GB2098736A - Change-gear indicator - Google Patents

Change-gear indicator Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2098736A
GB2098736A GB8112478A GB8112478A GB2098736A GB 2098736 A GB2098736 A GB 2098736A GB 8112478 A GB8112478 A GB 8112478A GB 8112478 A GB8112478 A GB 8112478A GB 2098736 A GB2098736 A GB 2098736A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
gear
speed
engine speed
datum
driver
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8112478A
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GB2098736B (en
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AE PLC
Original Assignee
AE PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AE PLC filed Critical AE PLC
Priority to GB8112478A priority Critical patent/GB2098736B/en
Priority to EP82901133A priority patent/EP0076821B1/en
Priority to JP57501227A priority patent/JPS58500517A/en
Priority to PCT/GB1982/000114 priority patent/WO1982003605A1/en
Priority to DE19823241300 priority patent/DE3241300A1/en
Priority to AU82799/82A priority patent/AU555677B2/en
Priority to ES511565A priority patent/ES511565A0/en
Priority to IT20868/82A priority patent/IT1150866B/en
Priority to CA000401379A priority patent/CA1194732A/en
Priority to ZA822738A priority patent/ZA822738B/en
Publication of GB2098736A publication Critical patent/GB2098736A/en
Priority to SE8207241A priority patent/SE431851B/en
Priority to US06/452,083 priority patent/US4631515A/en
Priority to GB08404896A priority patent/GB2134659B/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2098736B publication Critical patent/GB2098736B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H63/00Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism
    • F16H63/40Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism comprising signals other than signals for actuating the final output mechanisms
    • F16H63/42Ratio indicator devices
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01FMEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F9/00Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine
    • G01F9/02Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine wherein the other variable is the speed of a vehicle
    • G01F9/023Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine wherein the other variable is the speed of a vehicle with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60WCONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W50/00Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
    • B60W50/08Interaction between the driver and the control system
    • B60W50/14Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
    • B60W2050/143Alarm means
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02BINTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
    • F02B3/00Engines characterised by air compression and subsequent fuel addition
    • F02B3/06Engines characterised by air compression and subsequent fuel addition with compression ignition
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H61/00Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing
    • F16H2061/0015Transmission control for optimising fuel consumptions
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H61/00Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing
    • F16H61/02Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing characterised by the signals used
    • F16H61/0202Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing characterised by the signals used the signals being electric
    • F16H61/0204Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing characterised by the signals used the signals being electric for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal
    • F16H61/0213Control functions within control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion ; Control of exclusively fluid gearing, friction gearing, gearings with endless flexible members or other particular types of gearing characterised by the signals used the signals being electric for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal characterised by the method for generating shift signals

Abstract

An indicator panel 20 has an array of LED's 25A to 25Q to provide an indication to the driver of a road vehicle, particularly a diesel-powered truck, when he should change to the next highest gear during acceleration from rest or low speed. The LED's are lit progressively as the engine speed increases in each gear and, when lit, emit green light if the engine speed is below the optimum change-up speed for that gear. When the engine speed begins to exceed the optimum change-up speed, the next LED illuminated produces red light to the driver. An audible warning may also be produced. If the driver does not change up in response to such warning, further red LED's will show and a more strident audible warning may be given. The change-up speeds to which the system responds are pre-set so as to be the optimum speeds for increased fuel efficiency. The change-up speed corresponding to the lowest gear is relatively low and increases successively for the successively high gears. The system may be associated with engine speed control or limiting means so as positively to prevent further increase in engine speed if the driver ignores the warning. The system may also produce an indication of the optimum engine speeds at which the driver should change down to the next lower gear during vehicle deceleration.

Description

1 GB 2 098 736 A 1
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to aids for vehicle drivers The invention relates to driver aids for vehicles such as, but not restricted to, road vehicles. Embodiments of the invention to be described provide indications facilitating the efficient control of a road vehicle, such as a diesel-engined truck, by its driver.
Various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, given by way of example only, of an electrical system embodying the invention for indicating to the driver of a road vehicle when he should make each gear change for best efficiency, reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which; Figure 1 is a block circuit diagram of one form of the system; Figure 2 is a front elevation of an indicator panel howing, diagrammatically, the indication provided to the driver; and Figure 3 is a more detailed block circuit diagram of the system.
More specifically to be described below is an indicating system for use on a mechanically po wered vehicle to indicate to the driverthereof when he should change to a higher gear, comprising means responsive to the particular gear engaged at any time to produce a datum signal having a value representing a datum speed dependent on the identity of the gear, and indicating means respon sive to the datum signal and to the actual engine speed and operative when the actual engine speed reaches the datum speed to produce an indication to the driver that he should change to the next higher gear, the values of the datum signals being respec tively predetermined so that the respective datum speeds at which the said indications are produced are such that respective gear changes at those 105 speeds promote engine efficiency.
For example, the datum speed for the lowest gear may represent a relatively low engine speed and the datum speeds for the higher gear may represent successively higher engine speeds.
The indication given to the driver when the engine speed reaches the respective datum speed may take any suitable form. For example, it may be a visible indication or an audible indication or a combination thereof.
More specifically, the indicating means may be arranged to give an indication which changes form if the engine speed exceeds the respective datum speed.
Advantageously, the system may be associated with a speed control or limiting system which is responsive to the engine speed exceeding the respective datum speed for the actual gear engaged to positively prevent further increase in engine speed.
Advantageously, the system may also incorporate means operative when the vehicle speed is decreas ing and responsive to the actual gear engaged to indicate to the driver when the engine speed has fallen to a value at which he should change to a lower gear.
in a more specific sense, there will be described in more detail below a system for indicating to the driver of a road vehicle when he should change to a higher gear, comprising gear-indicating means responsive to the identity of the actual gear engaged at any time to produce a gear-indicating signal, means responsive to the gear-indicating signal to generate an electrical datum signal having a predetermined engine-speed-representing value dependent on the identity of that gear and representing a relatively low engine speed for the lowest gear and successively higher engine speeds forthe successively higher gears, an array of light sources for positioning in the vehicle where they may be seen by the driver, light source control means responsive to each datum signal and to a signal representing actual engine speed to energise the light sources successively as the actual engine speed increases and to modify the indication provided to the driver by the energised light sources when the actual engine speed reaches the speed represented by the datum signal.
For example, the light source control means may modify the indication provided by the energised light source or sources by changing the colour of the light emitted thereby.
Advantageously, the system includes an audible indicating unit responsive to the light source control means so as to provide an audible indication when the actual engine speed exceeds the speed represented by the respective datum signal.
The light sources may, for example, be lightemitting diodes.
Advantageously, the array of light sources is physically arranged in a manner corresponding at least approximately to the shape of the torque versus engine speed characteristic of the engine.
The system is particularly advantageous when applied to a truck or similar heavy road vehicle powered by a diesel engine, though is not limited thereto.
From another aspect, there will be described below means for identifying the gear ratio which is currently engaged in a transmission system having a plurality of selectable fixed gear ratios, comprising first transducing means operative to produce a first signa(which is proportional to input speed to the transmission system, second transducing means operative to produce a second signal proportional to the output speed of the transmission system, and signal processing means operative to measure the ratio between the first and second signals to indicate the identity of the engaged gear ratio.
Advantageously, the first and second signals are electrical signals.
In one particular example to be described, the transmission system is the transmission system of a moving mechanically powered road vehicle, the first transducing means is responsive to the engine speed of the vehicle, and the second transducing means is responsive to the road speed of the vehicle.
Advantageously, the first and second signals are electrical signals.
The foregoing are exemplary of and not exhaus- tive of the various novel features of the system now 2 GB 2 098 736 A 2 to be described in more detail.
The system to be described is particularly de signed for providing an indication to the driver of a diesel-engined truck when he should make each gear change. Large high-power diesel engines, parti- 70 cularly naturally aspirated types, produce maximum torque at relatively low engine rpm, and it is therefore inefficient and wasteful of fuel for the driver to operate the engine at a speed above the peak of the torque/rpm curve when high road speed of the vehicle is not required or possible. Specifically, when starting the truck from rest, it is wasteful of fuel for the driver to run the engine up to a high speed in the lower gears. When starting the truck from rest, the primary requirement in the lower gears is to take the engine speed up to that at which maximum torque is developed. As the truck speed increases, and as each higher gear is engaged in turn, the engine speed immediately prior to each gear change can be successively increased, assuming that the desired final road speed in the highest gear corresponds to an engine speed above the value at which maximum torque is developed.
In other words, for maximum efficiency, when starting the truck from rest, the driver should make each successive gear change at a successively higher engine speed. The system to be described faci I itates this.
Figure 1 shows the system in broad outline.
As shown, the system comprises an engaged gear detecting unit 5. The purpose of unit 5 is to produce an output signal on a line 6 identifying the particular gear through which the truck engine is driving the toad wheels at any particular time (that is, represent- ing the total gear ratio between the truck engine and the road wheels). The unit 5 receives an appropriate input signal on a line 8. For example, line 8 could be controlled by microswitches responsive to the settings of the driver's gear control lever(s). However, other means for producing the signal on line 8 will be described below.
The gear-indicating signal on line 6 is fed as an input to a data store 10. Store 10 stores a number of different datum signals, a different one for each of the truck's gears. The value of each datum signal represents the optimum engine speed at which the driver should change from that gearto the next higher gear, that is, "optimum" primarily in the sense of promoting maximum fuel efficiency. There- fore, as explained, the datum signal corresponding to the lowest gear will represent a relatively low engine speed and the datum signals for the higher gears will represent successively higher engine speed values. Store 10 responds to the particular gear indicated by the signal on line 6 by outputting the appropriate datum signal on a line 12 and this is fed into a signal processing unit 14. Unit 14 also receives a signal representing actual engine speed on a line 16 and produces an output signal on a line 18 which controls a driver's indicating unit 20. Unit 20 is positioned so as to enable the driver to respond readily to its indication. The unit 20 may provide its indication in any suitable form. For example, it may be a visible indication. Instead, it can be an audible indication. As another example, it could be a corn- bination of visible and audible indications.
The signal processing unit 14 controls the indicating unit 20 so that it provides an indication to the driver when the engine speed of the truck in any particular gear reaches the value at which he should change to the next higher gear.
When he has changed to the next higher gear, the signal processing unit 14 receives the new datum signal on line 12 and is thus able to control the indicating unit 20 so as to provide an indication when the actual engine speed has risen to the (higher) engine speed datum at which he should change up again.
As will be explained in more detail below, the signal processing unit 14 can also be arranged, by means of an appropriate speed control or speed limiting system, to provide a positive limit on the engine speed if the driver should ignore the gearchange- indication provided by the unit 20.
A particular form which the system of Figure 1 can take will now be described in detail with referenceto Figures 2 and 3.
Figure 2 shows one form which the driver's indicator 20 (see Figure 1) may take. It comprises an array of lamps 25A, 25B.....25Q. in this example, therefore, there are seventeen lamps and each one corresponds to an engine rpm increment of 50 rpm. The lamps may cover a speed range from 1,000 to 1,800 rpm, say. As the engine speed increases, the lamps are progressively lit, starting with lamp 25A.
Therefore, when the engine speed rises to 1,000 rpm, lamp 25A becomes lit. An increase in engine speed to 1,050 rpm causes lamp 25B to be lit, lamp 25A remaining lit; and so on, until, at an engine speed of 1,800 rpm, all the lamps are lit.
In a manner to be explained in more detail, the colours displayed by the illuminated lamps change so as to indicate to the driver when he should make each gear change.
The lamps 25A to 25Q are physically arranged in a curve which approximately matches the shape of the engine torque/engine rpm curve overthe speed range (thus showing that peak torque occurs at about 1,300 rpm in this example). They may be light-emitting dioes (LED's).
The system will now be more specifically described with reference to Figure 3.
As shown in Figure 3, the system is energised by transducers 30 and 32, transducer 30 providing an electrical output on a line 34 representing engine speed and transducer 32 providing an electrical output on a fine 36 representing road speed. The transducers 30 and 32 may be of any suitable type. For example, the engine speed transducer 30 may pick up an electrical signal from the driver's engine rpm indicator, and the road speed transducer may pick up an electrical signal from the vehicle tachograph. However, other arrangements are possible. The electrical outputs on lines 34 and 36 may be in analogue or digital form Lines 34 and 36 are fed to a dividing circuit 38 which measures the ratio of their signals. This ratio is solely dependent on the particular gear which is engaged, and the divider 38 compares the measured ratio with each of a number of pre-stored datum Q il 9 3 GB 2 098 736 A 3 values, respectively equal to the ratios correspond ing to the gears, and produces an electrical output on a line 40 which indicates which gear is engaged at any particular time.
It will be appreciated that the signal on line 40 70 could instead be generated by, for example, an electro-mechanical switch arrangement linked to the gearbox or to the gear selector. However, the arrangement specifically illustrated in Figure 3 has the advantage of simplicity and absence of moving parts.
However generated, the signal on line 40 is then fed into a store 42. This may be in any suitable form and stores a series of electrical datum signals respectively corresponding to the different gears of the truck. The datum signal stored in store 42 for first gear has the lowest value, and the values are progressively greater (but not necessarily in linear proportion) for each of the successively higher gears.
Store 42 accesses the appropriate datum signal, that is, the datum signal corresponding to the particular gear engaged (as indicated by the value of the signal on line 40), and outputs this datum signal on line 44. This signal is passed on a line 46 to a processing unit 48.
The processing unit 48 has a bank of output lines 52A, 52B.....52G (not all of which are shown) and these are respectively connected to level changing units 54A, 54B.....540. (not all of which are shown), and the actual connections are mostly omitted to avoid unduly complicating the diagram.
The outputs of the level changing units 54A, 54B 54G are connected by respective lines 55A, 55B 35.. 55G to control respective ones of the lamps 25A, 100 25B.....250. in the driver's display 20.
The processing unit 48 energises the lines 52A, 52B..... 52Q according to the value of the signal on line 46, each line 52A, 52B.....52Q having either a HIGH value or a LOW value When the signal level on line 46 is low, onlythe earliest one or ones in the sequence of lines 52A to 52Q are held atthe LOW level and all the remainder are HIGH: for example, with the signal on line 46 at its lowest level (corresponding to first gear), only lines 52A and 52B, 110 say, would be at the LOW level, with all the remainder at the HIGH level. For a signal level on line 46 corresponding to second gear, more of the lines in the series 52Ato 52Qwould be atthe LOW level, such as lines 52A, 5213, 52C and 52D for example, with all the remainder at the HIGH level; and so on for all the other possible values of the signal on line 46. Thus, for a signal level on line 46 corresponding to the highest gear (the truck may have eight or nine gears for example), all the lines 52A to 520 could be at the LOW level.
The engine speed-dependent signal on line 34 is also connected to feed a bank of comparators 64A, 64B 64Q (only some of which are shown). Each comparator has a second input line which carries a respective threshold signal (the sources of these thresholds not being shown in the Figure). The comparators 64Ato 64Q are connected through the level changing units 54A to 54Qto the LED's by means of respective output lines 66Ato 66Q. 130 When the engine speed is low (below 1,000 rpm in this example), none of the lines 66A to 66G is energised. As the engine speed increases to 1,000 rpm and beyond, the lines 66A to 66Q successively become engerised. The threshold signals applied to the comparators 64a to 64Q are set so that line 66A becomes energised when the engine speed is 1,000 rpm, line 66B becomes energised when the engine speed reaches 1,050 rpm, line 66C becomes ener- gised when the engine speed reaches 1,100 rpm and so on, until line 66G becomes energised when the engine speed reaches 1,800 rpm (all the earlierenergised lines remaining energised).
As each line 66Ato 66Q becomes energised, it causes the corresponding LED 25A to 25Q to become illuminated. Assuming that the corresponding one of the lines 52A to 52Q is at a LOW level, the illuminated LED will emit green light. However, if the corresponding line 52A to 52Q is at a HIGH level, then the corresponding level changing unit 54A to 54Q will cause the illuminated LED to emit red light instead.
The operation of the system as so far described will now be considered.
As the truck moves off from rest in first gear, the engine speed will be below 1,000 rpm and none of the lines 66A to 66Q will be energised. Therefore, none of the LED's 25A to 25Q will be illuminated. The divider 18 will determine from the ratio of its inputs thatfirst gear is engaged and store 42 will therefore produce the appropriate datum signal output. As explained, this will be at such a value that unit 48 will hold most of its output lines 52A to 52G atthe HIGH level with only lines 52A and 52B (in this example) being at the LOW level.
As the engine speed increases to 1,000 rpm (with the truck still in first gear), line 66A becomes energised and LED 25A becomes lit. Because the corresponding level changing unit 54A is receiving only a LOW level, line 66A is energised at a low level and LED 25A emits green light.
As the engine speed continues to increase, LED 25B will become illuminated and emit green light (because it is assumed in this example that line 52B is at a LOW level).
However, line 52C and all remaining lines up to 52Q are at a HIGH level. Therefore, when the engine speed reaches 1,100 rpm in this example, LED 25C becomes illuminated and emits red light, in contrast to LED's 25A and 25B which are green.
This provides an indication to the driver that he has reached an engine speed value which, forthe particular gear engaged at the present time (first gear), is such that he should change to the next higher gear.
If he does not change gear, the engine speed will continue to rise and LED 25D will be illuminated and emit red light, and similarly for LED 25E assuming that he still does not make a gear change.
However, if he does make a gear change, this will be detected by the divider 38 and the store 42 will change the value of the signal on line 46 to a higher value. This causes the processing unit 48 to alter the energisation of the lines 52A to 52Q so that, for example, lines 52A, 52B, 52C and 52D are now all at a 4 GB 2 098 736 A 4 LOW level while the remainder (52E to 52Q) are at a HIGH level.
Therefore, LED 25C, which was previously emitting red light, will now change to green, assuming the engine speed is still at 1,100 rpm (clearly, the engine speed may fall slightly during the actual gear change but will then start to rise again in the higher gear).
When the engine speed has reached the appropri- ate limit for second gear, 1,250 in this example, LED 25E becomes illuminated and emits red light. This indicates to the driver that he must make the next gearchange.
This process continues for each succeeding gear, so that the display 20 indicates to the driver the appropriate engine speed at which he should make each gear change.
The datum signals in store 42 are pre-selected so that the indicated gearchange speeds increase successively and according to an appropriate curve so as to obtain maximum fuel efficiency from the engine.
As shown, the lines 55A to 55Q are also connected to a counting unit 70 through level-responsive units 72A, 72B.....720, only some of which are shown. The level-responsive units are set so that the counter is only affected by the signals on the lines 52A to 52G when they have the higher levels corresponding to emission of red light from the associated LED. The counter 70 counts the number of lines 55A to 55Q carrying red-producing levels and operates an audibie warning unit 74 accordingly. More specifically, when counter 70 detects one line 55Ato 55G carrying a redindicating level, it causes the audible warning unit 74 to emit an intermittent lowfrequency sound warning to the driver, advising him that the gear-change limit has been reached. If the driver does not make a gear change, then, as explained, the next line of the lines 55A to 55Q will change to a red-indicating level. This will be detected 105 by the counter 70 which causes the warning unit 74 to increase the frequency of its sound output. A still further increase in engine speed without gear change, producing a third red-indicating level input to counter 70, causes the unit 74to emit a con- 110 tinuous sound output.
The truck may also be fitted with a road speed control system indicated diagrammatically by the block 80. Such a system may take any suitable form, such as, for example, described in our British Patents Nos.1386961 and 1493623. Normally such a system 80 operates only when the truck is in the highest gear, so as to limit the truck's road speed to a particular upper speed value (or to control it at that value) and this operation is independent of the gear-change indicating system as so far described. However, the gear-change indicating system described may be linked to the speed control system 80 by means of a line 84 from the counter 70.
Counter 70 energises line 84 when it determines that at least three of the lines 55A to 55Q are carrying red-indicating levels. When the speed control 80 receives the signal on line 84, it operates (irrespective of the particular gear engaged at that time) to prevent further increase in engine speed. Therefore, if the driver persists in ignoring the gear-change indication given by the display unit 20, further increase in engine speed will be positively prevented.
As so far described, the operation of the gearchange indicating system is that which occurs when the truck is accelerating. The operation is different if the vehicle is decelerating, as will now be described.
Deceleration of the truck is sensed by a differen- tiating unit 90 responsive to the road speed signal on line 36. If the vehicle is decelerating at at least a predetermined rate representated by a threshold on a line 92, a comparator 94 energises a line 96 to open a gate 98.
Besides producing the datum signal on line 46, store 42 produces a second datum signal on a line 100. In contrastto the datum signals on line 46, the datum signals on line 100 represent the minimum appropriate engine speed corresponding to each gear. Line 100 is connected through gate 98 to a comparator 101 which also receives the engine speed indicating signal from line 34. Gate 98 only passes the signal on line 96 to comparator 101 when the truck is decelerating at at least the speed set by the threshold on line 92. Comparator 101 has output lines 102A to 102K and these are connected to third inputs of the level changing units 54A to 54K, the actual connections being omitted. When comparator 101 determines that the actual engine speed has fallen to the level represented by the datum signal on line 100, it energises the corresponding output line 102A to 102K and also all the other ones of its output lines which represent lower speed values. Thus, for example, if the signal on line 100 repre- sents a datum speed of 1,400 rpm, comparator 101 will energise its output line 1021 (which is connected to the level changing unit 541 controlling the LED 251 representing 1,400 rpm); in addition, it will energise all the lines 102A to 102H.
The operation of this part of the system will now be considered in more detail.
If the truck is running at a steady relatively high speed in the highest gear, so that its engine speed is above 1,800 rpm, all the LED's 25Ato 25G will be green. If the truck speed now decreases, causing or as a result of a corresponding fall in engine speed, then the LED's will be extinguished one by one as the engine speed fails below 1,800 rpm. Assuming that the truck speed is failing at greater than the threshold rate represented by the signal on line 92, unit 94will open gate 98 and the comparator 101 will be fed with the datum signal on line 100 representing the minimum appropriate speed for the current gear (top gear); this might be an engine speed of 1,400 rpm for example. Therefore, when comparator 101 determines that the actual engine speed has fallen to 1,400 rpm, it energises the lines 102A to 1021. The resultant signals applied to level changing units 54Ato 541 cause the corresponding LED's 25A to 251 to change from green to red. This therefore provides an indication to the driver that he should change to a lower gear.
If the driver allows the engine speed to fall further without making a gear change, then the falling signal on line 62 will cause the comparators 64Ato 641 (in GB 2 098 736 A 5 this example) to extinguish the LED's one by one.
During such deceleration, the audible warning unit 74 may be disabled.
It will be appreciated that the detailed circuitry shown in Figure 3 is merely exemplary of the many different possible forms which it can take, and many modifications are possible. For example, but without limitation, the interlinking of the gear change indication system with the speed control system 80 may be omitted, and/or the arrangement of the system so as to provide an indication to the driver when he should change to a lower gear may be omitted.
Although the systems described have been described in relation to trucks and more particularly to trucks powered by diesel engines, they may be applied (with appropriate modification if necessary) to vehicles other than trucks and to vehicles powered by other types of engine, and "vehicle" is not restricted to road vehicles; as examples, it may include rail vehicles and boats.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS (Filed 6th April 1982)
1. An indicating system for use on a mechanical- ly powered vehicle to indicate to the driver thereof when he should change to a higher gear, comprising means responsive to the particular gear engaged at any time to produce a datum signal having a value representing a datum speed dependent on the identity of the gear, and indicating means responsive to the datum signal and to the actual engine speed and operative when the actual engine speed reaches the datum speed to produce an indication to the driver that he should change to the next higher gear, the values of the datum signals being respectively predetermined so that the respective datum speeds at which the said indications are produced are such that respective gear changes at those speeds promote engine efficiency.
2. A system according to claim 1, in which the datum speed forthe lowest gear represents relatively low engine speed and the datum speeds forthe higher gears represent successively higher engine speeds.
3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, in which the indication given to the driver when the engine speed reaches the respective datum speed is a visible indication.
4. A system according to claim 1 or 2, in which the indication given to the driver when the engine 115 speed reaches the respective datum speed is an audible indication.
5. A system according to any preceding claim, in which the indicating means is arranged to give an indication which changes form if the engine speed 120 exceeds the respective datum speed.
6. A system according to any preceding claim, including means operative when the vehicle speed is decreasing and responsive to the actual gear en gaged to indicate to the driver when the engine speed has fallen to a value at which he should change to a lower gear.
7. A system according to any preceding claim, in combination with a speed control or limiting system which is responsive to the engine speed exceeding 130 the respective datum speed for the actual gear engaged to positively prevent further increase in engine speed.
8. A system for indicating to the driver of a road vehicle when he should change to a higher gear, comprising gear- indicating means responsive to the identity of the actual gear engaged at any time to produce a gear-indicating signal, means responsive to the gear-indicating signal to generate an electrical datum signal having a predetermined engine-speedrepresenting value dependent on the identity of that gear and representing a relatively low engine speed for the lowest gear and successively higher engine speeds for the successively higher gears, an array of light sources for positioning in the vehicle where they may be seen by the driver, and light source control means responsive to each datum signal and to a signal representing actual engine speed to energise the light sources successively as the actual engine speed increases and to modify the indication provided to the driver by the energised light sources when the actual engine speed reaches the speed represented by the datum signal.
9. A system according to claim 8, in which the light source control means modifies the indication provided by the energised light source or sources by changing the colour of the light emitted thereby.
10. A system according to claim 8 or 9, including an audible indicating unit responsive to the light source control means so as to provide an audible indication when the actual engine speed exceeds the speed represented by the respective datum signal.
11. A system according to anyone of claims 8 to 10, in which the light sources are light-emitting diodes.
12. A system according to anyone of claims 8to 11, in which the array of light sources is physically arranged in a manner corresponding at least approximately to the shape of the torque versus engine speed characteristic of the engine.
13. A system according to any preceding claim, applied to a truck or similar heavy road vehicle powered by a diesel engine.
14. Indicating means for identifying the gear ratio which is currently engaged in a transmission system having a plurality of selectable fixed gear ratios, comprising first transducing means operative to produce a first signal which is proportional to the input speed to the transmission system, second transducing means operative to produce a second signal proportional to the output speed of the transmission system, and signal processing means operative to measure the ratio between the first and second signals to indicate the identity of the engaged gear ratio.
15. Indicating means according to claim 14, in which the first and second signals are electrical signals.
16. A gear change indicating system, substantial- ly as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
6 GB 2 098 736 A 6
17. A gear change indicating system, substantially as described with reference to all the Figures of the accompanying drawings.
Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1982. Published byThe Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London. WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.
k R W i
GB8112478A 1981-04-22 1981-04-22 Change-gear indicator Expired GB2098736B (en)

Priority Applications (13)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8112478A GB2098736B (en) 1981-04-22 1981-04-22 Change-gear indicator
JP57501227A JPS58500517A (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-16 Vehicle driver-improvement of assistance devices
PCT/GB1982/000114 WO1982003605A1 (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-16 Improvements in and relating to aids for vehicle drivers
DE19823241300 DE3241300A1 (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-16 IMPROVEMENTS TO AND HELP FOR VEHICLE DRIVERS
AU82799/82A AU555677B2 (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-16 Improvements in and relating to aids for vehicle drivers
EP82901133A EP0076821B1 (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-16 Driver aids for vehicles
ES511565A ES511565A0 (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-21 "AN INDICATOR PROVISION FOR USE IN A MECHANICALLY DRIVEN VEHICLE TO INDICATE ITS DRIVER WHEN IT SHOULD SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR."
IT20868/82A IT1150866B (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-21 REFINEMENTS IN AND RELATED TO DRIVING ACCESSORIES FOR VEHICLES IN PARTICULAR DIESEL TRUCKS
CA000401379A CA1194732A (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-21 Aids for vehicle drivers
ZA822738A ZA822738B (en) 1981-04-22 1982-04-22 Aids for vehicle drivers
SE8207241A SE431851B (en) 1981-04-22 1982-12-17 VEXELINDIKERINGSANORDNING
US06/452,083 US4631515A (en) 1981-04-22 1982-12-22 Vehicle gear shift indicator
GB08404896A GB2134659B (en) 1981-04-22 1984-02-24 Gear-indicating system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8112478A GB2098736B (en) 1981-04-22 1981-04-22 Change-gear indicator

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2098736A true GB2098736A (en) 1982-11-24
GB2098736B GB2098736B (en) 1985-06-05

Family

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8112478A Expired GB2098736B (en) 1981-04-22 1981-04-22 Change-gear indicator

Country Status (11)

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US (1) US4631515A (en)
EP (1) EP0076821B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS58500517A (en)
AU (1) AU555677B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1194732A (en)
ES (1) ES511565A0 (en)
GB (1) GB2098736B (en)
IT (1) IT1150866B (en)
SE (1) SE431851B (en)
WO (1) WO1982003605A1 (en)
ZA (1) ZA822738B (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8279982A (en) 1982-11-04
ES8308097A1 (en) 1983-07-01
GB2098736B (en) 1985-06-05
ZA822738B (en) 1983-12-28
CA1194732A (en) 1985-10-08
IT8220868A0 (en) 1982-04-21
JPS58500517A (en) 1983-04-07
IT1150866B (en) 1986-12-17
SE8207241D0 (en) 1982-12-17
EP0076821B1 (en) 1985-11-13
SE431851B (en) 1984-03-05
AU555677B2 (en) 1986-10-02
US4631515A (en) 1986-12-23
WO1982003605A1 (en) 1982-10-28
ES511565A0 (en) 1983-07-01
EP0076821A1 (en) 1983-04-20
SE8207241L (en) 1982-12-17

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