US5081887A — System and method for controlling vehicle speed t…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 257 words

A system for controlling gear shifting characteristics to prevent a gear shift shock in a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission means, comprising: (a) an automatic transmission means having: a plurality of frictional elements, combinations of engagements and releases thereof for shifting gears of said automatic transmission; a plurality of shift valves which respectively engages and releases said frictional elements to cause shifting of the gears; a plurality of solenoid valves installed individually on the respective shift valves for controlling pressure of the shift valves associated therewith, at least one of the solenoid valves being switched on during the gear shifting transient period in response to a drive signal; and means for detecting vehicle running conditions and providing said drive signal according to the detected running conditions, (b) an engine having: relief means for relieving the intake air pressure supplied to the engine, (c) a shift control means comprising: means for detecting a gear shift in said automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear, means for providing a predetermined time delay upon detection of said gear shift and for producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay, and means for controlling said relief means to vary the intake air pressure supplied to the engine and additionally for lowering the air charging efficiency in response to detection of the gear shift for the duration of the gear shifting transient period and additionally for increasing the air charging efficiency in response to the delay completion signal.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 257 words

A system for controlling gear shifting characteristics to prevent a gear shift shock in a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission means, comprising: (a) an automatic transmission means having: a plurality of frictional elements, combinations of engagements and releases thereof for shifting gears of said automatic transmission; a plurality of shift valves which respectively engages and releases said frictional elements to cause shifting of the gears; a plurality of solenoid valves installed individually on the respective shift valves for controlling pressure of the shift valves associated therewith, at least one of the solenoid valves being switched on during the gear shifting transient period in response to a drive signal; and means for detecting vehicle running conditions and providing said drive signal according to the detected running conditions, (b) an engine having: relief means for relieving the intake air pressure supplied to the engine, (c) a shift control means comprising: means for detecting a gear shift in said automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear, means for providing a predetermined time delay upon detection of said gear shift and for producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay, and means for controlling said relief means to vary the intake air pressure supplied to the engine and additionally for lowering the air charging efficiency in response to detection of the gear shift for the duration of the gear shifting transient period and additionally for increasing the air charging efficiency in response to the delay completion signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 53 words

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said automatic transmission includes a main transmission which has four forward gears and a sub transmission which has an additional fifth forward gear, both said main transmission and said sub transmission being arranged in series to provide five forward gears in said automatic transmission.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 145 words

A system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said automatic transmission includes first and second shift valves for switching the gears of the main transmission and a third shift valve for switching the fifth gear of the subtransmission; first, second, and third shift solenoids on said first, second, and third shift valves, respectively, said first, second, and third shift valves being switched in combination to select a desired gear upon pressure change generated when the corresponding shift solenoids are driven in response to an ON signal, the combination of ON and OFF signals supplied to said first, second, and third shift solenoids selecting the following gear: ______________________________________ 1st Shift 2nd Shift 3rd Shift Gearing Solenoid Solenoid Solenoid ______________________________________ 1st Gear ON ON ON 2nd Gear OFF ON ON 3rd Gear OFF OFF ON 4th Gear OFF OFF OFF 5th Gear ON OFF OFF ______________________________________

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 63 words

A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said engine includes an additional air charging means operatively situated in an intake air passage thereof so that additional air charging pressure is supplied to the engine, and wherein said relief means comprises a relief valve operatively situated downstream of said additional air charging means to control the air charging efficiency of the engine.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said detecting means detects a gear shift from the combination of ON and OFF signals supplied to said first, second, and third shift solenoids.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 89 words

A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the second shift solenoid valve and the third shift solenoid valve are modulated in response to repetitive ON and OFF signals within the gear shift transient time during the first gear to the second gear shift so that the pressure change generated by said second and third shift solenoid valves is changed gradually to provide a slight slip for the corresponding frictional elements, thus preventing a shift shock from being generated during said first gear to said second gear shift.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said predetermined delay is a time duration required for the gears to up shift from a lower gear to a next higher gear.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said predetermined time delay providing means comprises a preset timer which provides the signal to the relief means controlling means upon the lapse of said preset delay.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

A system as set forth in claim 1, further including means for retarding the engine ignition timing during the gear shifting transient time.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 177 words

A gear shift controlling apparatus for a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission, comprising: air charging efficiency determining means; intake air quantity varying means for varying the intake air pressure; detecting means for detecting a gear shift in the automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear; and delay means for providing a predetermined delay upon detection of the gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear and for producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay, wherein said air charging efficiency determining means sets the air charging efficiency to a lower efficiency value by lowering the intake air pressure when said detecting means detects said gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear, and wherein said air charging efficiency determining means sets the air charging efficiency to a higher efficiency value by increasing the intake air pressure in response to the delay completion signal indicative of the lapse of said predetermined delay to recover to a normal air charging efficiency.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 177 words

A gear shift controlling apparatus for a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission, comprising: air charging efficiency determining means; intake air quantity varying means for varying the intake air pressure; detecting means for detecting a gear shift in the automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear; and delay means for providing a predetermined delay upon detection of the gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear and for producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay, wherein said air charging efficiency determining means sets the air charging efficiency to a lower efficiency value by lowering the intake air pressure when said detecting means detects said gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear, and wherein said air charging efficiency determining means sets the air charging efficiency to a higher efficiency value by increasing the intake air pressure in response to the delay completion signal indicative of the lapse of said predetermined delay to recover to a normal air charging efficiency.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

A gear shift controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said predetermined delay is a time duration required for a complete up shift from a low gear to a next higher gear.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

A gear shift controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein an ignition timing of the engine is retarded to reduce the engine output upon said gear shift detection by said detecting means.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 241 words

A method for controlling gear changing characteristics to prevent shift shock in a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission, wherein the automatic transmission comprises: a plurality of frictional elements, combinations of engagements and releases thereof for shifting gears of said automatic transmission; a plurality of shift valves which respectively engages and releases the frictional elements to cause shifting of the gears; a plurality of solenoid valve installed individually on the respective shift valves for controlling pressure of the shift valves associated therewith, at least one of the solenoid valves being switched on during the gear shifting transient period in response to a drive signal; and means for detecting vehicle running conditions and providing the drive signal according to the detected running conditions, wherein the engine includes: means for controlling air charging efficiency by varying the intake air pressure supplied to the engine, and the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting a gear shift in said automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear; (b) lowering the air charging efficiency during said gear shifting transient period from said low gear to said higher gear; (c) providing a predetermined time delay upon detection of said gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear; (d) producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay; and (e) increasing and recovering the air charging efficiency in response to the delay completion signal.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 241 words

A method for controlling gear changing characteristics to prevent shift shock in a vehicle equipped with an engine and an engine driven automatic transmission, wherein the automatic transmission comprises: a plurality of frictional elements, combinations of engagements and releases thereof for shifting gears of said automatic transmission; a plurality of shift valves which respectively engages and releases the frictional elements to cause shifting of the gears; a plurality of solenoid valve installed individually on the respective shift valves for controlling pressure of the shift valves associated therewith, at least one of the solenoid valves being switched on during the gear shifting transient period in response to a drive signal; and means for detecting vehicle running conditions and providing the drive signal according to the detected running conditions, wherein the engine includes: means for controlling air charging efficiency by varying the intake air pressure supplied to the engine, and the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting a gear shift in said automatic transmission from a low gear to a next higher gear; (b) lowering the air charging efficiency during said gear shifting transient period from said low gear to said higher gear; (c) providing a predetermined time delay upon detection of said gear shift from said low gear to said higher gear; (d) producing a delay completion signal upon the lapse of said predetermined delay; and (e) increasing and recovering the air charging efficiency in response to the delay completion signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-01-20	1995-07-22	1996-01-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-01-20	1999-07-22	2000-01-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-01-20	2003-07-22	2004-01-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for controlling vehicle speed to prevent gear shift shock applicable to automatic transmission equipped vehicles

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