Method and control unit for operating a vehicle's powertrain

Abstract

Method for operating a vehicle's powertrain, wherein the powertrain comprises a drive unit (1), an output (3) and an automated transmission (2), wherein an input shaft (7) of the transmission (2) is connected to the drive unit (1) via a controllable disconnect clutch (6) and an output shaft (8) of the transmission (2) is connected to the output (3), wherein the transmission (2) has a main group (4), wherein the main group (4) has several transmission stages which can be switched via a gear shift pattern (9) with two outer shift gates (10, 11), at least one central shift gate (12, 17) arranged between them and a selector gate (13) connecting the shift gates (10, 11, 12, 17) by means of an actuating means being displaceable along the shift gates and the selector gate, wherein, when the ignition is switched on, a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested by the driver, or when, as a result of switching off the ignition during a shutdown process of the drive unit (1), a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested, the neutral position is validated by means of a gate movement of the actuating means in the gear shift pattern (9) of the transmission (2), wherein, to verify the plausibility of the neutral position, the gate movement of the actuating means in the gear shift diagram (9) is carried out such that first, via a first partial movement (14), the actuating means is transferred from a switching lane (10, 11, 12, 17), in which the actuating means is located before the neutral position is requested, into the area of ​​an adjacent switching lane, Subsequently, if after the first partial movement (14) the actuating means is not in the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11), the actuating means is moved into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11) via a second partial movement (15, 16).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle's powertrain. Furthermore, the invention relates to a control unit for operating a vehicle's powertrain.

[0002] Vehicles equipped with an automated transmission are parked in neutral. This is because, if a gear is engaged and the disconnect clutch between the transmission and the drive unit is closed, the drive unit cannot be started. For example, in commercial vehicles, after extended periods of parking, it is not guaranteed that the vehicle's pneumatic system will contain enough air to shift the transmission into neutral or disengage the disconnect clutch upon restart, as compressed air can leak from the vehicle's system during prolonged parking. If the transmission is in neutral when the vehicle is parked, the drive unit is disengaged and can be started.

[0003] From DE 10 2012 213 253 A1, a drivetrain of a vehicle with an automated transmission, designed as a range transmission, is known. The range transmission has a main group and a range group connected downstream of the main group. The main group of the range transmission provides several gear ratios. From DE 10 2012 213 253 A1, it is known that the main group provides six gear ratios, namely four gear ratios for forward gears, one gear ratio for a so-called crawler gear, and one gear ratio for a reverse gear. The gear ratios of the main group can be selected via a gear shift pattern, which, according to DE 10 2012 213 253 A1, has two outer shift gates, a central shift gate arranged between the outer shift gates, and a selector gate connecting the shift gates.An actuating device can be moved to perform gear ratio changes between the gear ratio stages along the switching lanes and the selector lane.

[0004] Another vehicle drivetrain with an automated transmission designed as a group transmission is known from DE 10 2016 224 243 A1. The group transmission known from this prior art has a main group, a range group downstream of the main group in terms of drive technology, and a pre-shift group upstream of the main group in terms of drive technology. The gear shift pattern of the main group has two outer shift gates and a selector gate connecting the outer shift gates, but no center shift gate.

[0005] From DE 10 2016 224 243 A1, it is known that a start-up of the drive unit is possible when the transmission is in neutral. When the drive unit is switched off, the automated transmission is moved to neutral, and this neutral position is verified by a movement of the selector lever in a selector gate. The result of this verification is stored in a non-volatile memory of a control unit. During a subsequent start-up of the drive unit, the non-volatile memory is read. If the memory contains data indicating that the transmission's neutral position is plausible, the transmission is considered verified without requiring another movement of the selector gate during the subsequent start-up of the drive unit.

[0006] DE 103 49 445 A1 discloses a method, a device and their use for operating a motor vehicle with a drive motor and a transmission in the drive train.

[0007] The invention is based on the objective of creating a novel method and control unit for operating a drive train.

[0008] This problem is solved by a method for operating a drive train of a vehicle according to claim 1.

[0009] In the method according to the invention, when a neutral position of the transmission is requested by the driver when the ignition is switched on, or when a neutral position of the transmission is requested as a result of switching off the ignition during a shutdown process of the drive unit, the neutral position is made plausible by means of a gate movement of the actuating means in the gear shift pattern of the transmission.

[0010] To verify the neutral position, the actuator's movement in the gearshift diagram is carried out according to the invention such that, first, via a first partial movement, the actuator is moved from a shifting lane in which it is located before the neutral position is requested into the area of ​​an adjacent shifting lane. Subsequently, if after the first partial movement the actuator is not in the area of ​​a lateral edge shifting lane, a second partial movement moves the actuator into the area of ​​a lateral edge shifting lane.

[0011] The invention proposes a defined movement of the actuating element during the plausibility check of the transmission's neutral position. To check the neutral position, the actuating element is moved, via the first partial movement, from the shift gate in which it is located before the neutral position is requested, into the area of ​​an adjacent shift gate, namely along the selector gate. If, after this first partial movement, the actuating element is not located in the area of ​​a lateral shift gate, the second partial movement is executed to move the actuating element into the area of ​​a lateral shift gate.

[0012] The invention makes it possible to reduce the impact forces that act on the gear selector, particularly on the selector lane in the area of ​​its edges, during the movement of the actuating element. During the first partial movement, the actuating element is not moved completely across the entire area of ​​the selector lane, but rather, starting from the selector lane in which the actuating element is located before the neutral position is requested, into the area of ​​the adjacent selector lane. The subsequent transfer of the actuating element into the area of ​​a lateral edge selector lane, if necessary, ensures that after the neutral position has been validated, the actuating element is in a stable position within the area of ​​a lateral edge selector lane.

[0013] In an advantageous further development, during the first partial movement, the actuating element is moved along the switching lane in which it is located before the neutral position is requested, and along the selector lane into the area of ​​the immediately adjacent switching lane. During the optional second partial movement, the actuating element is moved exclusively along the selector lane into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane. Such a lane movement of the actuating element during the plausibility check of the neutral position is preferred in order to reduce, on the one hand, the impact forces acting on the selector lane during the execution of the lane movement, and on the other hand, to move the actuating element into a stable position.

[0014] The plausibility check of the neutral position takes place after successful execution of the first partial movement or after successful execution of the second partial movement, if the second partial movement is performed.

[0015] The control unit according to the invention is defined in claim 6.

[0016] Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, without being limited thereto. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a diagram of a vehicle's powertrain; Fig. 2 a gear diagram of a main group of a vehicle transmission with a first gate movement; Fig. 3 the gear shift diagram of the Fig. 2 with a second alleyway movement; Fig. 4 an alternative gear shift pattern of a main group of a transmission of the vehicle with a gate movement.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows a powertrain diagram of a vehicle's powertrain. The powertrain of the Fig. 1 has a drive unit 1 and a gearbox 2, wherein the gearbox 2 is positioned between the drive unit 1 and an output 3.

[0018] Transmission 2 is an automated transmission designed as a range transmission. In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 1 The group transmission comprises a main group 4 and a drive-technically downstream area group 5.

[0019] Additionally, the group transmission 2 can also have a pre-shift group upstream of the main group 4 in terms of drive technology. The pre-shift group can also be present instead of the range group 5.

[0020] An input shaft 7 of the gearbox 2 is connected to the drive unit 1 via a controllable disconnect clutch 6.

[0021] An output shaft 8 of the gearbox 2 is connected to the output shaft 3.

[0022] Main group 4 of gearbox 2 has several gear ratio stages. In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the main group 4 provides four transmission stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 for four forward gears, one transmission stage R for a reverse gear, and one transmission stage C for a so-called crawler gear. The range group 5 provides a slow-speed stage L and a high-speed stage S.

[0023] The transmission stages of the main group 4 can be switched via a gear shift diagram 9 with two outer shift gates 10, 11 and a central shift gate 12 arranged between the outer shift gates 10, 11 and a selector gate 13 connecting the shift gates 10, 11 and 12, by means that an actuating means of the main group 4 4 can be moved along the shift gates 10, 11 and 12 and the selector gate 13.

[0024] In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 1 The gear shift diagram 9 of the main group 4 therefore comprises three shift gates 10, 11, 12, which are arranged next to each other and parallel to each other, as well as a selector gate 13 connecting the shift gates 10, 11, 12.

[0025] When the ignition is switched on, the driver requests a neutral position for transmission 2, or when the control unit requests a neutral position for transmission 2 as a result of the ignition being switched off during a shutdown process of the drive unit 1, the neutral position is validated by means of a gate movement of the actuating element of main group 4 of transmission 2. The result of this validation is stored in a control unit's memory in order to allow or disallow a subsequent start of the drive unit 1.

[0026] In accordance with the present invention, to verify the neutral position of the transmission 2, the movement of the actuating element of the main group 4 of the transmission 2 in the gear shift diagram 9 of the main group 4 of the transmission 2 is carried out such that, firstly, via a first partial movement, the actuating element is moved from the shift gate in which it is located before the neutral position is requested, along the selector gate 13, into the area of ​​an adjacent, preferably immediately adjacent, shift gate. Subsequently, if after the first partial movement the actuating element is not located in the area of ​​a lateral edge shift gate 10, 11, a second partial movement of the actuating element is carried out to move it into the area of ​​a lateral edge shift gate 10, 11.

[0027] Fig. Figure 2 visualizes the execution of the gate movement for the plausibility check of the neutral position for a gear shift diagram 9 with shift gates 10, 11 and 12 and the selector gate 13.

[0028] In Fig. 2 It is assumed that the actuating element is located in the switching lane 11 before the neutral position is requested, specifically in the upper area of ​​the switching lane 11 when forward gear 3 is selected. If a neutral position is now requested, the selecting element is moved from the switching lane 11 to the area of ​​the immediately adjacent switching lane 12 via a first partial movement 14.

[0029] Since this immediately adjacent switching lane 12 is not an edge switching lane, but the center switching lane 12, the actuating means is subsequently transferred to the area of ​​an edge switching lane via a second partial movement, either via the partial movement 15 into the area of ​​the edge switching lane 10 or alternatively via the second partial movement 16 into the area of ​​the edge switching lane.

[0030] Fig. Figure 3 shows the gear shift diagram 9 of the Fig. 2 when executing a different lane movement of the actuating means of the main group 4 of the transmission 2 during the plausibility check of the neutral position. In Fig. 3. Before requesting neutral, the actuating element is located in the center shift gate 12, specifically in its upper region, where it selects forward gear 1. From this state, if neutral is requested for the transmission 2, the actuating element is moved via a first partial movement 14 into the region of an immediately adjacent shift gate, in this case, shift gate 10, which is an edge shift gate 10. A second partial movement is then unnecessary, as the selector element is already located in the region of an edge shift gate 10 after the first partial movement.

[0031] It is possible to perform the plausibility check of the neutral position after successful execution of the first partial movement 14. Alternatively, the plausibility check of the neutral position can also be performed after successful execution of the second partial movement 15, namely if such a second partial movement 15 is actually executed because the actuating device is not in a marginal switching lane after execution of the first partial movement 14.

[0032] Fig. Figure 4 shows an alternative gear shift diagram 9' of a main group of a transmission 2, which includes two outer shift gates 10, 11 and two center shift gates 12, 17, wherein all four shift gates 10, 11, 12, 17 are arranged parallel and next to each other and are connected to each other via the selector gate 13.

[0033] In Fig. 4. Before the neutral position of the transmission 2 is requested, the actuating means is located in the shift gate 12, specifically in its upper region. If a neutral position is now requested, then in the exemplary embodiment the Fig. 4. The actuating means is initially moved via a first partial movement 14 into the area of ​​the immediately adjacent switching lane 17. Since this switching lane 17 is a central switching lane, a second partial movement 15 then takes place into the area of ​​an edge switching lane, specifically into the area of ​​the edge switching lane that can be reached with the shortest displacement path for the actuating means after the execution of the first partial movement.

[0034] In Fig.4. It would also be possible to transfer the switching element from switching lane 12 to switching lane 10 during the plausibility check of the neutral position, whereby no second partial movement is required after execution of the first partial movement 14, since after execution of the first partial movement 14 the actuating means is already in an edge switching lane.

[0035] The invention further relates to a control unit which serves to carry out the method described above. The control unit is preferably a transmission control unit. When the ignition is switched on and the driver requests a neutral position of the transmission 2, or when a neutral position of the transmission 2 is requested as a result of the ignition being switched off during a shutdown process of the drive unit 1, the control unit verifies the neutral position of the transmission 2 by means of a gate movement of the actuating element of the main group 4 in the gear shift diagram 9. To verify the neutral position, the control unit executes the gate movement such that the actuating element is first moved by the control unit along a first partial movement 14 from the shift gate in which it is located before the neutral position is requested to the area of ​​an adjacent shift gate.Then, if the actuating means is not in the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane after execution of the first partial movement 14, the control unit subsequently moves the actuating means into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane via a second partial movement 15.

[0036] The control unit according to the invention is configured to execute the method described above. For this purpose, the control unit comprises hardware and software components. The hardware components include data interfaces for exchanging data with the assemblies involved in carrying out the method according to the invention. Furthermore, the hardware components include a processor for data processing and a memory for data storage. The software components include program modules for carrying out the method according to the invention. Reference sign 1 drive unit 2 gearboxes 3 Drive 4 Main Group 5 Area Group 6 Disconnect coupling 7 Input wave 8 Output wave 9, 9' Gear shift diagram 10 Edge shift gate 11 Edge shift gate 12 Middle shift gate 13 Wählgasse 14 Partial movement 15 partial movement 16 partial movement 17 Middle shift gate

Claims

Method for operating a vehicle drivetrain, wherein the drivetrain comprises a drive unit (1), an output (3), and an automated transmission (2), wherein an input shaft (7) of the transmission (2) is connected to the drive unit (1) via a controllable disconnect clutch (6), and an output shaft (8) of the transmission (2) is connected to the output (3), wherein the transmission (2) comprises a main assembly (4), wherein the main assembly (4) comprises several gear ratios which can be switched via a gear shift pattern (9) with two outer shift gates (10, 11), at least one central shift gate (12, 17) arranged between them, and a selector gate (13) connecting the shift gates (10, 11, 12, 17) by means of an actuating means being displaceable along the shift gates and the selector gate, wherein, when the ignition is switched on, a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested by the driver will, or then,If, as a result of the ignition being switched off during a shutdown process of the drive unit (1), a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested, the neutral position is validated by means of a movement of the actuating element in the gear shift pattern (9) of the transmission (2), whereby, for validation of the neutral position, the movement of the actuating element in the gear shift pattern (9) is carried out such that, firstly, via a first partial movement (14), the actuating element is moved from a shift gate (10, 11, 12, 17) in which the actuating element is located before the neutral position is requested, into the area of ​​an adjacent shift gate; then, if after the first partial movement (14) the actuating element is not in the area of ​​a lateral edge shift gate (10, 11), via a second partial movement (15, 16) the actuating element is moved into the area of ​​a lateral edge shift gate (10, 11). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plausibility check of the neutral position is carried out after successful execution of the first partial movement (14). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plausibility check of the neutral position is carried out after successful execution of the second partial movement (15, 16). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that during the first partial movement (14) the actuating means is moved along the switching lane (10, 11, 12, 17) in which the actuating means is located before the neutral position is requested, and along the selector lane (13) into the area of ​​the immediately adjacent switching lane, and during the optional second partial movement (15, 16) the actuating means is moved exclusively along the selector lane (13) into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11). Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the optional second partial movement (15, 16) the actuating means shock absorber (11) is transferred to that lateral edge switching lane (10, 11) which has the shorter distance from the switching lane in which the actuating means is located after execution of the first partial movement (14). Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transmission (2) has a group transmission with the main group (4) and also has a pre-shift group upstream of the main group (4) in terms of drive technology and / or a range group (5) downstream of the main group (4). Control unit for operating a transmission (2) of a vehicle, wherein the control unit, when a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested by the driver when the ignition is switched on, or when a neutral position of the transmission (2) is requested as a result of switching off the ignition during a shutdown process of a drive unit (1) of the vehicle, verifies the neutral position of the transmission (2) by means of a gate movement of an actuating element in a selector gate (13) of a gear shift pattern (9) of the transmission (2), wherein, for the purpose of verifying the neutral position, the control unit performs the gate movement of the actuating element in the gear shift pattern (9) such that, firstly, it moves the actuating element, via a first partial movement (14), from a shift gate (10, 11, 12, 17) in which the actuating element is located before the request for the neutral position, into the area of ​​an adjacent shift gate, and then,If, after the first partial movement (14), the actuating means is not located in the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11), the actuating means is moved into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11) via a second partial movement (15, 16). Control unit according to claim 7, characterized in that it performs the plausibility check of the neutral position after successful execution of the first partial movement (14). Control unit according to claim 7, characterized in that it performs the plausibility check of the neutral position after successful execution of the second partial movement (15, 16). Control unit according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, during the first partial movement (14), the actuating means is moved along the switching lane (10, 11, 12, 17) in which the actuating means is located before the neutral position is requested, and along the selector lane (13) into the area of ​​the immediately adjacent switching lane, and during the optional second partial movement (15, 16), the actuating means is moved exclusively along the selector lane (13) into the area of ​​a lateral edge switching lane (10, 11). Control unit according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that, during the optional second partial movement (15, 16), the same transfers the actuating means into the area of ​​that lateral edge switching lane (10, 11) which has the shorter distance from the switching lane in which the actuating means is located after execution of the first partial movement (14).

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