Coordinated Marine Transmission Shifting to Reduce NVH
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine propulsion systems with multispeed transmissions face challenges in coordinating shifting across multiple devices, leading to uncoordinated shifting and undesirable noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) effects.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for shifting multi-speed transmissions in marine propulsion devices, where a leader device initiates a shift based on its shift schedule, and follower devices coordinate their shifts with the leader to ensure synchronized shifting, thereby improving NVH and operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple marine propulsion devices operate independently with individual shift schedules, then each device can optimize its own performance, but uncoordinated shifting occurs causing increased NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinator device that acts as an intermediary between multiple marine propulsion devices. The coordinator receives shift requests from follower devices, determines if coordination is beneficial, and manages synchronized shifting across devices to reduce NVH while preserving independent operation flexibility through conditional coordination
2Object-generated harmful factors
If follower devices always follow the leader's shift timing, then NVH is minimized through synchronized shifting, but operational flexibility and performance optimization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic coordination where the follower device's shift timing is adaptively adjusted based on real-time conditions. The coordinator evaluates whether coordination should occur and determines optimal timing, allowing the system to switch between synchronized and independent operation modes to balance NVH reduction with performance optimization flexibility
3Object-generated harmful factors
If shift coordination is implemented across multiple devices, then NVH is reduced through synchronized operation, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coordinator device that acts as an intermediary between multiple marine propulsion devices. The coordinator receives shift requests from follower devices, determines if coordination is beneficial, and manages synchronized shifting across devices to reduce NVH while preserving independent operation flexibility through conditional coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The follower device autonomously evaluates its own shift conditions and communicates with the coordinator only when coordination may be beneficial. The coordinator makes the final determination, allowing each device to maintain self-service capabilities while enabling coordinated operation when advantageous, thus managing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for shifting multi-speed transmissions of marine propulsion devices each having a power head and a shift schedule for shifting between first and second gears to transmit torque from the powerhead. The method includes configuring the transmissions of leader and follower marine propulsion devices to shift when shift schedules of the leader and of the follower indicate shift recommendations, respectively. The method further includes receiving a request to shift the transmission of the leader when the shift schedule of the leader indicates the shift recommendation. The method further includes determining whether conditions are met for the follower to follow the leader in shifting. The method further includes automatically requesting, when conditions are determined to be met for the follower to follow the leader, to shift the transmission of the follower so as to be coordinated with shifting the transmission of the leader.