US5117710A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic shift control for automatic transmissions
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1991-01-25
•
Granted: 1992-06-02
•
Expires: 2011-01-25
Abstract
Abstract A shift control device of an automatic transmission causes the transmission to be forcedly shifted to a parking range or a neutral range when the shift ranges indicated by a shift instruction signal produced by a range selector and a current shift range signal produced by a detector are not coincident with each other. After such a forced shift, the shift control device tries to shift the transmission once again as formerly instructed by the range selector, and it is detected once again whether the shift ranges indicated by the current shift range signal and the shift instruction signal coincide with each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Asano
- 👤 Yuichi Abe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:40
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/12; F16H59/00; F16H59/02; F16H59/08; F16H2061/1208; F16H2061/1232; F16H2061/1248; F16H2061/1256; F16H2061/126; F16H2061/1268; F16H2061/1284; F16H61/16; F16H2061/168; F16H61/26; F16H61/28; F16H61/32; F16H2061/326; F16H59/10; F16H59/105; F16H59/12; F16H61/18; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19219; Y10T74/19251; Y10T74/19256; Y10T74/1926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manually operable range selector for determining a selected shift range and producing a shift instruction signal representative of said selected shift range; control means for producing an actuation signal in response to said shift instruction signal; actuating means for actuating the automatic transmission to be shifted to said selected shift range in response to said actuation signal; detecting means for detecting a current shift range in which the automatic transmission is held after actuation by said actuating means in response to said actuation signal; and judging means for judging whether said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other; when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other, and when an associated vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value, said control means causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to one of a parking range and a neutral range which is determined dependent upon the associated vehicle speed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manually operable range selector for determining a selected shift range and producing a shift instruction signal representative of said selected shift range; control means for producing an actuation signal in response to said shift instruction signal; actuating means for actuating the automatic transmission to be shifted to said selected shift range in response to said actuation signal; detecting means for detecting a current shift range in which the automatic transmission is held after actuation by said actuating means in response to said actuation signal; and judging means for judging whether said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other; when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other, and when an associated vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value, said control means causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to one of a parking range and a neutral range which is determined dependent upon the associated vehicle speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein after the automatic transmission has been shifted to one of the parking range and the neutral range, said control means supplies once again the same actuation signal to said actuating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A shift control device according to claim 2, wherein when said judging means comes to judge, after supply of said actuation signal to said actuating means for the second time, that said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other, said control means makes ready for a next shift instruction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said control means causes the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the parking range when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other and when the associated vehicle is making a stop.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A shift control device according to claim 4, wherein said control means judges that the shift control device is in an abnormal condition when incapable of causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the parking range.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A shift control device according to claim 5, wherein said control means causes the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the neutral range when said judging means judges that selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other and when the associated vehicle is running at speed equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A shift control device according to claim 6, wherein said control means judges that the shift control device is in an abnormal condition when incapable of causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the neutral range.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A shift control device according to claim 7, wherein said control means supplies the same actuation signal to said actuating means plural times until said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises an inhibitor switch for detecting a shift position of a manual lever of the automatic transmission.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A shift control device according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a stepping motor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
187 words
A shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manually operable range selector for determining a selected shift range and producing a shift instruction signal representative of said select shift range; control means for producing an actuation signal in response to said shift instruction signal; actuating means for actuating the automatic transmission to be shifted to said selected shift range in response to said actuation signal; detecting means for detecting a current shift range in which the automatic transmission is held after actuation by said actuating means in response to said actuation signal; and judging means for judging whether said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other; said control means causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to one of a parking range and a neutral range when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other; and wherein after the automatic transmission has been shifted to one of the parking range and the neutral range, said control means supplies once again the same actuation signal to said actuating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
187 words
A shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manually operable range selector for determining a selected shift range and producing a shift instruction signal representative of said select shift range; control means for producing an actuation signal in response to said shift instruction signal; actuating means for actuating the automatic transmission to be shifted to said selected shift range in response to said actuation signal; detecting means for detecting a current shift range in which the automatic transmission is held after actuation by said actuating means in response to said actuation signal; and judging means for judging whether said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other; said control means causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to one of a parking range and a neutral range when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other; and wherein after the automatic transmission has been shifted to one of the parking range and the neutral range, said control means supplies once again the same actuation signal to said actuating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A shift control device according to claim 11, wherein said judging means judges, after supply of said actuation signal to said actuating means for the second time, that said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other, said control means makes ready for a next shift instruction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A shift control device according to claim 12, wherein said control means causes the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the parking range when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other and when an associated vehicle is making a stop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A shift control device according to claim 13, wherein said control means judges that the shift control device is in an abnormal condition when the shift control device is incapable of causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the parking range.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
A shift control device according to claim 14, wherein said control means causes the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the neutral range when said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range differ from each other and when the associated vehicle is running at a speed equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A shift control device according to claim 15, wherein said control means judges that the shift control device is in an abnormal condition when the shift control device is incapable of causing the automatic transmission to be forcedly shifted to the neutral range.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A shift control device according to claim 16, wherein said control means supplies the same actuation signal to said actuating means plural times until said judging means judges that said selected shift range and said current shift range are coincident with each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4583171A
Cited
US4635508A
Cited
JPS6241954A
Cited
US4849899A
Cited
US4771853A
Cited
US4922769A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-02 | 1995-12-02 | 1996-06-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-02 | 1999-12-02 | 2000-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-02 | 2003-12-02 | 2004-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |