Gearbox Actuator Control for Tooth-on-Tooth Gear Engagement

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle transmission systems, particularly non-synchronous gearboxes, face challenges in resolving tooth-on-tooth situations that prevent full gear engagement, making gear shifts difficult and requiring precise manual intervention.

Innovation Solution

A control method and device that utilize a processing circuit to detect tooth-on-tooth situations by analyzing gearbox actuator positions, applying rotational speed pulses to adjust the relative angular position of gears, and facilitating automatic re-engagement without returning to a neutral position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a non-synchronous gearbox is used to simplify construction, then device complexity is reduced, but gear shift difficulty increases due to tooth-on-tooth situations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegearbox constructionVSAvoidgear shift operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects tooth-on-tooth situations using the gearbox actuator position sensor and resolves them by triggering rotational speed pulses without requiring driver intervention. The corrective procedure is initiated automatically when a tooth-on-tooth situation is detected, allowing the gearbox to self-correct the engagement issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the gearbox actuator position to detect when a tooth-on-tooth situation occurs. This feedback mechanism allows the control device to identify the problematic condition and trigger the appropriate corrective action by applying rotational speed pulses to resolve the engagement issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If manual intervention is required to resolve tooth-on-tooth situations, then gear shift precision can be improved, but operational time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear engagement precisionVSAvoidgear shift time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects tooth-on-tooth situations using the gearbox actuator position sensor and resolves them by triggering rotational speed pulses without requiring driver intervention. The corrective procedure is initiated automatically when a tooth-on-tooth situation is detected, allowing the gearbox to self-correct the engagement issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system proactively monitors the gearbox actuator position to detect tooth-on-tooth situations before they prevent successful gear engagement. By triggering rotational speed pulses at the appropriate moment, the system prevents the gear shift failure before it occurs, rather than requiring corrective manual intervention after the problem arises.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If rotational speed pulses are applied to resolve tooth-on-tooth situations, then gear shift success rate is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear shift successVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects tooth-on-tooth situations using the gearbox actuator position sensor and resolves them by triggering rotational speed pulses without requiring driver intervention. The corrective procedure is initiated automatically when a tooth-on-tooth situation is detected, allowing the gearbox to self-correct the engagement issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The control device integrates multiple functions into a single system: it monitors gearbox actuator position, detects tooth-on-tooth situations, and triggers rotational speed pulses to resolve engagement issues. This multi-functional approach improves gear shift reliability without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4628761A1Control method, machine-readable instruction code, device, vehicle transmission system, and vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.10.08 ZF CV SYST EURO BV

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AI summary

Techniques configured to detect and resolve a tooth-on-tooth situation of a gearbox (40) are provided. A device (20) comprises at least one processing circuit (30) configured to obtain a gearbox actuator position (16) indicative of a position of an actuator member (52, 53) of a gearbox actuator (50). The at least one processing circuit (30) is configured to process the gearbox actuator position (62) to detect a tooth-on-tooth situation and to trigger a corrective procedure to resolve the tooth-on-tooth situation.