Transmission Actuator Motor Damage Index Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated manual transmissions (AMT) and dual clutch transmissions (DCT) face issues with actuator motor damage due to excessive loads like jam and stuck conditions, leading to reduced durability and performance deterioration, as existing diagnostic methods fail to detect these failures early enough.
Innovation Solution
A diagnostic method that accumulates a damage index for the current applied to the actuator's motor, determining failure when the index exceeds a predetermined reference, using a controller to set and manage damage indexes for each current magnitude, and taking measures such as cutting off the current and activating a warning light when failure is detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the motor capacity is reduced to lower cost, then the actuator becomes cheaper, but the motor is more susceptible to damage from excessive loads
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary diagnostic actions by continuously monitoring current magnitude and accumulating damage indexes before actual motor failure occurs. This early detection allows preventive maintenance or operational adjustments, preventing the motor from suffering catastrophic damage while maintaining the reduced motor capacity design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through continuous current monitoring and damage index accumulation. The controller receives feedback about the actual load conditions and adjusts operational parameters or triggers warnings based on the accumulated damage index, creating a closed-loop system that protects the motor without requiring higher capacity components.
2Power
If the actuator operates under high load conditions, then the transmission can handle higher demands, but the motor may be damaged due to excessive current
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows partial excessive action by permitting high current flow temporarily when necessary for transmission performance, while accumulating damage indexes to track the extent of stress. The motor can operate beyond normal limits when needed, but the system monitors and limits the total accumulated damage to prevent catastrophic failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The damage index accumulation acts as a cushioning mechanism that builds up a tolerance threshold. The system can absorb temporary high-load conditions by accumulating damage points, and only triggers failure protection when the accumulated damage exceeds the threshold, allowing legitimate high-power operation while protecting against harmful excessive loads.
3Reliability
If early diagnosis of actuator issues is implemented, then motor durability is improved, but the diagnostic system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic system performs self-service by using the existing current sensing capabilities already present in the actuator control circuitry. The same sensors used for basic motor control also provide data for damage index calculation, eliminating the need for separate diagnostic hardware and reducing overall system complexity while enabling early failure detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the diagnostic function with the existing motor control system. The damage index accumulation and evaluation are integrated into the same controller that manages motor operation, combining control and diagnostic functions in a single unit rather than requiring separate diagnostic hardware, thereby minimizing added complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A diagnostic method for shifting an actuator of a transmission may include accumulating, by a controller, a damage index for an applied current when a current is applied to the actuator of the transmission, and determining, by the controller, whether the accumulated damage index exceeds a predetermined reference index and when it is determined that the accumulated damage index exceeds the predetermined reference index, determining the actuator as a failure.