EP0450286A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gear selection device for a transmission assembly of a motor vehicle
Assignee: Iveco SpA
•
Filing: 1991-02-13
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-02-13
Abstract
Abstract A gear selection device (16) for a transmission assembly (1) of a vehicle is disclosed, comprising a main lever (18) for selecting two operating positions (U, D) and on which are provided two buttons (P, N), one of which (N) is for selecting neutral, and a small auxiliary lever (23) also having two operating positions (U, D), and an electronic processor (17) for controlling the the gearbox (4) and the clutch (3). The lever (18) is connected to transducer means (24) adapted to convey to the processor (17) input signals (25-30) indicating the actuation of the lever (18) itself, of the button (P) and of the auxiliary lever (23); in particular, when the vehicle is moving, the processor (17) controls the engagement of the first, second or fourth gear higher or lower than that currently engaged following input signals (25-30) corresponding respectively to the actuation of the auxiliary lever (23) by itself in one of the two positions (U, D), of the lever (18) by itself in a respective position (U, D), and of the lever (18) in combination with the button (P), after having verified that the engine speed as a result of the change in gear ratio falls within a range of acceptable values.
Inventors
- 👤 Gian Maria Pigozzi
- 👤 Giovanni Tornatore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:28
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60W; B60W30/00; B60W30/18; B60W10/00; B60W10/02; B60W10/10; B60W30/1819; F; F16; F16H; F16H59/00; F16H59/02; F16H2059/0239; F16H59/0278; F16H2059/0286; F16H59/04; F16H2059/047; F16H61/00; F16H61/02; F16H61/0202; F16H61/0248; F16H63/00; F16H63/40; F16H63/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
A gear selection device in a transmission assembly of a vehicle, which is coupled to a drive shaft of an engine of the vehicle itself and which comprises a clutch, a gearbox, actuating means adapted to effect the engagement and disengagement of the gears in said gearbox, and valve means for operating said actuating means, and said device comprising: - a main lever pivotable in a plane between two opposite selection positions, relative to a central rest position; - at least a first button arranged at least in the vicinity of the handle of said lever; - auxiliary selection means which are arranged on said lever at least in the vicinity of said handle and which can be shifted into at least two different selection positions; - transducer means connected to said lever and adapted to generate electrical signals indicating the actuation of said main lever and of said auxiliary selection means in each of the respective selection positions, and the actuation of said first button, and an electronic processor receiving input signals from said transducer means and generating control signals for said valve means; said device being characterised in that said electronic processor (17) comprises first processing means (36) adapted to generate selection signals (37) for the second gear higher than or lower than that engaged, in response to input signals (25, 26) corresponding to the actuation of said main lever (18) in a first (U) or second (D) of said selection positions, to generate selection signals (37) for the fourth gear higher than or lower than that engaged, in response to input signals (25, 26, 29) corresponding to the combined actuation of said main lever (18) in said first (U) or second (D) selection position and of said first button (P), and to generate selection signals (37) for the first gear higher than or lower than that engaged, in response to input signals (27, 28) corresponding to the actuation of said auxiliary selection means in a respective first (U) or second (D) selection position, and control means (38) adapted to generate said control signals (21) for said solenoid valves (15), in response to said selection signals (37).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said first processing means (36) is able to generate selection signals (37) derived from the algebraic sum of the increase/decrease in the gear number resulting from actuation of said main lever (18), optionally in combination with actuation of said first button (P), and of the unitary increase/decrease in the gear number resulting from simultaneous actuation of said auxiliary selection means (23).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
109 words
A device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said processor comprises second processing means (39) able to generate a signal (40) indicating a theoretical speed of said drive shaft (3) at the end of the operation to engage the gear ratio selected in response to an input signal (31) indicating the output speed of said gearbox and to said selection signals (37), said processor also comprising comparator means (41) adapted to verify whether the value of said theoretical speed is within a pair of predetermined nominal values (N Cmax , N Pmax ) so as to emit an enabling signal (42) for said control means (38).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device according to Claim 3, characterised in that said first processing means (36) is adapted to generate selection signals (37) for the gear ratio corresponding to a unitary increase/decrease in the gear number in the absence of said enabling signal (42).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
61 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said lever (18) comprises a second button (N); said first processing means (36), in response to input signals (30) generated by said transducer means (24) resulting from actuation of said second button (N), being able to generate selection signals (37) for the neutral position of said gearbox (4).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
188 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that it comprises second threshold comparison means (43) adapted to generate an interrupt signal (44) indicating a vehicle speed below a predetermined minimum threshold value; said first processing means (36) being able, in the presence of said stop signal (44) and in the neutral position of said gearbox, to generate selection signals (37) for the second forward gear in response to input signals (25) corresponding to the actuation of said main lever (18) in said first selection position (U), to generate selection signals (37) for the fourth forward gear in response to input signals (25, 29) corresponding to the combined actuation of said main lever (18) in said first selection position (U) and of said first button (P), and to generate selection signals (37) for the first forward gear in response to input signals (27) corresponding to the actuation of said auxiliary selection means (23) in said respective first selection position (U); said control means (38) being able to generate said control signals (21) for said solenoid valves (15) in response to said selection signals (37).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
151 words
A device according to Claim 6, characterised in that, in the presence of said stop signal (44) and in the neutral position of said gearbox, said first processing means (36) is able to generate selection signals (37) for a first reverse ratio (H) in response to input signals (26, 29) corresponding to the combined actuation of said main lever (18) in said second selection position (D) and of said first button (P),and is able to generate selection signals for a second reverse ratio (L) in response to input signals (26, 28, 29) corresponding to the combined actuation of said main lever (18) in said second selection position (D), of said first button (P) and of said auxiliary selection means (23) in the respective second selection position (D); said control means (38) being able to generate said control signals (31) for said solenoid valves (15) in response to said selection signals (37).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
118 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that, in response to input signals (26) corresponding to the actuation of said main lever (18) in said second selection position (D) and starting from a neutral position of said gearbox (4), said first processing means (36) is able to generate selection signals (37) for the gear ratio which is optimally closest to the transmission ratio T defined by the equation: T = N u /(N Cmax +K₁) , wherein N u is the output speed of the gearbox, N Cmax is the engine speed at maximum torque and K₁ is a constant of between 0 and 400 rpm and, preferably, between 150 and 250 rpm.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
116 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that in response to input signals (25) corresponding to the actuation of said main lever (18) in said first selection position (U) and starting from a neutral position of said gearbox, said first processing means is able to generate selection signals (37) for the gear ratio which is optimally closest to the transmission ratio T defined by the equation: T = N u /(N Pmax -K₂) , wherein N u is the output speed of the gearbox, N Pmax is the speed at maximum engine power and K₂ is a constant of between 0 and 500 rpm and, preferably, between 200 and 300 rpm.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
70 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said first processing means (36) is able to generate selection signals (37) for neutral in response to said stop signal (44) and input signals (25) corresponding to the actuation of said main lever (18) in said first position (U) starting from a reverse gear ratio, and in said second position (D) starting from a forward gear ratio.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
56 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said auxiliary selection means comprise a small auxiliary lever (23) disposed in the vicinity of the handle (22) of said main lever (18) and which can be shifted between two opposing selection positions (U, D) with respect to a central rest position (O).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
41 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said first processing means (36) is able to generate an error signal (46) in response to incongruent input signals, said error signals actuating an acoustic warning device (33).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
95 words
A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said gearbox (4) comprises, in cascade arrangement, a "splitter" stage (8) defining at least one first and one second transmission ratio (L, H) corresponding to a lower and higher gear ratio, a main stage (9) defining a plurality of forward ratios, at least one transmission ratio in reverse and a neutral position, and a range reduction gear stage (10) defining at least one first and one second transmission ratio (L, H) corresponding to two respectively lower and higher ranges of gear ratios.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device according to Claim 12, characterised in that said first processing means (36) is able to generate, upon starting the vehicle, selection signals for said second ratio (H) of said splitter, for neutral in said main stage and for said first ratio (L) in said range reduction gear.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.