel resistance of the vehicle in the next travel segment estimated on the basis of the road slope in the next travel segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ooshima, Nobuyuki Nishimura, Junpei Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11041564
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a continuously variable transmission includes a primary-pulley clamping force acquiring unit that acquires a clamping force of a primary pulley, a secondary-pulley clamping force acquiring unit that acquires a clamping force of a secondary pulley, an input torque acquiring unit that acquires a torque applied to the primary pulley, a transmission ratio acquiring unit that acquires a transmission ratio, a learning value acquiring unit, and a controller. When a learning condition is satisfied, the learning value acquiring unit decreases the clamping force of the secondary pulley while the transmission ratio and the input torque are kept substantially constant, and acquires, as a learning value, the clamping force of the secondary pulley at which a clamping force ratio is maximum. The controller adjusts a target clamping force of the secondary pulley on the basis of the learning value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yusaku Ishii
  • Patent number: 10774766
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a continuously variable transmission is disclosed. When a driven pulley speed is less than a predetermined driven pulley speed and an actual engine speed is less than an engine speed causing a driving pulley speed to be a driving pulley engagement speed: controlling the engine to increase the actual engine speed to increase the driving pulley speed to be at least the driving pulley engagement speed. When the driven pulley speed is above the predetermined driven pulley speed, the actual engine speed is greater than the engine speed causing the driving pulley speed to be the driving pulley engagement speed, and the desired engine speed is less than the engine speed causing the driving pulley speed to be the driving pulley engagement speed: controlling the engine to operate under conditions corresponding to an engine braking speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Jean-Philippe Houle
  • Patent number: 10662980
    Abstract: A hydraulic system in of a work machine includes a hydraulic pump to supply pilot hydraulic oil in a hydraulic oil reservoir. A travel pump is to drive a travel motor according to a pilot pressure of the pilot hydraulic oil. A target pilot pressure of the pilot hydraulic oil is input through a travel operation device to control, according to the target pilot pressure, the pilot pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump to the travel pump. A pilot oil path connects the travel operation device and the travel pump to supply the pilot pressure to the travel pump. A drain oil path is divided from the pilot oil path. A pressure adjustment valve is provided in the drain oil path to adjust the pilot pressure to be less than the target pilot pressure when a condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10624262
    Abstract: A transmission speed control system for a walk-behind lawn mower includes a transmission, a transmission positioning assembly, and an electronic control unit. The transmission is tiltable about and operably engaged with a drive axle shaft. The transmission positioning assembly tilts the transmission between first and second angular positions. A belt tension between a drive belt and a transmission pulley of the transmission continuously increases from a minimum belt tension when the transmission is in the first angular position to a maximum belt tension when the transmission is in the second angular position. The rotational drive force exerted on the drive axle shaft by the transmission and a resulting driving speed of the lawn mower vary proportionally with the belt tension. The electronic control unit controls the transmission positioning assembly to tilt the transmission based on target and detected driving speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrew Edwin Bejcek
  • Patent number: 10612656
    Abstract: A control device of controlling a vehicle that includes an automatic transmission is provided with a control unit. The automatic transmission includes a power transmission mechanism with an engaging element, and a variator connected in series to the power transmission mechanism. The control unit of this device completes engagement of the engaging element after downshifting of the variator is completed when at least an accelerator pedal opening becomes not smaller than a predetermined opening, during neutral running control which brings the power transmission mechanism into a power shut-off state during running of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Oota, Yoshimasa Nishihiro
  • Patent number: 10557546
    Abstract: Provided are a control apparatus and a control method for a vehicle capable of automatically storing transmission control data corresponding to a transmission after the transmission is installed. The control apparatus for the vehicle includes a speed sensor for measuring the actual driving speed of a vehicle; a memory unit for storing first final reduction gear ratio data and second final reduction gear ratio data; and a control unit for setting a final reduction gear ratio corresponding to an installed transmission by comparing a difference between the actual driving speed of the vehicle received from the speed sensor and the driving speed of the vehicle calculated through a first final reduction gear ratio with a difference between the actual driving speed of the vehicle and the driving speed of the vehicle calculated through a second final reduction gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Dae kyun Kim
  • Patent number: 10549753
    Abstract: An engine management apparatus for a vehicle having a fuel ratio controller arranged to control the air to fuel ratio of a fuel mixture for the vehicle's engine, a power demand sensor arranged to sense power demands made of the engine, and an engine controller configured to increase the air to fuel ratio from a first selected value to a second selected value in the event that the rate of vehicle speed change is less than a first threshold and the demand is less than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Trident Torque Multiplication Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Phillip Bevan, Daniel Monagham
  • Patent number: 10543747
    Abstract: A device and method for operating a multi-axle powertrain for a motor vehicle, with a first axle being permanently in operative connection and a second axle being at least temporarily in operative connection by a drive device via a clutch coupling. It is provided that, when the second axle is decoupled from the drive device and the starting clutch is disengaged, an expected wheel force is predictively ascertained. The determination of the wheel force takes into account a torque caused by a mass moment of inertia of the drive device, and the second axle is coupled with the drive device if the expected wheel force surpasses a maximum wheel force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weidemann, Heiko Hanickel, Florian Kolb, Hans Jörg Brühl
  • Patent number: 10458546
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a variator having a primary pulley that has a primary oil chamber, a secondary pulley that has a secondary oil chamber, and a belt looped over the primary pulley and the secondary pulley, wherein secondary pressure is supplied to the secondary oil chamber, an oil pump provided in an oil passage that provides communication between the primary oil chamber and the secondary oil chamber, and a controller. The oil pump is configured to control an inflow and an outflow of oil of the primary oil chamber. The oil pump is formed by a gear pump. The continuously variable transmission controls the oil pump in such a manner that a target speed ratio of the variator is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouhei Toyohara, Tomoyuki Nakano, Hiromu Terai, Ryohey Toyota
  • Patent number: 10295056
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a power plant, continuously variable transmission (CVT), drive wheels, sensors, and controller. The CVT achieves a fixed gear/positive engagement and friction drive modes, and includes an input member that receives input torque from the power plant, an output member, and a variator assembly having drive and driven variator pulleys. The pulleys are connected to each other via an endless rotatable drive element, and to a respective one of the input and output members. Pulley actuators change a CVT speed ratio. The controller calculates a relative slip of the pulleys using measured speeds and displacements from the sensors, reduces the relative slip until the relative slip is below a calibrated speed limit or within a calibrated speed range via actuator control signal to the pulley actuators, and commands the fixed gear/positive engagement mode via positive engagement control signals to the CVT until the relative slip reaches zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC.
    Inventors: Ying Huang, Chengwu Duan
  • Patent number: 10036470
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine with an associated engine-speed sensor, and wheels each having a respective wheel-speed sensor. The vehicle also includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) coupled to the engine and configured to operate at variable input-to-output ratios. At least one controller is programmed to reduce the operating ratio of the CVT in response to the engine-speed sensor indicating the engine is operating at idle speed and the wheel-speed sensor indicating the velocity is approximately zero. This provides less noise, vibration and harshness in the vehicle due to the reduced ratio that is possible during conditions in which a vehicle launch in that reduced ratio may not be acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hong Jiang, Zhengyu Dai, Weitian Chen, Timothy L. Sargent, Yang Xu
  • Patent number: 10012309
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit determines that any one of a first condition and a second condition is satisfied, preferentially execute lower limit speed ratio control. The first condition is a condition that, after the electronic control unit starts shift prohibition control, a wheel lock has occurred before a condition for cancelling the shift prohibition control is satisfied. The second condition is a condition that, after the electronic control unit starts the lower limit speed ratio control, a wheel spin has occurred before a condition for cancelling the lower limit speed ratio control is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Tooru Matsubara, Hideharu Nohara, Masayuki Baba
  • Patent number: 9964209
    Abstract: Methods that can be used to “limit the maximum shaft/spline rpm (speed) at which axial position changing of a variator mounted on it is performed to a “maximum axial position changing rpm value” for all variator mounted shafts/splines of a CVT, while still allowing a safe driving experience and also allowing the driver to use the full power of the engine when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Inventor: Armin Sebastian Tay
  • Patent number: 9889852
    Abstract: An approach is provided in which a powertrain synchronizer analyzes condition data that corresponds to impending conditions external to a vehicle. The powertrain synchronizer predicts a driver's future action in response analyzing the condition data and adjusts the vehicle's powertrain subsystem based upon the predicted driver action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tamer E. Abuelsaad, Gregory J. Boss, Brent Hodges, John E. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9827993
    Abstract: A vehicle control system is configured for autonomous control of at least one actuatable vehicle system or component. The control system includes one or more sensors disposed on a vehicle, and a computing device in communication with the one or more sensors. The computing device is configured to acquire feedback relating to a ride quality feature from a vehicle occupant, identify vehicle control parameters affecting the ride quality feature; identify at least one autonomously controlled vehicle system affecting values of the identified vehicle control parameters; determine revisions to the vehicle control parameters necessary to implement the feedback relating to the ride quality feature; perform control parameter revisions necessary to implement the feedback relating to the ride quality feature, and control operation of the at least one autonomously controlled system or component so as to effect the control parameter revisions needed to implement the feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Danil V. Prokhorov
  • Patent number: 9669808
    Abstract: An engine ECU and a brake ECU of a vehicle control apparatus performs any one of a mechanical brake which converts a kinetic energy using rotation of a driving wheel rotation into thermal energy using friction and a regeneration brake which converts the kinetic energy of the driving wheel rotation into electric energy using regeneration, during a vehicle deceleration, after an engine brake changes a deceleration ratio which is a rotation number ratio of driving wheels with respect to the rotation number of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kyoichi Abe
  • Patent number: 9180886
    Abstract: In a control device for a vehicle on which is mounted a continuously variable transmission capable of mechanically locking a primary pulley at the time of a maximum gear ratio (maximum Low), an idle rotational speed is not always set high to increase a hydraulic pressure at the time of stopping the vehicle. Instead, at the time of stopping the vehicle, when the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission is the maximum gear ratio, normal idle rotational speed control is performed, and only when the gear ratio is not the maximum gear ratio, idle-up control is performed so that the idle rotational speed is set high, thereby the hydraulic pressure is set high. Thus, by restricting conditions in which the hydraulic pressure is set high by the idle-up control, it is possible to improve fuel efficiency while suppressing generation of a belt slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Matsubara, Sei Kojima, Akira Hino
  • Patent number: 9182017
    Abstract: A belt-driven continuously variable transmission adapted to prevent a tilting motion of a sheave under high temperature. The belt-driven continuously variable transmission is comprised of a pair of pulleys individually comprised of a fixed sheave rotated integrally with a rotary shaft and a movable sheave fitted onto the rotary shaft while being allowed to reciprocate thereon, and a driving belt applied to the pulleys to transmit power therebetween. a stopper member is disposed on an outer circumferential side and in a side where the driving belt is not contacted with the movable sheave so as to prevent the movable sheave from being tilted to widen a width between the fixed sheave and the movable sheave holding the driving belt by a load from the driving belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michio Yoshida, Yuji Hattori, Tomoaki Yanagida, Kazunori Harima
  • Patent number: 9182037
    Abstract: When an operating point that is determined by the engine speed (Ne), the engine torque (Te), and the vehicle speed falls within the zones of both a first vibration risk region (?1) and a second vibration risk region (?2), the dwell time (?T1) thereof is measured, and once this dwell time (?T1) reaches a predetermined vibration assessment time (?T1_Lim), the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission is corrected towards the large side (low side) so that the operating point is moved out of the vibration risk regions (?1, ?2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daigo Kishi, Kenichiro Murakami, Toshiya Sakai, Yasuyoshi Yoda
  • Patent number: 9150111
    Abstract: An engine-generator control method and a series hybrid electric combat maneuvering system using the control method are provided. The series hybrid electric combat maneuvering system includes a drive motor connected to an axle via a speed reducer, a Motor Control Unit (MCU) configured to control the drive motor, an engine-generator configured to generate electric power, a Generator Control Unit (GCU) configured to control the engine-generator, a high voltage battery, a Battery Management System (BMS) configured to manage the high voltage battery, and a Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) configured to control the MCU, the GCU, and the BMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEVELOPMENT
    Inventors: Soonkyu Jeong, Myeongeon Jang, Kyuhong Han, Seungtai Yeo
  • Patent number: 9022901
    Abstract: A coast stop vehicle which stops an engine during the travel of the vehicle is provided with a variator including a pair of pulleys and a belt mounted between the pulleys and capable of continuously changing a speed ratio. A controller judges whether or not coast stop conditions to stop the engine during the travel of the vehicle hold, stops the engine when the coast stop conditions hold, and prevents the speed ratio from being upshifted to a higher side than a speed ratio at the time of starting the coast stop control during the coast stop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Shinichiro Watanabe, Keichi Tatewaki, Naohiro Yamada, Noritaka Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8996263
    Abstract: An electronic controller for a variable ratio transmission and an electronically controllable variable ratio transmission including a variator or other CVT are described herein. The electronic controller can be configured to receive input signals indicative of parameters associated with an engine coupled to the transmission. The electronic controller can also receive one or more control inputs. The electronic controller can determine an active range and an active variator mode based on the input signals and control inputs. The electronic controller can control a final drive ratio of the variable ratio transmission by controlling one or more electronic solenoids that control the ratios of one or more portions of the variable ratio transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventors: Stanley B. Quinn, Jr., Alan L. Miller, Scott R. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8989970
    Abstract: There is disclosed a continuously variable ratio transmission assembly (“variator”) comprising a roller which transmits drive between a pair of races, the roller being movable in accordance with changes in variator ratio, a hydraulic actuator which applies a biasing force to the roller, at least one valve connected to the actuator through a hydraulic line to control pressure applied to the actuator and so to control the biasing force, and an electronic control which determines the required biasing force and sets the valve accordingly, wherein the valve setting is additionally dependent upon a rate of flow in the hydraulic line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Torotrak (Development) Limited
    Inventor: Stephen William Murray
  • Patent number: 8924110
    Abstract: When a rotational speed of a secondary pulley is less than a first reference value, the disclosed electronic control device implements lower limit hydraulic control to adjust the hydraulic pressure of a primary pulley to be at a lower limit hydraulic pressure. When the rotational speed is equal to or exceeds the first reference value, but is less than a second reference value, the electronic control device implements balanced hydraulic control to adjust the hydraulic pressure to be more than the lower limit hydraulic pressure. When the rotational speed is equal to or exceeds the second reference value, the electronic control device implements feedback control to correct the hydraulic pressure on the basis of the size of the difference between a target transmission gear ratio and a transmission gear ratio, calculated on the basis of rotational speeds detected by each rotational speed sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taira Iraha, Kunio Hattori
  • Patent number: 8914201
    Abstract: A control device controls a belt type continuously variable transmission including a belt slip controller and a belt slip control permission determining unit. The device decreases belt friction when an estimated accuracy of a belt slip condition is high and prevents a belt from greatly slipping when an estimated accuracy is low. The device includes primary and secondary pulleys and the belt, and controls a gear ratio based on a running radius of the belt on a pulley by controlling primary and secondary oil pressures. The controller oscillates a secondary oil pressure, estimates the belt slip condition by monitoring a phase difference between oscillation components, and reduces an actual secondary oil pressure to maintain a predetermined belt slip condition. The determining unit permits belt slip control when a torque change speed input to the transmission mechanism is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Katsumi Doihara, Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa, Kenta Nakamura, Tomoyuki Mizuochi, Kiyotaka Sawano, Masahiro Nishi, Hidemasa Kawaguchi, Keisuke Koyama
  • Patent number: 8914203
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle belt type continuously variable transmission includes primary and secondary pulleys around which a belt is wound so as to generate a belt clamping force according to an input torque by controlling a secondary hydraulic pressure. The device includes a belt slip controller performing belt slip control by oscillating the secondary hydraulic pressure and extracting an oscillation component when a change speed of the input torque is less than a predetermined value. The device further includes a limit determining control unit determining whether to limit acceleration, and an input torque change speed limiter control unit limiting the change speed to less than the predetermined value when the limit determining unit makes a determination to limit acceleration. The belt slip controller permits belt slip control while the input torque change speed limiter control unit limits the change speed to less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8914200
    Abstract: A control device for a belt type continuously variable transmission device includes primary And secondary pulleys and a belt and controls gear ratio based on a running radius of the belt on a pulley by controlling primary and secondary oil pressures. The transmission includes a belt slip control unit and a belt slip control permission determining unit. The belt slip control unit performs such control as to oscillate the secondary oil pressure, estimates a belt slip condition by monitoring the phase difference between an oscillation component included in an actual secondary oil pressure and an oscillation component included in an actual gear ration, and then reduces the actual secondary oil pressure to maintain a predetermined belt slip condition. The belt slip control permission determining unit permits belt slip control when a transmission rate as a change rate of the gear ratio is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Katsumi Doihara, Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa, Kenta Nakamura, Kiyotaka Sawano, Masahiro Nishi, Hidemasa Kawaguchi, Keisuke Koyama
  • Patent number: 8914204
    Abstract: A control device includes a belt slip controller, a limiting determining control unit, and a transmission speed limiter. The device controls a vehicle belt type continuously variable transmission including a primary pulley and a secondary pulley so as to control a gear ratio by controlling a primary hydraulic pressure and a secondary hydraulic pressure. The controller oscillates the secondary hydraulic pressure, extracts an oscillation component of an actual gear ratio when a transmission speed is less than a predetermined value, and controls the secondary hydraulic pressure based on a phase difference between oscillation components. The determining control unit determines whether to limit acceleration, and the limiter limits a transmission speed to less than the predetermined value when the determining control unit makes a determination to limit the acceleration. The controller permits belt slip control while the limiter limits the transmission speed to less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8892316
    Abstract: A demand driving force parameter indicative of a demand driving force of the engine is set based on the accelerator pedal operation amount, and a target value of an engine driving force control amount is set based on the demand driving force parameter. The engine driving force control amount is controlled so as to coincide with the target value. A target rotational speed of the engine is set based on the demand driving force parameter, and the continuously variable transmission is controlled so that the rotational speed of the engine coincides with the target rotational speed. One of a first operation mode and a second operation mode is selectable, wherein the fuel consumption rate in the second operation mode is less than the fuel consumption rate in the first operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Eguchi, Toshihiko Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8845488
    Abstract: If it is determined that a malfunction has occurred in an electrical hydraulic pump and the hydraulic fluid is not supplied to a high hydraulic pressure supplied portion from the electrical hydraulic pump, the hydraulic fluid is supplied to the high hydraulic pressure supplied portion from a mechanical hydraulic pump that usually supplies the hydraulic fluid to a low hydraulic pressure supplied portion. In this case, the hydraulic pressure that is generated by the mechanical hydraulic pump is increased by increasing the output from the engine that drives the mechanical hydraulic pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaho Kawakami, Shinya Fujimura, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yuji Hattori
  • Patent number: 8849524
    Abstract: A vehicular shift control apparatus configured to control a speed ratio of a belt-type transmission having first and second variable-diameter pulleys, and a transmission belt wound between the first and second variable-diameter pulleys, by controlling hydraulic pressures to be applied to respective hydraulic cylinders of said first and second variable-diameter pulleys, according to respective commanded hydraulic pressure values of the first and second variable-diameter pulleys, such that the speed ratio coincides with a target value, the vehicular shift control apparatus includes a shift control portion configured to be operable, when a first-variable-diameter-pulley hold pressure which permits the speed ratio of said belt-type transmission to be held at the target value in a shift-down action is determined as said commanded hydraulic pressure value of the first variable-diameter pulley, to temporarily reduce said commanded hydraulic pressure value with respect to said first-variable-diameter-pulley hold pres
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Hattori, Shinya Toyoda, Taira Iraha
  • Patent number: 8843287
    Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism has a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, and a belt, and a secondary hydraulic pressure controller to determine command secondary hydraulic pressure by feedback control based on the deviation between target secondary hydraulic pressure and actual hydraulic pressure, and control the secondary hydraulic pressure to the secondary pulley. The belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism further includes a belt slip control device to estimate a belt slip condition by monitoring the phase difference between an oscillation component included in the actual secondary hydraulic pressure and an oscillation component included in the actual transmission gear ratio and control the actual secondary hydraulic pressure to decrease based on the estimation so that a predetermined belt slip condition is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Doihara, Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa, Masahiro Nishi, Keisuke Koyama, Kenta Nakamura, Kiyotaka Sawano, Hidemasa Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8825320
    Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain includes monitoring a desired synchronous transmission shift during deceleration of an output member including a desired operating range state, monitoring an output speed, predicting output deceleration through the desired synchronous transmission shift, determining a penalty cost associated with the desired synchronous transmission shift based upon an input speed profile resulting from the predicted output deceleration and from the desired synchronous transmission shift, and executing the synchronous transmission shift based upon the penalty cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler Group LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Anthony H. Heap, Lawrence A. Kaminsky, Jy-Jen F. Sah, Kee Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 8755980
    Abstract: A vehicle with a transmission having a crankshaft and an output shaft. A clutch located between the output shaft and a drive wheel is engaged and disengaged according to a rotational speed of the output shaft. An idle speed control device performs idle speed control to adjust an idle rotational speed of an engine. An electronic control unit (ECU) suppresses or stops the idle speed control when the clutch is engaged, or when an abnormality in the transmission is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 8725373
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission including a start intended operation detecting unit detecting a vehicle starting operation; and a clutch control unit engaging the clutch from the clutch disengaged state and the automatic speed change mechanism is placed in a neutral state, when the vehicle starting operation is detected. The clutch control unit includes an initial engagement control unit performing initial engagement control that starts frictional contact of the clutch by supplying hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic servo of the clutch, and a slip start control unit establishing a speed ratio of the automatic speed change mechanism at the start by slip-controlling the clutch after the initial engagement control is terminated, thereby increasing output shaft rotational speed of the automatic speed change mechanism without reducing the input shaft rotational speed of the automatic speed change mechanism to less than the input shaft rotational speed at the end of initial engagement control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tsutsui, Yutaka Teraoka, Masatake Ichikawa, Shoji Omitsu
  • Patent number: 8712649
    Abstract: A transmission controller permits a 2-1 shift, in which a gear position of a subtransmission mechanism is changed from a second speed to a first speed, when an accelerator pedal has been depressed to or above a predetermined opening. The gear position of the subtransmission mechanism is changed from the second speed to the first speed when an actual through speed ratio passes a mode switch line from a High side to a Low side while the 2-1 shift is permitted in the subtransmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tateki Jozaki, Hideaki Suzuki, Ryousuke Nonomura, Mamiko Inoue, Seiichiro Takahashi, Tatsuo Ochiai, Masato Koga, Masaaki Uchida, Ryoji Kadono
  • Patent number: 8694215
    Abstract: A gear ratio control unit is provided to set a target gear ratio on the basis of an operating condition of the vehicle. The gear ratio control unit controls a drive amount of a step motor such that an actual gear ratio converges with the target gear ratio, and when a deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold, controls the gear ratio by controlling the drive amount of the step motor such that a predetermined gear ratio is maintained. The gear ratio control unit determines the predetermined threshold on the basis of the actual gear ratio upon detection of an operation of a brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Kawasumi, Jouji Seki
  • Patent number: 8657720
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for a continuously variable transmission includes: a target transmission gear ratio setting section configured to set a target transmission gear ratio with reference to a map based on an accelerator opening degree and a vehicle speed; a shift control section configured to control a shift of the continuously variable transmission based on the target transmission gear ratio; and a downshift restricting section configured to judge whether or not a restriction of the downshift is needed based on at least one of a variation amount of the accelerator opening degree and an accelerator depression speed, and to perform the restriction of the downshift when the downshift restricting section judges that the restriction of the downshift is needed, irrespective of a variation of the accelerator opening degree inputted to the target transmission gear ratio setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kabe, Nobuhiko Morifuji, Keisuke Ichikawa, Nobuhide Kato, Yuki Ono, Hiromu Ogino, Yukinobu Sakakibara, Hisao Nakanishi, Takahiro Nakata, Mitsuki Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 8645035
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic CVT of a vehicle includes: determining a speed of rotation of a driving shaft; determining a speed of rotation of a driven shaft; determining a ratio of the speed of rotation of the driving shaft versus the speed of rotation of the driven shaft; determining an engine torque; determining a base clamping force to be applied by the driving pulley onto the belt based on the ratio and the engine torque; determining a desired speed of rotation of the driving shaft; determining a corrective clamping force by comparing the speed of rotation of the driving shaft to the desired speed of rotation of the driving shaft; and controlling a hydraulic pressure applied to a movable sheave to apply a sum of the base and corrective clamping forces onto the belt. A vehicle having a CVT controlled by the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Consortium de Recherche BRP— Universite de Sherbrooke S.E.N.C.
    Inventors: Roger Rioux, David Monfette, Jean-Philippe Desbiens
  • Patent number: 8585544
    Abstract: A drive force control system includes a shifting demand judging means that judges whether or not a torque capacity of the clutch is relatively high, and a condition for changing the speed change ratio of the continuously variable transmission stepwise is satisfied; and a first shifting means that reduces the torque capacity of the clutch before changing the speed change ratio of the continuously variable transmission, to synchronize a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine with an input speed of the continuously variable transmission to be attained after changing the speed change ratio thereof while changing the speed change ratio of the continuously variable transmission, and to increase the torque capacity of the clutch after changing the speed change ratio of the continuously variable transmission, when changing the speed change ratio of the continuously variable transmission stepwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8560188
    Abstract: A sport running estimated value LEVELSP obtained by searching a value on a map prepared in advance based on an average values AGYAVE of lateral accelerations GY of a vehicle and on average values of vehicle speed changes is calculated, and a vehicle speed on a shift map is searched based on the sport running estimated value LEVELSP and an estimated value DA of a vehicle gradient, whereby a downshift vehicle speed VA at which a downshift is implemented is calculated. Then, the downshift is implemented in a case where actuation of a brake is detected, deceleration of the vehicle is a predetermined value or more, and a current vehicle speed is a downshift vehicle speed VA or more. In such a way, running on a meandering road, for which the downshift and a subsequent shift hold should be implemented, is sensed appropriately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ishikawa, Hiroshi Saito, Yasuhiro Gokan
  • Patent number: 8527166
    Abstract: In a shift control device for a vehicular continuously variable transmission with an arrangement in which a normal shift mode is switched to an acceleration shift mode in response to an acceleration demand, a shift control is performed to prevent deterioration to running performance due to a transition to the acceleration shift mode by increased running resistance such as ascending road running or the like against a driver will. An acceleration demand determining value PAPL is set depending on a road surface gradient ? such that the shifting mode is more difficult to be switched to the acceleration shift mode in a larger road surface gradient ?, than in a smaller road surface gradient ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Tamura, Akira Hino, Masahiro Tawara, Yasunari Matsui
  • Patent number: 8494728
    Abstract: A transmission 20 includes an input shaft 12, an output shaft 13, a primary sheave 23 that rotates together with the input shaft 12, a secondary sheave 24 that rotates together with the output shaft 13, and a belt 25 wound around both the primary sheave 23 and the secondary sheave 24. The transmission 20 includes a motor 22 that shifts a transmission ratio by driving a movable sheave 23a of the primary sheave 23. A control device (ECU 5) of the transmission 20 includes a secondary sheave rotation speed sensor 28 that detects rotation of the belt 25, and a control portion 55 of the ECU 5 performs a sheave position control (normal control of the transmission ratio) after rotation of the belt 25 is detected after starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Unno
  • Patent number: 8447480
    Abstract: A transmission control method for a continuously variable transmission for enhancing the response of a change in engine speed to a driver's accelerating/decelerating operation. In a hydraulic type continuously variable transmission, when a sport operating mode is being selected (step S1: SPORT OPERATING MODE), a target engine speed T_NE (rpm) is calculated from the vehicle velocity V (km/hr) and the position ? (degrees) of a throttle valve 60 (step S4). Further, a target angle T_A (degrees) for a motor swash plate is calculated from the vehicle velocity and the target engine speed T_NE (step S5). The motor swash plate is moved according to the difference between the actual angle A of the motor swash plate 46 and the target angle T_A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Usukura
  • Patent number: 8403809
    Abstract: The transmission controller changes the gear position of the subtransmission mechanism and varies the speed ratio of the variator in an opposite direction to a speed ratio variation direction of the subtransmission mechanism when the actual through speed ratio passes a predetermined mode switch line. When the improvement in the shift response of the continuously variable transmission is determined to be required and the actual through speed ratio passes the mode switch line from a Low side to the High side, the transmission controller increases a shift speed of the subtransmission mechanism compared with a normal coordinated shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tateki Jozaki, Hideaki Suzuki, Ryousuke Nonomura, Mamiko Inoue, Seiichiro Takahashi, Tatsuo Ochiai, Masato Koga, Masaaki Uchida, Ryoji Kadono
  • Patent number: 8306707
    Abstract: A system and method of dithering speed and/or torque for shifting a transmission of a vehicle having an engine, a reversible, variable displacement hydraulic motor/pump which can be driven by the engine, a hydraulic accumulator supplied by said motor/pump, and at least one reversible hydraulic driving motor for propelling the vehicle supplied with fluid by the hydraulic accumulator and/or by said motor/pump operating as a pump. A transmission unit connects the engine with the variable displacement hydraulic motor/pump during a first mode of operation (city mode) and connects the engine to a vehicle drive wheel during a second mode of operation. The system utilizes stored hydraulic energy to dither the output of the driving motor in order to achieve quick and smooth shifts between city and highway mode, or between various ranges within the city mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Yisheng Zhang, John Loeffler