Electric Transmission Safety Stop System for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle brake systems often fail to stop vehicles quickly enough to avoid accidents, particularly due to user error in judging vehicle position, speed, and weight, leading to inadvertent damage to the vehicle or property.
Innovation Solution
A safety stop system that uses an electric automatic transmission with position sensors and an electric controller to override manual operation, enabling precise control of the transmission to stop or slow the vehicle, preventing collisions by disabling forward motion when proximity to an object is detected and allowing reverse motion to maintain functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional wheel brake systems are used to stop the vehicle, then the vehicle can be stopped, but the stopping distance is insufficient and accidents cannot be avoided in time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical wheel brake system with an electric transmission-based braking system. The electric controller commands the transmission to engage a gear ratio that provides engine braking, substituting mechanical wheel brakes with an electrically-controlled transmission-based stopping mechanism that achieves faster and more reliable vehicle cessation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electric controller as an intermediary between the operator and the transmission system. This intermediary monitors sensor data, determines collision risk, and automatically commands transmission gear changes to provide stopping force, acting as a mediator that enhances the reliability of collision avoidance beyond what manual braking can achieve.
2Ease of operation
If manual operation of the transmission is allowed, then the operator has full control over the vehicle, but user error in judging vehicle position, speed and weight leads to inadvertent damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where sensors continuously monitor vehicle position, speed, and surrounding objects, and this information is fed back to the electric controller. The controller uses this feedback to automatically intervene when collision risk is detected, correcting operator errors in real-time while preserving manual operation for normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by having the electric controller pre-programmed with safety criteria and collision avoidance algorithms. Before a collision can occur, the system proactively monitors sensor data and automatically commands transmission changes to prevent the harmful outcome, countering potential user errors before they result in damage.
3Reliability
If the transmission is used as a brake system, then the vehicle can be stopped more effectively, but the transmission control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the transmission system multi-functional. The transmission serves both its primary function of enabling vehicle motion and a secondary function of providing braking force. The electric controller manages both functions through a unified control architecture, eliminating the need for separate braking hardware and reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced stopping capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle having an electronic, automatic transmission incorporates a safety stop system. A position sensor or sensors are mounted onto the vehicle and are in communication with an electric controller. The electric controller in turn is operatively connected to the actuation solenoids in the hydraulic transmission. When a safety violation occurance is detected, then the electric controller either slows the speed of the vehicle or stops the vehicle through the transmission.