JP2567999Y2 - Automatic transmission for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

In the present invention, a reverse position, a neutral position and a drive position are set as shift positions so as to be suitable for large vehicles such as trucks and buses, and only when the shift lever is in the neutral position, the engine is driven. The present invention relates to a vehicular automatic transmission configured to permit starting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, large vehicles such as trucks and buses having automatic transmissions have been supplied. In such an automatic transmission for a large vehicle, a parking position such as that of a passenger car is not provided, and a reverse position, a neutral position, and a drive position are set as the shift positions. In this case, the start of the engine is permitted only when the shift lever is in the neutral position.

[0003]

By the way, in the case of the above-mentioned prior art, since the engine speed is increased by the warm-up operation immediately after the start of the engine, the shift operation from the neutral position to another position requires the accelerator pedal. There is a risk that the vehicle will start moving immediately even though the driver has not stepped on the vehicle. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a shift lock mechanism that permits the operation of the shift lever from the neutral position only when the brake pedal is depressed.However, when the shift lever once returned to the neutral position is moved to another shift position. Or, when performing an operation of passing through the neutral position, the brake pedal must be depressed one by one, and there is a drawback that the operability is significantly deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to set a reverse position, a neutral position, and a drive position as shift positions, and to start the engine only when the shift lever is at the neutral position. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic transmission for a vehicle which can improve operability while adding a shift lock function for restricting a shift operation from a neutral position.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automatic transmission for a vehicle in which a reverse position, a neutral position and a drive position are set as shift positions, and the engine is permitted to start only when the shift lever is at the neutral position. A shift operation control means for restricting a shift operation of the shift lever from the neutral position to another position, and switching to the restricted state and a released state in which the restriction is released in accordance with an external operation; Immediately after the start of the shift operation or when the shift operation control means is switched to the restricted state, release means for switching the shift operation control means to the release state only when the brake pedal is operated is provided. With the other shift lever When a non-operating state of the brake pedal continues set time when it is located at the neutral position from the position is provided with a restricting means for switching the shift operation control means restricted state.

[0006]

The engine is started with the shift lever in the neutral position. At this time, when the brake pedal is not operated, the shift operation control means is switched to the restricted state, so that operation of the shift lever from the neutral position to another position is prohibited. Further, when the brake pedal is operated immediately after the start of the engine, the shift operation control means is switched to the release state by the restricting means, so that the shift operation of the shift lever becomes possible.

When the shift lever is shifted from another position to the neutral position in a state where the shift operation of the shift lever is permitted as described above, the regulating means measures the non-operation state of the brake pedal. Then, when the time during which the brake pedal is in the non-operation state continues for the set time or more, the restricting means switches the shift operation control means to the restriction state, so that the shift operation of the shift lever from the neutral position is restricted.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1, a shift lever 2 of a shift lever device 1 includes a reverse position (R position), a neutral position (N position), a drive position (D position), and a low position (L position). A shift operation is provided at the shift position. The shift lever device 1 is provided with a solenoid 3 as a shift operation control means, which is turned on / off in response to an external signal. In this case, when the solenoid 3 is in the off state, it is in a restricting state in which the movement of the shift lever 2 is restricted, and in the on state, the shift lever 3 is
Is configured to be in a release state in which the movement restriction is released. The auto transmission body (not shown) is provided with a neutral detection switch 4, which turns on when the shift lever 2 is shifted to the neutral position and outputs an on signal. The shift lever device 1 has a mechanical release button 5.
Is provided, which is operated by the solenoid 3
Is forcibly switched to the ON state.

The ignition switch 6 outputs an ON signal when operated to the ON position. The brake switch 7 is turned on when a brake pedal (not shown) is depressed, and outputs an ON signal.

The controller 8 comprises a control circuit 9, a timer circuit 10, and a drive circuit 11 as regulating means and canceling means. Here, the control circuit 9 sets the timer circuit 10 at a predetermined timing based on the ON signals from the ignition switch 6, the neutral detection switch 4, and the brake switch 7, and turns the drive circuit 11 on and off. When the timer circuit 10 is set by the control circuit 9 with the ignition switch 6 turned on, the timer circuit 10 starts a timekeeping operation from that timing and outputs a time-up signal to the control circuit 9 when the measured time reaches 10 minutes. I do. In this case, when the timer circuit 10 is set by the control circuit 9 before the time reaches 10 minutes, the timer time is reset at that timing and the timekeeping operation is restarted. The drive circuit 11 is connected to the ignition switch 6
When the control circuit 9 turns on the solenoid 3 in the on state, the solenoid 3 is maintained in the on state, and when turned off, the solenoid 3 is maintained in the off state.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
Explanation will be given based on FIG. 3 showing a timing chart. When the ignition switch 6 is turned on to start the engine, an ON signal is output from the ignition switch 6 to the controller 8. Then, the control circuit 9
Proceeds from step S1 to step S2 to determine whether the brake switch 7 is on. At this time, when the ignition switch 6 is turned on while the brake pedal is being depressed, the brake switch 7 is turned on.
The control circuit 9 proceeds from step S2 to step S3 and drives the drive circuit 11 to switch the solenoid 3 to the ON state, that is, to the released state in which the movement restriction of the shift lever 2 has been released (indicated by A in FIG. 3). timing). This makes it possible to shift the shift lever 2 from the neutral position to another position.
At this time, if the brake pedal is depressed while the shift lever 2 is in the neutral position,
The control circuit 9 keeps the solenoid 3 on by repeatedly executing steps S2, S3 and S4.

When the stepping on the brake pedal is interrupted without shifting the shift lever 2 from the neutral position to another position, the control circuit 9
Proceeds from step S2 to step S11 to switch the solenoid 3 to the off state (the timing indicated by B in FIG. 3). As a result, the shift operation of the shift lever 2 from the neutral position is restricted.

When the brake pedal is depressed in a state where the shift operation of the shift lever 2 is restricted as described above, the control circuit 9 proceeds from step S2 to step S3.
And the solenoid 3 is turned on (timing indicated by C in FIG. 3), so that the shift operation of the shift lever 2 from the neutral position is permitted.

Therefore, if the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position to another position while the brake pedal is depressed, the neutral detection switch 4 is turned off (the timing indicated by D in FIG. 3).
The control circuit 9 proceeds from step S4 to step S5 and waits until the neutral detection switch 4 is turned on.

When the vehicle is stopped and the shift lever 2 is positioned at the neutral position, the neutral detection switch 4 is turned on (at the timing indicated by E in FIG. 3), so that the control circuit 9 proceeds from step S5 to step S6.
To determine whether the brake switch 7 is on. At this time, when the brake pedal is not depressed, the brake switch 7 is off, so that the control circuit 9 proceeds from step S6 to step S7 and sets the timer circuit 10. As a result, the timer circuit 10 performs a clocking operation.

The control circuit 9 detects the ON state of the brake switch 7 or the OFF state of the neutral detection switch 4 during the time counting operation of the timer circuit 10 (steps S8 and S9). If the non-detection state continues until the time-up signal is output, the process proceeds from step S10 to step S11 to turn off the solenoid 3 (timing indicated by F in FIG. 3). As a result, the shift lever 2 enters a restricted state in which the shift operation from the neutral position is restricted.

Subsequently, the control circuit 9 returns from step S11 to step S2 to determine whether the brake switch 7 is on. At this time, when the brake pedal is not depressed, the brake switch 7 is off,
The control circuit 9 proceeds from step S2 to step S11 to keep the solenoid 3 off.

Now, as described above, when the solenoid 3 is turned off, the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position.
When the brake pedal is depressed in a state where the movement of the brake pedal is restricted, the brake switch 7 is turned on (timing indicated by G in FIG. 3), and the control circuit 9 proceeds from step S2 to step S3 to switch the drive circuit 11 By driving, the solenoid 3 is turned on. Accordingly, the shift operation of the shift lever 2 is permitted. Therefore, when the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position to another position, the neutral detection switch 4 is turned off (FIG. 3).
Timing indicated by H in FIG. At this time, if the brake pedal is released after the shift lever 2 is shifted to the neutral position while the brake pedal is continuously depressed, the brake switch 7 is turned off. Therefore, the control circuit 9 proceeds from steps S5 and S6. Proceeding to step S7, the timer circuit 10 is set (timing indicated by I in FIG. 3). When the brake pedal is not depressed for 10 minutes while the shift lever 2 is in the neutral position, the control circuit 9
Proceeds from step S8, S9, S10 to step S11 to turn off the solenoid 3 (timing indicated by J in FIG. 3). As a result, the movement of the shift lever 2 from the neutral position is restricted.

When the brake switch is depressed while the movement of the shift lever 2 is restricted, the control circuit 9
Goes from step S2 to step S3 to turn on the solenoid 3 (the timing indicated by K in FIG. 3).
The shift operation of the shift lever 2 is released.

When the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position to another position with the brake pedal depressed, and then the shift lever 2 is shifted to the neutral position with the brake pedal depressed, the control circuit 9 is Step S
The process proceeds from step 4, S5, S6 to step S7 to set the timer circuit 10 (timing indicated by L in FIG. 3). Thus, the timer operation of the timer circuit 10 starts.

When the brake pedal is depressed and released during the timer operation of the timer circuit 10 as described above, the control circuit 9 returns from step S8 to step S7 and resets the timer circuit 9 (step S7). The timing indicated by M in FIG. 3).

On the other hand, when the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position to another position during the time counting operation of the timer circuit 10 and then shifted to the neutral position again, the control circuit 9 proceeds from step S9 to step S7. Then, the timer circuit 10 is set again (timing indicated by N in FIG. 3).

When the brake is depressed while the ignition switch 6 is off (the timing indicated by O in FIG. 3), the control circuit 9 does not turn on the solenoid 3, so that the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position.
Movement is regulated.

In the case of the present embodiment, the above-described step S
Steps S5, S3 and S4 correspond to releasing means.
6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11 correspond to the regulating means.

In short, in the above configuration, the controller 8 turns off the solenoid 3 and permits the shift operation of the shift lever 2 only when the brake pedal is depressed immediately after the start of the engine or when the solenoid 3 is off. When the shift lever 2 is operated from another position to the neutral position, the brake pedal
When the step is not performed for 0 minute, the shift operation of the shift lever 2 from the neutral position is restricted by turning on the solenoid 3, so that the shift mechanism must be released to shift the shift lever 2 from the neutral position. Operability can be improved as compared with a configuration that must be performed.

In the above embodiment, the shift operation of the shift lever 2 is restricted when the solenoid 3 is off, so that the solenoid 3 is turned off when the power is not supplied (the ignition switch 6 is off). The shift operation of the shift lever 2 is restricted. Therefore, shift lever 2
When the engine is stopped in the neutral position, the shift operation of the shift lever 2 to a position other than the neutral position while the engine is stopped is restricted, so that the key operation on the ignition switch 6 immediately The engine can be started. In this case, the solenoid 3 can be switched to the same state as the on state by operating the mechanical release button 5, so that the shift lever 2 is shifted from the neutral position in the power-off state or the battery discharge state. be able to.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the automatic transmission for a vehicle of the present invention, the shift operation of the shift lever from the neutral position to another position is restricted and the shift lever is operated in response to an external operation. A shift operation control means for switching to the restricted state and a release state in which the restriction is released is provided, and the brake pedal is operated immediately after the engine is started or in a state where the shift operation control means is switched to the restricted state. Only a release means for switching the shift operation control means to the release state is provided, and when the shift lever is moved from another position to the neutral position in the release state by the release means, the non-operation state of the brake pedal continues for a set time. Since the regulating means for switching the shift operation control means to the regulated state is provided when A shift lock for restricting a shift operation from a neutral position in an automatic transmission for a vehicle in which a reverse position, a neutral position, and a drive position are set as shift positions, and the engine is permitted to start only when the shift lever is at the neutral position. This provides an excellent effect that operability can be improved while adding functions.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a control circuit;

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a shift lever device, 2 is a shift lever, 3 is a solenoid (shift operation control means), 4 is a neutral detection switch, 6 is an ignition switch, 7 is a brake switch, 9 is a control circuit (restriction means, release means), 10 Is a timer circuit.

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A vehicle automatic transmission in which a reverse position, a neutral position, and a drive position are set as shift positions, and starting of an engine is permitted only when the shift lever is at the neutral position. A shift operation control means provided to restrict the shift operation from the neutral position to another position, the shift operation control means switching to the restriction state and a release state in which the restriction is released in accordance with an external operation, and the engine is started. Immediately after or when the shift operation control means is switched to the restricted state, release means for switching the shift operation control means to the release state only when the brake pedal is operated, and when the shift lever is released by the release means, Neutra from other positions And a restricting means for switching the shift operation control means to a restricting state when the brake pedal has been in the non-operating state for a set time when the brake pedal is in the full position.