Motorcycle ECU Clutch Control for Shift Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motorcycle gear shift technologies do not adequately meet the sportiness and ride quality demands due to differences in driving methods compared to automobiles, as they fail to provide the necessary control over clutch engagement and gear changes for high-performance driving.
Innovation Solution
A motorcycle system with a control device that selectively switches between two transmission control modes, allowing the actuator to control gear shifts based on user input or detected driving state, using distinct control patterns to manage clutch engagement and disengagement for quick or smooth gear changes, ensuring high sportiness and ride quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the clutch device is disconnected during gear shifting, then the gear position can be changed smoothly, but the shifting speed becomes slow and sportiness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two control patterns based on accelerator operation amount: Pattern 1 (clutch disconnected) for smooth shifting when accelerator operation is small, and Pattern 2 (clutch connected) for quick shifting when accelerator operation is large. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by selecting the appropriate clutch state based on driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the parameter of clutch engagement state based on the accelerator operation amount parameter. When accelerator operation exceeds a threshold, the system transitions from clutch-disconnected mode to clutch-connected mode, enabling quick gear shifts that maintain sportiness while still achieving gear position changes.
2Speed
If the clutch device remains connected during gear shifting, then the shifting speed increases for high sportiness, but the gear position change may cause torque shock and reduce ride quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the clutch engagement parameter based on accelerator operation amount. When accelerator operation is small (below threshold), the clutch is disconnected during shifting to prevent torque shock. When accelerator operation is large (above threshold), the clutch remains connected for quick shifting. This parameter-based control resolves the contradiction between speed and torque shock prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The control pattern dynamically adapts to driving conditions by monitoring accelerator operation amount. The system transitions between clutch-disconnected and clutch-connected modes based on real-time accelerator input, enabling the motorcycle to achieve both smooth comfortable shifting and quick sporty shifting as needed.
3Device complexity
If a single control pattern is used for all driving states, then the control system remains simple, but it cannot satisfy both sportiness and ride quality requirements across different driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically selects between two control patterns based on accelerator operation amount, enabling adaptation to different driving states (sporty vs. comfortable) without requiring complex hardware modifications. The ECU adjusts control behavior in real-time based on simple accelerator position feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The single control device achieves multiple functions by switching between two control patterns: it can provide smooth comfortable gear shifts when accelerator operation is small, and quick sporty gear shifts when accelerator operation is large. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between system simplicity and adaptability to different driving requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ECU (90) controls a clutch actuator (60) and a shift actuator (70) according to a control pattern for changing the gear position of a transmission without switching a clutch (44) to a disconnected state when the accelerator opening is a first value or more, and controls the clutch actuator (60) and the shift actuator (70) according to a pattern for changing the gear position of the transmission by switching the clutch (44) to the disconnected state when the accelerator opening is less than the first value in a semi-automatic control mode during up-shifting, while controlling the clutch actuator (60) and the shift actuator (70) according to a control pattern for changing the gear position of the transmission by switching the clutch to the disconnected state in a full automatic control mode during up-shifting.