Reverse gear system of vehicle

Abstract

A system and method for operating the system, comprising: a drive sprocket assembly; a clutch lever; a user interface, the user interface generating a reverse signal at the user interface; a wheel speed sensor, the wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal; a transmission position sensor, the transmission position sensor generating a transmission position signal; and a vehicle control module, the vehicle control module receiving the reverse signal, the wheel speed signal and the transmission position signal. The vehicle control module engages a reverse gear at the drive sprocket in response to the reverse signal, the wheel speed and the transmission gear position, and controls the drive sprocket assembly in response to the clutch lever.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 927,356, filed on October 29, 2019. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to vehicle directional control, and more particularly to controlling the reverse direction of a motorcycle. Background Art

[0004] This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

[0005] A motorcycle includes an engine assembly. The engine assembly operates by using fuel to generate power to propel the motorcycle forward. Unlike cars, motorcycles typically do not have a reverse gear.

[0006] Motorcycle designs are becoming increasingly complex and heavy. Providing a way to reverse the direction of travel would increase the maneuverability of the motorcycle. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0008] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of activating reverse of a vehicle includes: generating a reverse signal at a user interface; communicating the reverse signal to a control module; determining a vehicle speed; determining a transmission gear position; engaging a reverse gear at a drive sprocket assembly in response to the vehicle speed and the transmission gear position; and controlling the drive sprocket assembly in response to a clutch lever.

[0009] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a system includes a drive sprocket assembly, a clutch lever, a user interface that generates a reverse signal at the user interface, a wheel speed sensor that generates a wheel speed signal, a transmission position sensor that generates a transmission position signal, and a vehicle control module that receives the reverse signal, the wheel speed signal, and the transmission position signal. The vehicle control module engages reverse gear at the drive sprocket in response to the reverse signal, the wheel speed, and the transmission gear position, and controls the drive sprocket assembly in response to the clutch lever.

[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission sprocket assembly includes a fixed gear fixed to a transmission output shaft. The fixed gear has a first outer diameter and a first inner diameter for receiving the transmission output shaft. A ring gear has a second inner diameter and a second outer diameter. The system further includes an intermediate gear and a plurality of planetary gears. In a first operating direction, the intermediate gear engages the first outer diameter and the second inner diameter. In a second operating direction, the plurality of planetary gears displace the intermediate gear axially to disengage the first outer diameter and the second inner diameter, and engage the planetary gears with the first outer diameter and the second inner diameter.

[0011] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1A is a perspective view of a motorcycle showing the front and left side of the vehicle.

[0013] Figure 1B It is a perspective view of a motorcycle showing the rear and right side of the vehicle.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the reverse engagement system.

[0015] Figure 3A is a plan view of a gear set of a first example of a drive sprocket assembly.

[0016] Figure 3B It is a perspective view of the drive sprocket assembly during forward or normal operation.

[0017] Figure 3C is a perspective view of the drive sprocket assembly in reverse operating mode.

[0018] Figure 3D is a side view of a second example of a drive sprocket assembly.

[0019] Figure 3E is an exploded view of a second example of a drive sprocket assembly.

[0020] Figure 3F is a partially exploded view of a planet carrier and planet gears of a second example of a drive sprocket assembly.

[0021] Figure 3G It is a perspective view of the inner side of the inner cover of the second example.

[0022] Figure 3H is a cross-sectional view of a second example of a drive sprocket assembly during forward or normal operation.

[0023] Figure 3Iis a cross-sectional view of a second example of a drive sprocket assembly in a reverse operating mode.

[0024] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method for engaging reverse.

[0025] Figure 5A is the first screen display showing the reverse engagement user interface.

[0026] Figure 5B is a screen display that provides instructions to the vehicle operator for engaging reverse mode.

[0027] Figure 5C is a screen display that provides instructions for controlling the reverse mode via the clutch lever.

[0028] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for activating a gear set within a drive sprocket assembly to engage a forward mode and a reverse mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Examples will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the following description includes several examples of motorcycle applications, it should be understood that the features herein can be applied to any suitable vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, utility vehicle, moped, scooter, etc. The examples disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, these examples are selected and described so that others skilled in the art can utilize their teachings.

[0030] Now refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B , a vehicle 10 is shown. The vehicle 10 in this example is a two-wheeled vehicle. The two-wheeled vehicle 10 shown is a touring motorcycle.

[0031] Vehicle 10 includes a frame 12 for supporting vehicle components, including front wheels 14 and rear wheels 16. Wheels 14 are coupled to handlebars 18 via a first shift fork for steering. Rear wheels 16 are coupled to a drivetrain assembly 20, which, in this example, provides rotational force to rear wheels 16. Of course, all or selected wheels on the vehicle may be coupled to drivetrain assembly 20.

[0032] The powertrain assembly 20 includes an engine 22 and a transmission 24. The powertrain assembly 20 may also include an exhaust pipe 26 that removes exhaust gas from the engine 22.

[0033] The drive sprocket assembly 28 is used to connect the output of the transmission 24 to the rear wheels 16. On some vehicles, the drive sprocket assembly 28 may be covered by a sprocket cover 30. Details of the drive sprocket assembly 28 will be provided in further detail below.

[0034] The display panel 34 can be used to provide various information to the driver of the vehicle. The display panel 34 may include a touch screen that provides a user interface for various functions. The display panel 34 is further described in detail below in relation to the reverse operation of the vehicle.

[0035] The vehicle 10 also has a longitudinal axis 36 extending in the forward travel direction of the vehicle 10 , extending from the front wheels 14 to the rear wheels 16 .

[0036] The vehicle frame 12 may also be used to support a seat assembly 40. The seat assembly 40 may include a driver's seating position 42 and a passenger's seating position 44. In this example, the driver's seating position 42 and the passenger's seating position 44 are integral to the seat assembly 40, with the passenger's seating position 44 being higher (relative to the road during driving) than the driver's seating position. In other types of vehicles, the driver's seating position 42 and the passenger's seating position 44 may be separated into two separate seats. Alternatively, there may be only a single driver's seat.

[0037] like Figure 1B As best shown in FIG, the vehicle 10 includes a clutch lever 50 and a throttle lever 52. The clutch lever 50 is used to engage and disengage a clutch (hereinafter 68), which in turn disengages and engages the engine 22 with the transmission 24.

[0038] Now refer to Figure 2 , a diagrammatic block diagram of the system is listed. In this example, a vehicle control module 60 is listed. The vehicle control module 60 can be a circuit or multiple circuits for controlling various functions of the vehicle. The vehicle control module 60 can be a microprocessor that is programmed to perform various steps including controlling the driving direction (such as the reverse direction of the vehicle 10). The vehicle control module 60 can be formed by multiple modules or processors programmed to perform various functions. The vehicle control module 60 is connected to a user interface 62. The user interface 62 can be a button, multiple buttons or virtual buttons on a touch screen. Of course, various combinations of virtual buttons and discreet buttons can be used. When the buttons of the user interface 62 are virtual buttons, the user interface 62 and the display panel 34 can be merged. The following provides a display example displayed on the display panel 34.

[0039] The vehicle control module 60 communicates with and controls the operation of the engine 22, the transmission 24, and the drive sprocket assembly 28. As will be described in more detail below, the vehicle control module 60 controls an actuator 64, which in turn controls the drive sprocket assembly 28. As will be described in more detail below, the actuator 64 is used to control the movement of one or more gears within the drive sprocket assembly 28 to change the vehicle operating mode from forward operation to reverse operation, and vice versa.

[0040] The vehicle control module 60 may also communicate with a throttle control module 66. The throttle control module 66 may be referred to as an electronic throttle control module. The throttle control module 66 may be a standalone module or a module integrated into the vehicle control module 60. The throttle control module 66 controls the engine speed based on input from the throttle lever 52. The throttle lever 52 may be a mechanical device or an electronic device. The throttle lever 52 may be configured to optimally generate a throttle signal that corresponds to the engine speed desired by the vehicle operator.

[0041] Wheel speed sensors 46 are coupled to the vehicle control module 60. The wheel speed sensors 46 sense the speed at the driven wheels 16. The wheel speed sensors 46 can be one of many different types of wheel speed sensors, including toothed wheels placed on the driven wheels and Hall effect sensors that provide a speed reference signal to the vehicle control module 60.

[0042] The engine 22 and the transmission 24 are coupled together with a clutch 68. The clutch 68 can be a mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic actuator. When the clutch 68 is an electronic clutch, the clutch can be controlled by a vehicle control module in response to the clutch lever 50. When the clutch 50 is a mechanical clutch, the clutch lever 50 and the clutch 68 can be directly coupled together as indicated by the dashed line.

[0043] Transmission 24 includes a position sensor 70 for generating a transmission position signal. The transmission position signal corresponds to the position of the transmission. Transmission 24 includes multiple gears. In this example, vehicle 10 includes first gear and multiple other gears. The gear is selected by selector 72. Selector 72 can be a foot-activated lever, a finger-activated lever, or a knob. Selector 72 can also be a push button selector operated through user interface 62. Of course, a combination of manual selectors and virtual selectors can be implemented in the vehicle.

[0044] The transmission 24 has a transmission output shaft 74 that is coupled to the drive sprocket assembly 28. The transmission output shafts 74 rotate in the same direction. As will be described in more detail below, the drive sprocket assembly 28 is used to change the forward and reverse directions of the vehicle.

[0045] Now refer to Figures 3A to 3C, further details are shown for the drive sprocket assembly 28. The drive sprocket assembly 28 receives the transmission output shaft 74 of the transmission 24. The transmission output shaft 74 is received within the inner diameter of a fixed gear 76. The gear 76 rotates with the transmission output shaft 74 and has a plurality of teeth 78 disposed on its outer periphery. The fixed gear 76 is concentric with the transmission output shaft 74. The fixed gear 76 has an outer diameter that is concentric with the transmission output shaft 74.

[0046] Drive sprocket assembly 28 also includes a ring gear 80 having an outer diameter with teeth 82 disposed thereon. Teeth 82 are sized to receive a chain 84 for driving rear wheel 16. Ring gear 80 also has an inner diameter including teeth 86. In this example, the pitch of the teeth is much greater than the pitch of teeth 82 on the outer diameter of ring gear 80.

[0047] There are two different options for the inner diameters of fixed gear 76 and ring gear 80, depending on the desired vehicle mode. The intermediate gear has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of fixed gear 76 and an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of ring gear 80, in the same direction. When intermediate gear 88 is engaged between fixed gear 76 and ring gear 80, the fixed gear and ring gear 80 rotate at a 1:1 ratio. It should be noted that the teeth 78 of fixed gear 76 correspond to the grooves 90 on the inner diameter of intermediate gear 88. The grooves 92 on the outer diameter of intermediate gear 88 directly correspond to the pitch of the teeth 86.

[0048] Intermediate gear 88 engages in the forward or normal direction. When reverse is desired, a plurality of planetary gears 94 engage between the outer diameter of fixed gear 76 and the inner diameter of ring gear 80, and intermediate gear 88 disengages. In this example, six planetary gears 94 are shown. Teeth 96 engage between teeth 86 on the inner diameter of ring gear 80 and the outer diameter of fixed gear 76. It should be noted that if intermediate gear 88 and planetary gears 94 disengage, ring gear 80 will rotate freely on bearing 98. The centerline 100 of the planetary gears 94 is coaxial with the transmission output shaft 74, fixed gear 76, intermediate gear 88, and ring gear 80. Spring 102 provides resistance to intermediate gear 88 in the axial direction.

[0049] like Figure 3B The planetary gears 94 are not shown for simplicity as they are not engaged. Figure 3B In the example shown, the intermediate gear 88 engages both the fixed gear 76 and the ring gear 80 , causing the ring gear 80 to move with the transmission output shaft 74 and the fixed gear 76 .

[0050] When reverse direction is desired, the planetary gears 94 are moved axially relative to the transmission output shaft 74 and shift the engagement of the intermediate gears so that they no longer couple the fixed gear 76 to the inner diameter of the ring gear 80. Figure 3C In this state, the planetary gears 94 cause the ring gear 80 to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the transmission output shaft 74 and the fixed gear 76. Thus, the transmission output shaft 74 continues to rotate in the same direction as in normal or standard drive operation, but the planetary gears cause the ring gear 80 to rotate in the opposite direction. As the ring gear 80 moves in the opposite direction, the chain 84 also moves in the opposite direction, thereby moving the rear wheel 16 in the reverse or reverse direction. Although not shown, the intermediate gear 88 is grounded to the frame of the motorcycle transmission, so it does not rotate in this state.

[0051] Now refer to Figures 3D to 3I , a second example of a reverse drive sprocket assembly 28' is shown. In this example, the intermediate gear is shown as a ring gear 80. Ring gear 80 has teeth 110 extending therefrom. Teeth 110 extend in an axial direction toward the end of shaft 74 opposite the vehicle's transmission. As shown, the number of teeth is nine. However, other numbers of teeth may be provided. Ultimately, teeth 110 are used to engage and disengage with a planet carrier 112. In particular, nine recesses 114 are shown around the periphery of planet carrier 112. Planet carrier 112 is used to carry planet gears 94. Planet carrier 112 is fixed to shaft 74 via a nut countershaft 116. Spring 118 is provided around the outer periphery of nut countershaft 116 to provide resistance. A sun gear 124 is also associated with planet carrier 112. Bearing 126 is provided between sun gear 24 and fixed gear 76.

[0052] The reverse shift fork 128 is used to move the planet carrier 112 in an axial direction under the control of the clutch lever. The system may also include a mounting cover 130 for mounting the system to a motorcycle or vehicle. The cover 136 has a slot 138 for receiving the reverse shift fork 128. Thus, the assembled reverse shift fork 128 is disposed between the inner cover 136 and the planet carrier 112. The cover 136 generally corresponds to the sprocket cover 30 shown above. It should be noted that the ring gear 80 has teeth 82 disposed around its outer surface. The teeth 82 can be used to engage a chain, a drive belt, or other flexible transmission member for driving the rear wheel of the vehicle.

[0053] like Figure 3F As best shown in FIG, the planet carrier 112 has both recesses 114 and axial teeth 140. In this example, five axial teeth 140 extend from a radially extending surface 142. The axial teeth 140 are used to engage recesses 144 in the cover 136 during reverse operation.

[0054] In operation, Figure 3H The way forward is best illustrated in Figure 3H , planet carrier 112 moves away from end 75 of shaft 74. That is, end 75 of shaft 74 is positioned away from the drive source (e.g., transmission 24). Reverse shift fork 128 moves planet carrier 112 in an axially inward direction, causing recesses 114 of planet carrier 112 to engage teeth 110. In this manner, axial teeth 140 do not engage recesses 144 of the inner cover, and thus the planet carrier rotates in the same direction as the shaft, which ultimately causes ring gear 80 to move in the same direction as shaft 74.

[0055] Now refer to Figure 3I , the teeth 110 of the intermediate gear are disengaged from the recesses 114 of the planet carrier 112. In this way, the planet gears 94 engage with the sun gear 124 and cause the ring gear 80 to rotate in a direction opposite or in the reverse direction to the rotational axis 74.

[0056] Now refer to Figure 4 , a method for operating a vehicle in a reverse direction is set forth. In step 410, a reverse mode is selected at the user interface. Now also referring to Figure 5A , lists a screen display 510 displayed on the display panel 34. In this example, a virtual button 512 is displayed on the touch screen. However, a reverse button may be provided in the user interface 62 as a discreet button as described above. After the reverse button is selected at the user interface, a reverse selection signal is generated at step 412. The reverse selection signal is communicated to the vehicle control module 60. At step 416, the vehicle control module 60 prompts a second screen display, such as Figure 5B Step 416 generates a second screen display 520 on the display panel 34. The display panel 34 may provide instructions 522 for entering reverse mode. In this example, reverse mode may be achieved by stopping the vehicle and placing the vehicle in first gear. Stopping the vehicle corresponds to the wheel speed sensor 46 not measuring forward or reverse speed at the wheels 16.

[0057] In step 418, it is determined whether the speed and the transmission are in first gear. As mentioned above, the vehicle speed sensor 46 is used to determine the wheel speed, and the transmission position sensor 70 generates a position signal corresponding to the gear that the transmission 24 is in. When the speed is not zero and the transmission is not in first gear, step 416 generates a screen display 520. Figure 5B The screen display 520 is shown. However, one or the other of the conditions may be indicated as not being met. That is, the speed is not zero or the transmission is not in first gear may be provided as a separate screen display.

[0058] When the speed is equal to zero and the transmission is in first gear, it can provide Figure 5CThe displayed screen displays 530. In this example, the throttle indicator is disabled, reverse is enabled, and instructions for controlling speed using the clutch lever 50 are available. In step 422, the throttle is disabled after step 418. That is, the throttle lever 52 is no longer used to activate the engine 22 to drive the transmission 24. The vehicle control module 60 therefore disables the throttle in step 422. The throttle signal from the throttle can be ignored by the vehicle control module 60.

[0059] In step 424, the intermediate gear is disengaged from engagement with both the fixed gear 76 and the ring gear 80. That is, the planetary gears 94 push the intermediate gear 88 out of engagement in the axial direction.

[0060] In step 426, the clutch lever 50 is used to increase or decrease the reverse speed. The clutch lever 50 can generate a signal corresponding to the amount of opening or closing of the clutch lever 50. The vehicle control module 60 receives the clutch lever signal from the clutch 50 and controls the output of the engine 22, which in turn rotates the transmission output shaft 74 of the transmission 24. As a result, the drive sprocket assembly 28 operates in the reverse direction.

[0061] Now refer to Figure 6 , a method for operating the drive sprocket assembly 28 is listed. In step 610, the forward direction is selected, as described above. Figure 4 . In step 612, the intermediate gear engages the transmission output shaft to the ring gear. In step 614, the motor and transmission, and the transmission output shaft 74, accordingly, move in the forward direction. In step 616, it is determined whether reverse is disabled. If reverse is disabled, the reverse gear is moved in the axial direction in step 618. In step 620, the intermediate gear is pushed to disengage the ring gear from the fixed gear. In step 622, the reverse gear couples the fixed gear and the ring gear. In step 624, when the transmission output shaft 74 rotates, the wheels 16 and the ring gear rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the transmission output shaft 74.

[0062] In operation, the present system can be used with a motorcycle or other type of vehicle. The drive sprocket assembly 28 described above can be used in place of a conventional chain drive sprocket. As described above, the vehicle control module can be easily reprogrammed to control reverse gear and disengage forward direction. Because the drive sprocket assembly 28 is deeper than a typical drive sprocket, the sprocket cover 30 can be replaced.

[0063] The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. Individual elements and features of a specific example are generally not limited to that specific example, but are interchangeable where applicable and may be used in selected examples even if not explicitly shown or described. They may also be varied in a variety of ways. Such variations are not to be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for activating vehicle reversing, the method comprising: generating a reverse signal at the user interface; transmitting the reversing signal to a control module; Determine vehicle speed; Determine the transmission gear position; generating a clutch lever signal corresponding to the amount of opening and closing of the clutch lever; engaging a reverse gear at the drive sprocket assembly in response to vehicle speed and the transmission gear position; and The reverse speed of the drive sprocket assembly is increased or decreased in response to the clutch lever signal corresponding to the amount of opening or closing of the clutch lever.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: Generating the reverse signal includes generating the reverse signal in response to a button user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: Generating the reverse signal includes generating the reverse signal in response to a touch screen user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: Determining the transmission gear position includes: determining that the transmission gear position corresponds to the first gear.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein: Engaging the reverse gear includes moving an intermediate gear between a first position engaging an inner diameter of the ring gear and an outer diameter of the fixed gear and a second position in which the intermediate gear does not engage the inner diameter of the ring gear and the outer diameter of the fixed gear.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein: Moving the intermediate gear includes moving the reverse gear to move the intermediate gear.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein: Engaging the reverse gear includes moving the teeth of the ring gear axially out of engagement with the planet carrier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein: Axially moving the teeth of the ring gear includes axially moving the planet carrier with a reverse shift fork.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: When the reverse gear is engaged, the vehicle is operated with the throttle lever disengaged.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein: Determining the vehicle speed includes determining that the wheel speed is zero.

11. A reverse engagement system comprising: Drive sprocket assembly; a clutch lever that generates a clutch lever signal corresponding to an amount of opening and closing of the clutch lever; a user interface that generates a reverse signal; a wheel speed sensor generating a wheel speed signal; a transmission position sensor, the transmission position sensor generating a transmission position signal; as well as a vehicle control module of the vehicle, the vehicle control module receiving the reverse signal, the wheel speed signal and the transmission position signal, the vehicle control module engaging a reverse gear at the drive sprocket assembly in response to the reverse signal, the wheel speed signal and the transmission position signal, and increasing or decreasing a reverse speed of the drive sprocket assembly in response to the clutch lever signal corresponding to an amount of opening or closing of the clutch lever.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein: The drive sprocket assembly includes an intermediate gear that is movable between a first position engaging an inner diameter of a ring gear and an outer diameter of a fixed gear and a second position in which the intermediate gear does not engage the inner diameter of the ring gear and the outer diameter of the fixed gear.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein: The drive sprocket assembly includes a planet carrier that moves into engagement with the first cover or with laterally extending teeth of the ring gear.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein: When the reverse gear is engaged, the vehicle control module disengages the throttle lever to operate the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein: The wheel speed signal corresponds to zero and the transmission position signal corresponds to first gear.

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