Automatic Transmission Shift Control With Odd-Even Gear Interlock

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current automatic transmission gear-shifting control systems are complex and inefficient, often leading to misoperation and damage due to the inability to prohibit odd or even gear operations when their respective clutches are engaged.

Innovation Solution

A gear-shifting control system utilizing a main pump, gear-shifting cylinders, first and second gear switching valves, odd-even selecting valve, and solenoid valves to control clutch engagement, allowing for selective operation of odd or even gears, thereby preventing misoperation and enhancing system security and robustness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a large number of slide valves and solenoid valves are used to realize gear-shifting control and safety control, then the control coverage is improved, but the system complexity increases and drive control efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines gear-shifting control and safety control functions into a single integrated control system. The gear-shifting control valve integrates multiple functions including gear shifting control, clutch engagement control, and safety interlock control that were previously performed by separate slide valves and solenoid valves. This merging reduces the total number of components while maintaining comprehensive control coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gear-shifting control valve is designed as a multi-functional component that can perform various control tasks. It includes control ports for gear shifting, clutch engagement, and safety interlock functions, allowing a single valve to replace multiple specialized valves. This universality reduces system complexity while maintaining all necessary control capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If traditional gear-shifting control system is used without interlock mechanism, then the system simplicity is maintained, but misoperation may occur causing damage to transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidsafety control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a safety interlock mechanism that prevents misoperation before it can cause damage. The gear-shifting control valve includes interlock ports that detect clutch engagement status and automatically prevent gear-shifting commands from being executed when clutches are engaged. This preliminary protective action blocks harmful operations before they can occur, maintaining system simplicity while ensuring safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The gear-shifting control valve acts as an intermediary between the gear-shifting commands and the actual shifting mechanism. It includes safety interlock functionality that mediates between the control signals and the shifting execution, blocking commands that would cause misoperation. This intermediary function provides safety control without requiring a completely separate safety system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If hydraulic shift actuator with synchronizers is used to achieve automatic gear shifting, then the power transmission continuity is improved, but the control system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission continuityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of hydraulic shift actuator with safety interlock functionality into a single gear-shifting control valve. The valve integrates control ports for the hydraulic actuator with interlock ports that monitor clutch status, combining what were previously separate control systems. This reduces overall system complexity while maintaining continuous power transmission through the hydraulic actuator mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The system effectively prohibits the operation of odd or even gears when their respective clutches are engaged, reducing the risk of misoperation and damage, while simplifying the control mechanism and improving drive efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a first clutch solenoid valve, the first clutch solenoid valve is used for controlling the engagement of a first clutch; a second clutch solenoid valve, the second clutch solenoid valve is used for controlling the engagement of a second clutch

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolenoid: Solenoid

Implementation Method 2

a main pump and four gear-shifting cylinders; the four outlets of the first gear switching valve are connected with two of the four gear-shifting cylinders, the four outlets of the second gear switching valve are connected with the other two of the four gear-shifting cylinders

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentEP3486532B1Gear-shifting control system of automatic transmission
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 GUANGZHOU AUTOMOBILE GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3486532B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A gear-shifting control system of an automatic transmission includes a main pump, four gear-shifting cylinders, a gear-shifting control valve, a first gear switching valve, a second gear switching valve, a first gear on-off valve, and a second gear on-off valve. The gear-shifting control valve has an inlet and two outlets, the first gear switching valve has two inlets and four outlets, the second gear switching valve has two inlets and four outlets. The first gear on-off valve is connected between the first gear switching valve and the gear-shifting control valve, to disconnect or connect the gear-shifting control valve and the first gear switching valve. The second gear on-off valve is connected between the second gear switching valve and the gear-shifting control valve, to disconnect or connect the gear-shifting control valve and the second gear switching valve. The four outlets of the first gear switching valve and the four outlets of the second gear switching valve are connected with the four gear-shifting cylinders.