Hydraulic Control Apparatus Valve Failure Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic control apparatuses for vehicle transmissions cannot determine which of the control valves have failed, limiting the ability to accurately diagnose and address valve failures.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic control apparatus with a piston movable between two positions, utilizing multiple control valves and detection devices to exert specific hydraulic pressures and detect movements, allowing an electronic control unit to determine valve failures based on movement detection and pressure control processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple control valves are used to control hydraulic pressure on the piston, then the control precision and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases and the ability to identify specific valve failures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two distinct control paths: a first control path using the first and second control valves for normal operation, and a second control path using the third and fourth control valves as backup. This segmentation allows independent testing and identification of failures in each valve, resolving the contradiction by maintaining reliability through redundancy while enabling specific failure identification through structured testing sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary diagnostic actions by executing specific piston movement commands and monitoring responses before actual failure occurs. By pre-establishing test protocols that move the piston through defined positions and monitoring hydraulic pressure responses, the system can identify which specific valve has failed, thus maintaining reliability while reducing the complexity of failure diagnosis.
2Measurement precision
If failure detection devices are added to identify specific valve failures, then the diagnostic precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses its own existing components (piston, hydraulic pressure sources, and control unit) to perform self-diagnosis. By commanding the piston to move to specific positions and monitoring whether the expected hydraulic pressure responses occur, the system can identify which valve has failed without requiring external sensors or additional detection devices. This self-service approach achieves precise failure detection while avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit receives feedback signals from the piston position sensors and hydraulic pressure monitors to determine whether valve operations are successful. By analyzing the feedback responses to commanded piston movements, the system can precisely identify which specific valve has failed, achieving high measurement precision for failure detection without adding complex external detection systems.
3Measurement precision
If additional sensors are added to detect valve failures, then the failure identification accuracy is improved, but the apparatus configuration becomes more complex and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing piston and hydraulic system serve multiple functions: they control transmission operation during normal conditions and simultaneously perform valve failure diagnosis during test modes. By making the diagnostic system multi-functional, the invention achieves accurate valve failure identification without requiring additional dedicated sensors or detection apparatus, thus avoiding increased configuration complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding physical sensors to directly detect valve failures, the system creates a virtual model of expected hydraulic pressure responses based on commanded piston movements. By comparing the actual system response against this virtual model, the system can accurately identify which valve has failed without requiring physical copying or additional sensing hardware, thereby maintaining simple apparatus configuration while achieving high identification accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate identification of failed control valves without additional sensors, simplifying the apparatus configuration and reducing costs, while ensuring safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.
Implementation Method 1
the first control valve and the second control valve being respectively switched so as to exert a first hydraulic pressure and a second hydraulic pressure on the piston to press the piston toward the first position
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic control apparatus including a first and second control valves switched to exert hydraulic pressure on a piston to press toward first position, a third and fourth control valves switched to exert hydraulic pressure on the piston to press toward second position and, a CPU. The CPU performs executing a first process controlling the control valves so that hydraulic pressure is exerted by switching of the first, second and third control valves or a second process controlling the control valves so that hydraulic pressure is exerted by switching of the second control valve and determining that the first control valve is failed when movement of the piston to the first position is not detected through the first process and determining that the third control valve is failed when movement of the piston to the first position is not detected through the second process.