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US3757606A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for the automatic shifting of change-speed transmissions, especially of motor vehicles

Assignee: Daimler Benz AG
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Filing: 1970-09-29
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1990-09-29
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Abstract

Abstract A method and apparatus for automatically shifting the individual speeds of a change-speed gear, particularly for motor vehicles, by means of force-locking shifting elements and by the use of a hydrodynamic unit, such as a torque converter or hydrodynamic coupling, whose slippage condition is increased during the change in transmission ratio by engageable means, in which the pressure space of the shifting element for the new speed is filled with a pressure medium while the shifting element for the pre-existing speed remains under hydraulic shifting pressure and the slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit is maintained for a certain length of time; only after the filling of the pressure space of the shifting element for the new speed and with substantial simultaneous disengagement of the pre-existing speed, the slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit is then increased; in the event a by-pass clutch is provided for the hydrodynamic unit, the by-pass clutch remains engaged until the pressure space of the servo-shifting element for the new speed is completely filled, at which time the by-pass clutch is disengaged with simultaneous disengagement of the pre-existing speed.

Inventors

  • 👤 H Forster
  • 👤 U Eltze

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 13:46
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H47/00; F16H47/06; F16H47/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S74/00; Y10S74/03

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim 172 words
A method for automatically hydraulically shifting a changespeed gear which includes a shifting system having several forcelocking shifting means provided with pressure spaces and a source of pressure medium for shifting the transmission speeds thereof, with the use of a variable slippage hydrodynamic unit connected with said change-speed gear and having control means to control the slippage condition thereof, the slippage condition of said hydrodynamic unit being increased during a change in speed, comprising the steps of filling a pressure space provided in one shifting means of a new speed to be engaged with pressure medium while the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under hydraulic pressure and a relatively low slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit is maintained by said control means substantially for such period of time, and substantially simultaneously with the disengagement of the pre-existing speed increasing the slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit by said control means only after the substantial filling of the pressure space of said one shifting means of the speed to be engaged.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 172 words
A method for automatically hydraulically shifting a changespeed gear which includes a shifting system having several forcelocking shifting means provided with pressure spaces and a source of pressure medium for shifting the transmission speeds thereof, with the use of a variable slippage hydrodynamic unit connected with said change-speed gear and having control means to control the slippage condition thereof, the slippage condition of said hydrodynamic unit being increased during a change in speed, comprising the steps of filling a pressure space provided in one shifting means of a new speed to be engaged with pressure medium while the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under hydraulic pressure and a relatively low slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit is maintained by said control means substantially for such period of time, and substantially simultaneously with the disengagement of the pre-existing speed increasing the slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit by said control means only after the substantial filling of the pressure space of said one shifting means of the speed to be engaged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 106 words
A method according to claim 1, with a by-pass clutch for the hydrodynamic unit forming part of said control means, said by-pass clutch including also a shifting means provided with a pressure space, comprising the steps of filling the pressure space of said one shifting means for the speed to be engaged with pressure medium while the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under hydraulic shifting pressure and simultaneously the by-pass clutch remains engaged, and disengaging the by-pass clutch only after the filling of the pressure space of said one shifting means for the speed to be engaged and with disengagement of the pre-existing speed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 170 words
A method according to claim 2, which includes a pressure system for the shifting system, said source of pressure medium forming part of said pressure system, a direct feed from said source of pressure medium to the pressure space of said by-pass clutch to apply to the latter the working pressure of said source and an indirect feed from said source of pressure medium to the pressure space of said by-pass clutch by way of said shifting system to provide an eventually reduced working pressure, comprising the step of replacing the direct feed with working pressure of the shifting means of the by-pass clutch by the indirect feed by way of that part of the pressure system, which also supplies the pressure medium to the shifting means of the pre-existing speeD when the shifting system begins to influence the shifting means of the speed to be engaged, and disconnecting said part of the pressure system from the supply with working pressure when the speed to be engaged is fully engaged.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
A method according to claim 3, in which the shifting system includes throttling means, comprising the step of shifting the by-pass clutch from the direct to the indirect feed by a pressure difference produced in the shifting system of the transmission by the throttling means thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 73 words
A method according to claim 4, in which the shifting system includes a receiver with a receiver piston operable to supply pressure medium and provide a regulating phase for the pressure medium supply, comprising the steps of controlling the shifting pressure by said receiver after the complete supply of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged, and at least partially disengaging the by-pass clutch during the regulating phase by the receiver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method according to claim 5, characterized in that during the period of disengagement of the by-pass clutch, the by-pass clutch is retained under a residual pressure which lies somewhat above the pressure prevailing on the inside of the hydrodynamic unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 73 words
A method according to claim 2, in which the shifting system includes a receiver with a receiver piston operable to supply pressure medium and provide a regulating phase for the pressure medium supply, comprising the steps of controlling the shifting pressure by said receiver after the complete supply of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged and at least partially disengaging the by-pass clutch during the regulating phase by the receiver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method according to claim 7, characterized in that during the period of disengagement of the by-pass clutch, the by-pass clutch is retained under a residual pressure which lies somewhat above the pressure prevailing on the inside of the hydrodynamic unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 210 words
An installation for automatically and hydraulically shifting the transmission ratios of a change-speed gear which includes force-locking shifting means provided with pressure spaces for engaging the individual speeds of the change-speed gear, a hydrodynamic unit connected with said change-speed gear, and engageable means operatively connected with said hydrodynamic unit for controlling the slippage condition of said hydrodynamic unit which is increased by the engageable means during a change in speed, characterized by control means operatively connected with the shifting means and including a pressure system operable to provide a pressure medium, said control means also including first means operable to fill with pressure medium the pressure space provided in the shifting means for the speed to be engaged while the pressure space of the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under shifting pressure and second means operatively connected with said first-mentioned engageable means to maintain a relatively small slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit during such filling operation, said second means being additionally operable to increase by said first-mentioned engageable means the slippage condition of the hydrodynamic unit only after the substantial filling of the pressure space of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged with substantial simultaneous disengagement of the pre-existing speed by said first means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 210 words
An installation for automatically and hydraulically shifting the transmission ratios of a change-speed gear which includes force-locking shifting means provided with pressure spaces for engaging the individual speeds of the change-speed gear, a hydrodynamic unit connected with said change-speed gear, and engageable means operatively connected with said hydrodynamic unit for controlling the slippage condition of said hydrodynamic unit which is increased by the engageable means during a change in speed, characterized by control means operatively connected with the shifting means and including a pressure system operable to provide a pressure medium, said control means also including first means operable to fill with pressure medium the pressure space provided in the shifting means for the speed to be engaged while the pressure space of the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under shifting pressure and second means operatively connected with said first-mentioned engageable means to maintain a relatively small slippage condition in the hydrodynamic unit during such filling operation, said second means being additionally operable to increase by said first-mentioned engageable means the slippage condition of the hydrodynamic unit only after the substantial filling of the pressure space of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged with substantial simultaneous disengagement of the pre-existing speed by said first means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
An installation according to claim 9, characterized in that said hydrodynamic unit is a torque converter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
An installation according to claim 9, characterized in that said hydrodynamic unit is a hydrodynamic coupling.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
An installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the shifting pressure is a hydraulic shifting pressure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 123 words
An installation according to claim 9, with a by-pass clutch means for the hydrodynamic unit forming part of said engageable means and operatively connected with the control means, characterized in that the control means is operable by way of said first meAns to fill the pressure space of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged with pressure medium while the shifting means for the pre-existing speed remains under shifting pressure and at the same time by by-pass clutch means remains engaged by said second means, and in that the by-pass clutch means is disengaged by said second means only after substantially filling the pressure space of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged with disengagement of the pre-existing speed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 175 words
An installation with a shifting means for the by-pass clutch means according to claim 13, wherein said pressure system includes a source of pressure medium, and wherein the control means includes direct feed means for supplying the pressure medium to the shifting means of the by-pass clutch means directly from said source of the pressure system and indirect feed means for supplying the shifting means of the by-pass clutch means with pressure medium by way of a part of the pressure system of the installation controlled by said control means, said control means being operable to replace the direct feed means by said indirect feed means when the control means commences to influence the shifting means of the speed to be engaged, said indirect feed means also being operable to supply pressure medium from said source to the shifting means of the pre-existing speed, and said control means being further operable to disengage said part of the pressure system from the source of pressure medium upon substantially full engagemnt of the speed to be engaged.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 48 words
An installation according to claim 14, characterized in that said control means includes a valve means for shifting the by-pass clutch means from the direct to the indirect feed means by a pressure differential in the shifting system of the transmission which is established by said control means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 106 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the control means includes a receiver means providing a control phase for the pressure medium and having a receiver piston, and receiver-control means controlling the movement of said receiver piston in such a manner that upon substantial completion of the feed of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged, the shifting pressure is controlled by the receiver means and that the by-pass clutch means is at least partially disengaged during the control phase by the receiver means and is re-connected with the direct feed means with a timed delay controlled by said receiver control means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 78 words
An installation according to claim 16, characterized in that the control means includes a closure valve means operable during the period of disengagement of the by-pass clutch means to close off the pressure space of the by-pass clutch means to thereby prevent an escape of pressure medium from said last-mentioned pressure space and thereby retain said by-pass clutch means under a residual pressure which lies somewhat above the hydraulic pressure prevailing on the inside of the torque converter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 105 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the control means includes a receiver means providing a control phase for the pressure medium and having a receiver-piston, and receiver control means controlling the movement of the receiver piston in such a manner that upon substantial completion of the feed of the shifting means for the speed to be engaged, the shifting pressure is controlled by the receiver means and that the by-pass clutch means is at least partially disengaged during the control phase by the receiver means and is re-connected with the pressure system with predetermined delay as determined by displacement of the receiver-piston.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 77 words
An installation according to claim 14, characterized in that the control means includes a closure valve means operable during the period of disengagement of the by-pass clutch means to close off the pressure space of the by-pass clutch means to thereby prevent escape of pressure medium from said last-mentioned pressure space and thereby reTain said by-pass clutch means under a residual pressure which lies somewhat above the hydraulic pressure prevailing on the inside of the torque converter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 114 words
An installation according to claim 14, wherein said first means includes at least one command slide valve means initiating the shifting from the pre-existing to a speed to be engaged and a shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means, and a line system for said pressure system which includes a feed line for the pressure medium, characterized in that said shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means alternately controls, on the one hand, a direct line connection and, on the other, an indirect line connection by way of a speed-shifting slide valve means between the feed line of the pressure medium and the shifting means of the by-pass clutch means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 97 words
An installation according to claim 20, characterized in that the indirect line connection includes a throttle means interconnected in said line system, and in that the line system downstream of the throttle means in conjunction with the line system upstream of the throttle means so acts upon the shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means in mutually opposite directions that the shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means is shifted to the indirect line connection when the pressure is reduced during the shifting operation in the line system downstream of the throttle means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 101 words
An installation according to claim 21, characterized in that the part of the line system establishing the indirect line connection includes a receiver means operable to control the pressure medium during a predetermined phase and provided with receiver piston means and regulating means for said receiver piston means, and in that the regulating means controls during the shifting operation the connection between said feed line and the part of the line system establishing the indirect line connection so that said last-mentioned part of the line system receives the pressure medium from the receiver means during the control by said regulating means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 36 words
An installation according to claim 22, characterized in that said regulating means temporarily interrupts the connection between said feed line and the part of the line system establishing the indirect line connection during the shifting operation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 32 words
An installation according to claim 23, characterized in that said receiver and regulating means are arranged in the part of the line system establishing the indirect connection downstream of a throttle means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 87 words
An installation according to claim 22, wherein said control means includes an excess pressure closure valve means between the speed-shifting slide valve means and the shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means, said excess pressure closure valve means being operatively connected in the indirect line connection and being operable to separate a line section leading to the by-pass clutch means from the remaining part of the indirect line connection and retaining the same under a predetermined residual pressure, when the indirect line connection becomes pressureless.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 79 words
An installation according to claim 25, wherein the shifting means for the by-pass clutch has a front side and a back side, characterized in that the excess pressure closure valve means has a front and back side and is operatively connected on its back side by way of a line with at least one of the two parts consisting of the inside of the hydrodynamic unit and the back side of the shifting means for the by-pass clutch means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 37 words
An installation according to claim 26, characterized in that the excess pressure closure valve means is acted upon on its backside by a spring in addition to being acted upon by the pressure of the hydrodynamic unit.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 33 words
An installation according to claim 27, characterized in that the indirect connection of the by-pass clutch means includes a shifting-up slide valve means that opens up said indirect connection during a shiftiNg-up operation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 43 words
An installation according to claim 9, characterized in that with the use of a torque converter as hydrodynamic unit, an adjustable guide wheel means is provided for increasing the differential rotational speed between pump wheel and turbine wheel during a change in speed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 49 words
An installation according to claim 29, characterized in that the adjustment of the guide wheel means is so controlled that the moment input of the pump wheel in the course of the rotational speed change of the turbine wheel remains at least nearly constant during the transmission shifting operation.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 15 words
An installation according to claim 30, characterized in that said moment input remains substantially constant.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 92 words
An installation according to claim 20, characterized in that the line system establishing the indirect line connection includes a receiver means operable to control the pressure medium during a predetermined phase and provided with receiver piston means and regulating means for said receiver piston means, and in that the regulating means controls during the shifting operation the connection between said feed line and the line system establishing the indirect line connection so that said last-mentioned line system receives the pressure medium from the receiver means during the control by said regulating means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 36 words
An installation according to claim 32, characterized in that said regulating means temporarily interrupts the connection between said feed line and the part of the line system establishing the indirect line connection during the shifting operation.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 32 words
An installation according to claim 32, characterized in that said receiver and regulating means are arranged in the part of the line system establishing the indirect connection downstream of a throttle means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 87 words
An installation according to claim 20, wherein said control means includes an excess pressure closure valve means between the spaced-shifting slide valve means and the shifting slide valve means for the by-pass clutch means, said excess pressure closure valve means being operatively connected in the indirect line connection and being operable to separate a line section leading to the by-pass clutch means from the remaining part of the indirect line connection and retaining the same under a predetermined residual pressure, when the indirect line connection becomes pressureless.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 82 words
An installation according to claim 35, wherein the shifting means for the by-pass clutch means has a front side and a back side, characterized in that the excess pressure closure valve means has a front side and a back side and is operatively connected on its back side by way of a line with at least one of the two parts consisting of the inside of the hydrodynamic unit and the back side of the shifting means for the by-pass clutch means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 37 words
An installation according to claim 36, characterized in that the excess pressure closure valve means is acted upon on its backside by a spring in addition to being acted upon by the pressure of the hydrodynamic unit.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 33 words
An installation according to claim 20, characterized in that the indirect connection of the by-pass clutch means includes a shifting-up slide valve means that opens up said indirect connection during a shifting-up operation.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 43 words
An installation according to claim 25, characterized in that with the use of a torque converter as hydrodynamic unit, an adjustable guide wheel means is provided for increasing the differential rotational speed between pump wheel and turbine wheel during a change in speed.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3053116A Cited
US3505907A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-09-10 1977-03-12 1977-09-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-09-10 1981-03-12 1981-09-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-09-10 1985-03-12 1985-09-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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