Automatic Transmission Shift Control for Uphill Construction Machinery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing construction machines with manual or semi-automatic transmissions face issues such as low fuel efficiency, frequent stopping, damage to components due to shift shocks and noises, and inconvenience in manual gear shifting, particularly in situations requiring frequent shifts or high noise levels.

Innovation Solution

An automatic transmission apparatus for construction machines that optimizes shift conditions by using sensors to calculate slope gradients and torque, preventing upshifts on steep slopes and reducing sensor requirements, thereby minimizing damage and simplifying the controller configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual transmission shifting is performed by stopping the wheel excavator, then the transmission can be shifted from low gear to high gear, but fuel efficiency decreases and worker convenience deteriorates due to frequent stopping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission shifting reliabilityVSAvoidfuel efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical stopping-based shifting system with an electronic control system that uses sensors to detect traveling speed and automatically controls the synchronizer to engage/disengage gear stages while the vehicle is moving, eliminating the need for mechanical stopping during gear changes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The transmission system performs self-shifting by using sensors to detect traveling speed and automatically controlling the synchronizer engagement based on detected speed conditions, without requiring operator intervention or vehicle stopping

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If manual shifting is performed while driving, then fuel efficiency improves, but the synchronizer is damaged due to sensor damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidsynchronizer durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates sensors that continuously detect traveling speed and provide feedback to the control system, which then automatically adjusts synchronizer engagement timing based on the detected speed conditions, ensuring safe shifting without synchronizer damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system acts as an intermediary between the sensor detection and synchronizer control, processing the traveling speed information and determining the appropriate timing for synchronizer engagement to prevent damage during shifting operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If automatic transmission apparatus is installed to enable shifting during driving, then fuel efficiency improves and worker convenience improves, but shift shocks and noises are periodically generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidshift shocks and noises
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the shifting parameters by detecting traveling speed and using this information to determine optimal synchronizer engagement timing, thereby reducing shift shocks and noises while maintaining the ability to shift during driving operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4060126B1Construction machinery provided with automatic transmission device and transmission control method
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 HD HYUNDAI INFRACORE CO LTD
  • EP4060126B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4060126B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4060126B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a construction machine equipped with an automatic transmission apparatus and a shift control method. In a construction machine including an automatic transmission apparatus including an engine, a hydraulic pump, a traveling motor, a transmission and a controller performing an automatic shift according to the present invention, the controller has an uphill function of preventing an upshift, and compares a current slope gradient with a preset criterion gradient to activate the uphill function when the current slope gradient is larger than the criterion gradient.