Transmission modulator valve control

Claim 2

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, vacuum modulator means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in the automatic transmission in accordance with the output torque of the vehicle engine, a source of fluid pressure, proportioning means arranged to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum generator means and to said source of fluid pressure, and means for controlling said proportioning means in accordance with the speed of the vehicle engine, in an arrangement in which at low engine speeds the proportioning means closes off the connection from the source of fluid pressure and opens a full-flow connection from the vacuum generator means, and with increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the source of fluid pressure and correspondingly closes off the connection from the vacuum generator means, for supplying to the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases in accordance with the increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 3

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, vacuum modulator means for controlling said automatic transmission, and proportioning means comprising a casing, a connection to said vacuum supply means, a connection to said vacuum modulator means, said connections extending radially through said casing in a common plane, an axially extending rotary valve spindle within said casing, a flat portion formed on said valve spindle in the region of said connections such that in one rotary position of said valve spindle the connections are in fluid communication whereas in another rotary position of said valve spindle fluid communication between the connections is blocked by the valve spindle, a screw-threaded connection between the valve spindle and the casing, a conical valve surface formed at one end of the valve spindle, an aperture in the casing forming a connection to atmosphere, a valve seat in the casing engageable by the conical valve surface of the valve spindle to provide controlled communication between atmosphere and the connection to said vacuum modulator means in dependence on the position of said valve spindle, and means responsive to vehicle engine speed for imparting rotary control movement to said valve spindle, for supplying thereby to said vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 4

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, vacuum modulator means for controlling said automatic transmission, and proportioning means comprising a casing, a connection to said vacuum supply means, a connection to said vacuum modulator means, said connections extending radially through said casing in a common plane, an axially extending rotary valve spindle within said casing, a flat portion formed on said valve spindle in the region of said connections such that in one rotary position of said valve spindle the connections are in fluid communication whereas in another rotary position of said valve spindle fluid communication between the connections is blocked by the valve spindle, a screw-threaded connection between the valve spindle and the casing, a conical valve surface formed at one end of the valve spindle, an aperture in the casing forming a connection to atmosphere, a valve seat in the casing engageable by the conical valve surface of the valve spindle to provide controlled communication between atmosphere and the connection to said vacuum modulator means in dependence on the position of said valve spindle, and means responsive to vehicle engine speed for imparting rotary control movement to said valve spindle, for supplying thereby to said vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 5

Vacuum-control modulatOr arrangement according to claim 2, in which the valve seat is made axially adjustable with respect to the conical valve surface of the valve spindle, in that the valve seat is arranged in a sleeve-like adjusting screw which is provided with a through axial bore and can be screwed axially relative to the casing of the proportioning means and fixed in its adjusted position by means of a lock nut.

Claim 6

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, vacuum modulator means for controlling said automatic transmission, and proportioning means comprising a casing, a connection to said vacuum supply means, a connection to said vacuum modulator means, said connections extending radially through said casing in a common plane, an axially extending rotary valve spindle within said casing, a flat portion formed on said valve spindle in the region of said connections such that in one rotary position of said valve spindle the connections are in fluid communication whereas in another rotary position of said valve spindle fluid communication between the connections is blocked by the valve spindle, a slot formed in said casing in the region of the flattened portion of said valve spindle and connecting the interior of the casing to atmosphere, the valve spindle co-operating with said slot to provide controlled communication between atmosphere and the connection to said vacuum modulator means in dependence on the position of said valve spindle, and means responsive to vehicle engine speed for imparting rotary control movement to said valve spindle, for supplying thereby to said vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 7

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, vacuum modulator means for controlling said automatic transmission, and proportioning means comprising a casing, a connection to said vacuum supply means, a connection to said vacuum modulator means, said connections extending radially through said casing in a common plane, an axially extending rotary valve spindle within said casing, a flat portion formed on said valve spindle in the region of said connections such that in one rotary position of said valve spindle the connections are in fluid communication whereas in another rotary position of said valve spindle fluid communication between the connections is blocked by the valve spindle, a slot formed in said casing in the region of the flattened portion of said valve spindle and connecting the interior of the casing to atmosphere, the valve spindle co-operating with said slot to provide controlled communication between atmosphere and the connection to said vacuum modulator means in dependence on the position of said valve spindle, and means responsive to vehicle engine speed for imparting rotary control movement to said valve spindle, for supplying thereby to said vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 8

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising a diesel engine, an automatic transmission driven by said diesel engine, vacuum modulator means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in said automatic transmission, fuel injector pump means for said diesel engine, a movable control member for varying the delivery of said fuel injector pump means, an accelerator pedal, linkage means for varying the position of said movable control member in accordance with the position of said accelerator pedal, vacuum generator means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed dependent on the speed of said diesel engine, to produce thereby a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed, proportioning means actuable to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum generator means and to atmosphere, and actuator means for actuating said proportioning means in accordance with the position of said movable control member, in an arrangement in which at a low accelerator pedal setting corresponding to a low engine speed the proportioning means closes off said connection to atmosphere and opens a connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing accelerator pedal setting corresponding to increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly progressively closes off the connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, for providing at the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed.

Claim 9

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising a diesel engine, an automatic transmission driven by said diesel engine, vacuum modulator means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in said automatic transmission, fuel injector pump means for said diesel engine, a movable control member for varying the delivery of said fuel injector pump means, an accelerator pedal, linkage means for varying the position of said movable control member in accordance with the position of said accelerator pedal, vacuum generator means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed dependent on the speed of said diesel engine, to produce thereby a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed, proportioning means actuable to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum generator means and to atmosphere, and actuator means for actuating said proportioning means in accordance with the position of said movable control member, in an arrangement in which at a low accelerator pedal setting corresponding to a low engine speed the proportioning means closes off said connection to atmosphere and opens a connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing accelerator pedal setting corresponding to increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly progressively closes off the connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, for providing at the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed.

Claim 10

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising a diesel engine, an automatic transmission driven by said diesel engine, vacuum modulatOr means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in said automatic transmission, fuel injector pump means for said diesel engine, a housing for said fuel injector pump means, a movable control member mounted on said housing and arranged to produce a control pressure for effecting variation of the delivery of said fuel injector pump means, an accelerator pedal, linkage means for varying the position of said movable control member in accordance with the position of said accelerator pedal, vacuum generator means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed dependent on the speed of said diesel engine, to produce thereby a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed, proportioning means fixedly mounted on the housing of said fuel injector pump means and actuable to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum generator means and to atmosphere, movable actuator means for actuating said proportioning means, and linkage means interconnecting said movable actuator means and said movable control member to thereby vary the setting of said proportioning means in accordance with the position of said movable control member, in an arrangement in which at a low accelerator pedal setting corresponding to a low engine speed the proportioning means closes off said connection to atmosphere and opens a connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing accelerator pedal setting corresponding to increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly progressively closes off the connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, for providing at the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed.

Claim 11

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising a diesel engine, an automatic transmission driven by said diesel engine, vacuum modulatOr means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in said automatic transmission, fuel injector pump means for said diesel engine, a housing for said fuel injector pump means, a movable control member mounted on said housing and arranged to produce a control pressure for effecting variation of the delivery of said fuel injector pump means, an accelerator pedal, linkage means for varying the position of said movable control member in accordance with the position of said accelerator pedal, vacuum generator means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed dependent on the speed of said diesel engine, to produce thereby a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed, proportioning means fixedly mounted on the housing of said fuel injector pump means and actuable to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum generator means and to atmosphere, movable actuator means for actuating said proportioning means, and linkage means interconnecting said movable actuator means and said movable control member to thereby vary the setting of said proportioning means in accordance with the position of said movable control member, in an arrangement in which at a low accelerator pedal setting corresponding to a low engine speed the proportioning means closes off said connection to atmosphere and opens a connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing accelerator pedal setting corresponding to increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly progressively closes off the connection between the vacuum generator means and the vacuum modulator means, for providing at the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with increasing accelerator pedal setting and engine speed.

Claim 12

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, brake power booster means, means connecting said brake power booster means at all times to said vacuum supply means, vacuum modulator means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in the automatic transmission in accordance with the output torque of the vehicle engine, proportioning means arranged to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum supply means and to atmosphere, and means for controlling said proportioning means in accordance with the speed of the vehicle engine, in an arrangement in which at low engine speeds the proportioning means closes off the connection to atmosphere and opens a full-flow connection between the vacuum supply means, and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly closes off the connection from the vacuum modulator means, to the vacuum supply means, for supplying to the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with the increasing vehicle engine speed.

Claim 13

Vacuum-control modulator arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising vacuum generator means, vacuum supply means, means for driving said vacuum generator means at a speed which is a function of the speed of the vehicle engine, to produce thereby in said vacuum supply means a degree of vacuum which increases with increasing vehicle engine speed, brake power booster means, means connecting said brake power booster means at all times to said vacuum supply means, vacuum modulator means for establishing a plurality of drive ratios in the automatic transmission in accordance with the output torque of the vehicle engine, proportioning means arranged to connect said vacuum modulator means selectively to said vacuum supply means and to atmosphere, and means for controlling said proportioning means in accordance with the speed of the vehicle engine, in an arrangement in which at low engine speeds the proportioning means closes off the connection to atmosphere and opens a full-flow connection between the vacuum supply means, and the vacuum modulator means, and with increasing engine speeds the proportioning means progressively opens the connection from the vacuum modulator means to atmosphere and correspondingly closes off the connection from the vacuum modulator means, to the vacuum supply means, for supplying to the vacuum modulator means a degree of vacuum which decreases with the increasing vehicle engine speed.