JPH09203457A - Speed change control device for automatic transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To change over speed change modes without releasing the hands from a steering wheel. SOLUTION: A speed change control device comprises an automatic speed change control means 60 for setting a desired speed change ration i* in accordance with a vehicle speed and a load of an engine, an up-shift instructing means 62 and a down-shift instructing means 63 which are attached to a steering wheel for instructing an up-shift and a down-shift, a manual speed change control means 61 for setting a desired speed change ratio i* in accordance with a signal from the up- or down-shift instructing means 62 or 63, and a speed change mode change-over means 64 for selectively changing-over the automatic speed change control means 60 and the manual speed change control means 61. The speed change mode change-over means 64 selectively changes over an automatic speed change mode and a manual speed change mode when the up- and down-shift instructing means 63 are simultaneously manipulated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shift control device for an automatic transmission, and more particularly to improvement of a shift control device having a manual mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A shift control device for an automatic transmission used in a vehicle is set to an automatic shift mode in which a target gear ratio i * is determined in accordance with operating conditions such as a vehicle speed VSP and a throttle opening TVO (or accelerator opening). In addition, like the conventional manual transmission, there are some known ones having a manual mode for selecting a gear ratio (or a gear stage) according to a driver's gear shifting operation. 60-2566
Some are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64.

This is one in which the automatic shift mode and the manual mode are switched by one shift lever, and the automatic shift mode and the manual mode are selectively switched according to the displacement of the shift lever.

The monthly "CAR GRAPHIC 1
995-6 No. No. 411 ”(published by Nigensha on June 1, 1995), pages 71 to 75 of the shift lever are equipped with a manual switch for switching from the automatic shift mode to the manual mode, and the steering column is upshifted or downshifted. It is also known to provide a switch for instructing a shift.In this case, operate the shift lever with the left hand to switch from the automatic shift mode to the manual mode, and then operate the switch on the steering column with the right or left hand. Thus, upshifting or downshifting is performed relative to the current gear stage.

[0005]

However, in the shift control device for an automatic transmission as described above, it is necessary to once release one hand from the steering wheel and operate the shift lever when switching between the automatic shift mode and the manual mode. Yes, there is a problem that shifting operation becomes complicated,
Further, since it is necessary to provide a switch for selecting the manual mode in the selector of the shift lever, the selector of the conventional automatic transmission cannot be used as it is, so that the manufacturing cost is increased and the structure of the device is complicated. There was a problem that became.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to switch the shift mode without releasing the steering wheel and to suppress an increase in manufacturing cost.

[0007]

The first invention, as shown in FIG. 10, is an automatic shift control means 60 for setting a target gear ratio i * according to a vehicle speed and a load of an engine, and a steering wheel or a steering column. And an upshift command means 62 for instructing an upshift in response to a driver's operation and a steering wheel or a steering column, and instructing a downshift in response to a driver's operation. Downshift command means 63, a manual gearshift control means 61 for setting a target gear ratio i * based on a signal from the upshift command means 62 or the downshift command means 63, the automatic gearshift control means 60 and the manual gearshift. A shift control device for an automatic transmission including a shift mode switching means 64 for selectively switching between the control means 61 and There are, the shift mode switching means 6
4 selectively switches between the automatic shift mode and the manual mode when the upshift command means 62 and the downshift command means 63 are simultaneously operated.

In the second aspect of the invention, as shown in FIG. 10, the automatic gear shift control means 60 for setting the target gear ratio i * according to the vehicle speed and the engine load, and the steering wheel or steering column are provided. In addition, an upshift command means 62 for instructing an upshift in response to a driver's operation, and a downshift command for instructing a downshift in response to a driver's operation, which is also arranged on the steering wheel or steering column. The target gear ratio i * based on the signals from the means 63 and the upshift command means 62 or the downshift command means 63.
In the shift control device for an automatic transmission, the shift control device includes an automatic transmission control unit 61 for setting the shift speed and a shift mode switching unit 64 for selectively switching the automatic shift control unit 60 and the manual shift control unit 61. The means 61 sets the target speed ratio i * based on the change in the signal from the upshift command means 62 or the downshift command means 63, and the speed change mode switching means 64 controls the upshift command means 62 and the downshift command means 64. Shift command means 63
When is sequentially operated, the automatic shift mode and the manual mode are selectively switched.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the invention, therefore, the driver operates the upshift command means or the downshift command means in the manual mode while the operation is performed at the target speed ratio according to the vehicle speed and the engine load in the automatic speed change mode. By doing so, it is possible to shift to any target gear ratio, and these shift modes can be switched by simultaneously operating the upshift command means and the downshift command means arranged on the steering wheel or the steering column.
Since the automatic shift mode and the manual mode can be selectively switched, it is not necessary to let go of the steering wheel, and the shift modes can be switched quickly and easily.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the shift mode is switched by sequentially operating the upshift command means and the downshift command means, and the manual shift control means is further operated by the upshift command means or the downshift command means. Since the gear shift is performed based on the change in the signal from, when the automatic gear shift mode is switched to the manual mode, the gear shift is performed to the last operated side, for example, the downshift command is operated after operating the upshift command means. In the case where the shift mode is switched when the means is operated, when the automatic shift mode is switched to the manual mode, a downshift is always performed, and the driver can surely recognize the shift mode switching.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a case in which an automatic transmission 1 having a manual mode in addition to an automatic transmission mode is composed of a continuously variable transmission 10. The continuously variable transmission 10 is, for example, 2
The toroidal type continuously changes the gear ratio according to the tilt angles of the two power rollers 18 and 20.

The automatic transmission 1 comprises a hydraulic control device 4 for controlling the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission 10 in response to a command from the shift control controller 2.

The continuously variable transmission 10 has a forward / reverse switching device 40 interposed between the engine and the torque converter 12, and the hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump 84 is controlled by the hydraulic control device 4 to shift gears. The ratio is changed. The torque converter 12 is provided as a starting element, and a lockup (LU) clutch (not shown) operates at a predetermined speed or higher to directly connect the engine and the input shaft of the continuously variable transmission 10.

The hydraulic control device 4 of the automatic transmission 1 is composed of a hydraulic actuator or the like for changing the tilt angles of the power rollers 18, 20 in accordance with the displacement of the step motor 61 in response to a command from the shift control controller 2. It

The shift control controller 2 receives the engine speed Ne and the throttle opening TVO (or accelerator pedal opening) input from the engine controller 3, and
The select position of the shift lever 5 and the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 provided on the steering wheel 14.
(See FIG. 4) and the input shaft rotation speed Nin and the output shaft rotation speed Nout (= vehicle speed VSP) from the input shaft rotation sensor 6 and the output shaft rotation sensor 7 arranged in the continuously variable transmission 10, respectively. , The target gear ratio i * according to the driving state of the vehicle
Is calculated. The output shaft rotation sensor 7 is set to the vehicle speed VSP.
The gear shift control controller 2 calculates the vehicle speed VSP by multiplying the output shaft speed Nout by a predetermined constant.

Then, the shift control controller 2 drives the step motor 61 of the hydraulic control device 4 based on the calculated target gear ratio i *, and the toroidal type continuously variable transmission 1
The power rollers 18 and 20 are driven so that the tilt angle (= actual speed ratio) of the power rollers 18, 20 matches the target speed ratio I *.

Here, the shift control controller 2 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, an A / D converter 53 which is mainly composed of a CPU 50 that performs arithmetic processing, has a RAM 51 and a ROM 52 as storage means, and further reads a throttle opening TVO from the engine controller 3, and an engine controller as well. Engine speed N from 3
e, the rotation speeds Nin and Nout of the input / output shaft of the continuously variable transmission 10
(= VSP) input counter 54, UP switch 8, DOWN switch 9 and digital I / O 55 that reads the signals of the selector switch of the shift lever 5, and digital I / O 56 that drives the step motor 61 of the hydraulic control device 4. Composed of.

Here, the ROM of the shift control controller 2
A plurality of shift maps corresponding to two shift modes, an automatic shift mode and a manual mode, are stored in advance in the storage means such as 52. In the automatic shift mode, the load and the vehicle speed VSP are changed in the same manner as the conventional example. While the gear ratio i is determined by the gear ratio i in the manual mode, as shown in FIG. 8, when the number of gears is 6, the gear ratios i (1) to i (1) to i (6) is set in advance, and these gear ratios i (n) are set to the Hi side, that is, the gear ratio decreases as the gear position increases.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the UP switch 8 or DOW provided on the steering wheel 14 is provided.
Depending on the operation of the N switch 9, the gear ratio i
By shifting (n) one step at a time, the same gear shifting operation as in a manual transmission is performed. These UP switch 8 and DOWN switch 9 are used in addition to the gear shifting command in the manual mode, as will be described later. When operated simultaneously, it functions as a shift mode switching means for selectively switching between the automatic shift mode and the manual mode.

Here, the outline of the control in this embodiment is as shown in FIG. 3, in which the shift control controller 2 controls the vehicle speed VSP based on the signal Nout from the output shaft rotation sensor 7 and the throttle opening sensor 30 of the engine control controller 3.
Throttle opening TVO, UP switch 8 and DO from
The shift mode determined based on the simultaneous operation of the WN switch 9 and the UP switch 8 or D of the selector switch 5A.
It receives a signal from the OWN switch 9 and outputs a predetermined pulse to the step motor 61 of the automatic transmission 1.

Next, an example of the control performed by the shift control controller 2 is shown in the flow charts of FIGS. 5 to 7, and will be described in detail with reference to these flow charts. FIG.
Shows the main routine, and FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the subroutine.
It is executed for each ec.

In step S1 of FIG. 5, the driving state of the vehicle is detected by reading data from various sensors.
The engine speed Ne and the throttle opening TVO are read from the engine controller 3, and the input shaft speed Nin and the output shaft speed Nout (vehicle speed VSP) from the automatic transmission 1 and signals from the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 are read. And a signal from the selector switch of the shift lever 5 is read.

Then, in step S2, the shift mode switching process based on the simultaneous operation of the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 is performed in steps S10 to S1 of FIG.
It is performed based on 7.

Then, in step S3, step S2
It is determined whether or not the shift mode determined in step 5 is the manual mode. If the shift mode is the manual mode, the process proceeds to step S4, and based on the command from the UP switch 8 or the DOWN switch 9, the shift map shown in FIG. While setting the target gear ratio i * according to the GP, if it is the automatic gear shift mode, the process proceeds to step S5, where the vehicle speed VS is set as described above.
A target gear ratio i * is set according to P and throttle opening TVO.

Here, in step S4 when the manual mode is selected, the flow chart shown in FIG. 7 is executed, and the shift control in the manual mode will be described in detail below.

First, in step S20, whether the UP switch 8 has changed from OFF to ON (rising of the signal)
If it is determined that the UP switch 8A is turned ON, the process proceeds to step S21, where 1 is added to the manual mode shift speed GP to increase the target shift speed GP.

On the other hand, in step S22, it is determined whether the DOWN switch 9 has changed from OFF to ON (rising of a signal). If the DOWN switch 9A has changed to ON, the process proceeds to step S23, and the manual operation is performed. The target shift speed GP is subtracted by subtracting 1 from the shift speed GP of the mode.

In this embodiment, although not shown,
The minimum value of the gear position GP is restricted to 1 and the maximum value is restricted to 6.

Then, in step S24, step S
The target gear ratio i * corresponding to the gear stage GP set in step 21 or S23 is determined according to the gear shift map as shown in FIG.

Thus, in the manual mode, upshifting or downshifting is performed in response to the rising edge of the signal from the UP switch 8 or the DOWN switch 9, and the target gear ratio i * corresponding to the selected gear stage GP is determined. Then, the procedure returns to the main routine of FIG. 5, and step S of FIG.
In step 6, the step motor 61 is driven so that the actual gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission 10 matches the target gear ratio i * set in step S4 or S5.

Next, the shift mode switching process performed in step S2 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S6, it is determined whether the UP switch 8 is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to step S11, in which it is determined whether the DOWN switch 9 is ON.

In steps S10 and S11, only when both the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 are ON, the process proceeds to step S13 and subsequent steps to switch the shift mode, while at least one of the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 is turned on. If it is OFF, step S12
To S14 or S15, the current shift mode is maintained.

On the other hand, if the current shift mode is the manual mode in step S13, the process proceeds to step S16 to switch the shift mode to the automatic shift mode, and if the current shift mode is the automatic shift mode. , In step S17, the shift mode is switched to the manual mode.

Therefore, the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 arranged on the steering wheel 14 are simultaneously turned on.
If set to N, the shift mode can be switched.

Here, when the automatic shift mode is switched to the manual mode, the manual mode control of FIG. 7 is performed in step S4, but only in response to the rising of the signal of the UP switch 8 or the DOWN switch 9. Since the gear position GP is selected, the UP switch 8
And the DOWN switch 9 are both turned ON, the gear change is not performed immediately after the gear change mode is switched, and the UP switch 8 and D
After both the OWN switches 9 are turned off, one of these switches is operated to perform the gear shift operation as in the manual transmission.

In this way, the shift mode can be switched by simply turning on the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 on the steering wheel 14 at the same time, and the steering wheel 14 is operated to operate the shift lever 5 as in the conventional example. Since it is not necessary to release the hand, it is possible to easily and quickly switch between the automatic transmission mode and the manual mode, and the operability of the automatic transmission having the manual mode can be improved.

In addition, the selector of the shift lever 5 has
It is not necessary to provide a switch for switching to the manual mode as in the conventional example, and since it can be configured in the same manner as the selector of the conventional automatic transmission, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts and an increase in the size of the device and increase a manufacturing cost. It can be prevented.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the second embodiment, in which step S11 of the shift mode switching process shown in FIG. 6 is replaced with step S11A.
Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In FIG. 9, the step S11A is DO.
Only when the signal from the WN switch 9 changes from OFF to ON, the process proceeds from step S13 to S15 or S16 to switch the shift mode, while otherwise, the shift is performed even if the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 are ON. The mode is not switched, and the current shift mode is maintained as described above.

Therefore, when the current shift mode is the automatic shift mode, the shift mode is switched to the manual mode by turning on the UP switch 8 and then the DOWN switch 9 (step S).
11A, S13, S17), and in the manual mode control of FIG. 7, the DOWN switch 9 is pressed in step S22.
Since the signal from changes from OFF to ON,
P is downshifted one step.

That is, when the automatic shift mode is switched to the manual mode, the downshift is always performed. Therefore, the driver can surely recognize the switching of the shift mode and can easily master the shift mode. It can also be used as a brake, and the operability of an automatic transmission having a manual mode can be further improved.

In the above embodiment, the automatic transmission 1 is composed of the continuously variable transmission 10. However, although not shown, the automatic transmission 1 is composed of a conventional planetary gear type automatic transmission. However, the same action and effect can be obtained.

Further, although the UP switch 8 and the DOWN switch 9 are arranged on the steering wheel 14, they may be arranged on a steering column or the like which can be operated without releasing the hand from the steering wheel 14, although not shown.

[0046]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the automatic shift mode and the manual mode are set by operating the upshift command means and the downshift command means arranged on the steering wheel or the steering column at the same time. It is possible to selectively switch, and it is not necessary to let go of the steering wheel to operate the shift lever as in the conventional example, so that the shift mode can be switched quickly and easily. The selector does not have to be provided with a switch for switching to the manual mode as in the conventional example, and can be configured in the same manner as a conventional automatic transmission, so that an increase in the number of parts and an increase in size of the device are prevented. The increase in cost can be suppressed.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the automatic speed change mode is switched to the manual mode, the speed is changed to the last operated side. For example, the down shift command means is operated after operating the up shift command means. In the case where the shift mode is switched when operated, a downshift is always performed when switching from the automatic shift mode to the manual mode so that the driver can reliably recognize the shift mode change and You can easily master the mode switching, and if you set the shift mode switching to the downshift side, it will be possible to use the switching to the manual mode as engine braking as well. The operability of the transmission can be further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a shift control controller.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of shift control in manual mode.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a steering wheel.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of control performed by a shift control controller, showing a main routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a shift mode switching process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a subroutine that similarly shows the shift control in the manual mode.

FIG. 8 is a shift map showing a manual mode of a continuously variable transmission, showing a relationship between a target input shaft rotation speed and a vehicle speed.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a shift mode switching process according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a claim correspondence diagram corresponding to the first or second invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Automatic Transmission 2 Shift Control Controller 3 Engine Control Controller 4 Hydraulic Control Device 5 Shift Lever 8 UP Switch 9 DOWN Switch 10 Continuously Variable Transmission 14 Steering Wheel 50 CPU 51 RAM 52 ROM 53 A / D 54 Counter 55, 56 Digital IO 60 automatic shift control means 61 manual shift control means 62 upshift command means 63 downshift command means 64 shift mode switching means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic shift control means for setting a target gear ratio according to a vehicle speed and a load of an engine; and an automatic shift control means arranged on a steering wheel or a steering column and instructing an upshift according to a driver's operation. A shift command means, a downshift command means which is also arranged on a steering wheel or a steering column, and which commands a downshift according to a driver's operation, and a signal from the upshift command means or the downshift command means. A gear shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manual gear shift control means for setting a target gear ratio based on the gear shift mode; and a gear shift mode switching means for selectively switching between the automatic gear shift control means and the manual gear shift control means. As for the switching means, the upshift command means and the downshift command means are simultaneously operated. When it is operated,
A shift control device for an automatic transmission, which selectively switches between an automatic shift mode and a manual mode. 2. An automatic shift control means for setting a target gear ratio according to a vehicle speed and a load of an engine, and an upshift which is arranged on a steering wheel or a steering column and commands an upshift in response to a driver's operation. Shift command means, downshift command means that is also arranged on the steering wheel or steering column, and that commands downshift according to the operation of the driver, and signals from the upshift command means or downshift command means. A shift control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a manual shift control means for setting a target gear ratio based on the shift speed; and a shift mode switching means for selectively switching between the automatic shift control means and the manual shift control means. The control means is provided from the upshift command means or the downshift command means. The target gear ratio is set based on the change of the signal, and the shift mode switching means selectively switches between the automatic shift mode and the manual mode when the upshift command means and the downshift command means are sequentially operated. A shift control device for an automatic transmission characterized by the above.