Automatic mechanical transmission start control system

Claim 2

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable and disengageable friction coupling, said system including an automatic friction coupling actuating member, a throttle control member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition and (iii) when the throttle is at idle and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a partially engaged condition.

Claim 3

The control system of claim 1 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle control member to adjust the fuel as necessary to hold the engine at a predetermined idle speed.

Claim 4

The control system of claim 1 such that, when the throttle is at idle and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction member to assume an engaged condition operative to decrease the engine speed a predetermined amount.

Claim 5

The control system of claim 3 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to stop engagement.

Claim 6

The control system of claim 4 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle control member to adjust the fuel as necessary to hold the engine at a predetermined idle speed.

Claim 7

The control system of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5 further operative such that, when the throttle is not at idle and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to disengage at a predetermined rate.

Claim 8

The control system of claim 6 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a fully engaged condition.

Claim 9

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable or disengageable friction coupling, said system including an automatic friction coupling actuating member, a throttle control member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition, such that when the throttle is at idle and the transmission is not in neutral and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is further effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 10

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable or disengageable friction coupling, said system including an automatic friction coupling actuating member, a throttle control member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition, such that when the throttle is at idle and the transmission is not in neutral and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is further effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 11

The control system of claim 8 further operative such that, when the throttle is not at idler and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is effective to instruct the brakes actuating member to cause the brakes to disengage at a predetermined rate.

Claim 12

The control system of claim 9 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a fully engaged condition.

Claim 13

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable and disengageable friction coupling actuating member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, a throttle control member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause a friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 14

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable and disengageable friction coupling actuating member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, a throttle control member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause a friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 15

The control system of claim 11 such that, when the throttle is at idle and the transmission is not in neutral and the brakes are in either the engaged or disengaged condition, the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle control member to adjust the fuel as necessary to hold the engine at a predetermined idle speed.

Claim 16

The control system of claim 12 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to stop engagement at a predetermined decrease in engine speed.

Claim 17

The control system of claim 12 or 13 such that, when the throttle is not at idler and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to disengage at a predetermined rate.

Claim 18

The control system of claim 14 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a fully engaged condition.

Claim 19

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable and disengageable friction coupling actuating member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, a throttle control member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause a friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 20

An automatic mechanical transmission start control system for vehicles having brakes and a throttle controlled engine, said transmission having a plurality of gear ratio combinations selectively engageable between a transmission output shaft and a transmission input shaft operatively connected to the engine by means of a selectively engageable and disengageable friction coupling actuating member, an automatic vehicle brake actuating member, a throttle control member, an operator positional change gear selector member, including a neutral position and positions in which said gear ratio combinations are selectively engaged, and an information processing unit having means for receiving a plurality of signals including: (1) an input signal indicative of the position of said throttle control member or of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine; (2) an input signal indicative of vehicle speed; (3) an input signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral, said processing unit including means for processing said input signals and providing an output signal therefrom such that, when the vehicle speed signal is less than a predetermined value, said start control system is operative such that, (i) when the transmission is in neutral and the throttle is at idle the output signal is effective to instruct the coupling actuating member to cause a friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition and (ii) when the transmission is not in neutral and the throttle is at idle and the brakes are in an engaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 21

The control system of claim 16 such that, when the throttle is not at idle and the transmission is not in an engaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a predetermined partially engaged condition.

Claim 22

The control system of claim 17 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle control member to adjust fuel as necessary to hold the engine at a predetermined idle speed.

Claim 23

The control system of claim 18 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle member to increase the amount of fuel supplied to the engine by a predetermined amount.

Claim 24

The control system of claim 19 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a disengaged condition.

Claim 25

The control system of claim 20 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the brake actuating member to cause the brakes to disengage at a predetermined rate.

Claim 26

The control system of claim 21 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a fully engaged condition.

Claim 27

The control system of claim 16 such that, when the throttle is at idler and the transmission is not in neutral and the brakes are in either the engaged or disengaged condition, the output signal is effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to maintain an engaged condition until the engine speed stops.

Claim 28

The control system of claim 23 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the throttle control member to adjust fuel as necessary to hold the engine at a predetermined idler speed.

Claim 29

The control system of claim 24 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to stop engagement.

Claim 30

The control system of claim 23, 24, or 25 such that, when the throttle is not at idler and the transmission is not in neutral, the output signal is effective to instruct the brake actuating member to disengage the brakes at a predetermined rate.

Claim 31

The control system of claim 26 wherein the output signal is further effective to instruct the friction coupling actuating member to cause the friction coupling to assume a fully engaged condition.