Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Global Technology, LLC

Brian J Deurloo

Richard Reynolds Hathaway

Todd Curtis Spaulding

Jeffrey James Tumavitch

Mark Edward Zyskowski

Christopher Lee Danks

Charles C Poon

William Goodwin

Matthew Luke Fyie

Derek Kinch

Emad Al-Regib

Kenneth Leon Nowaczyk

David Spuller

Mihir M Pai

Louis A Nagy

Brian Robert Black

Jeffrey James Turnavitch

Tammy Miller

Cecil Michael Pais

An off-axis transmission pump is driven via an idler gear. To reduce the transmission of gear noise, the idler gear is supported by a plastic cover. The plastic cover includes a molded-in metal insert to harden the cover in the vicinity of the idler gear. The metal insert may include inner and outer sleeves which may be connected by radially extending arms. The plastic cover is located relative to a front cover by at least two locating features.

Transmission pump drive assembly

A fastener having a head is provided. The fastener includes a unidirectional inner drive including an inner lobe having an inner ramp surface adjacent to an inner drive abutment surface adapted to receive a torque to effect a clockwise rotation of the fastener. The fastener further includes a concentric unidirectional outer drive including an outer lobe having an outer ramp surface adjacent to an outer drive abutment surface adapted to receive an inverse torque to effect a counter-clockwise rotation of the fastener.

Security fastener

A transmission diagnostic system includes a pivotable member and an actuator. The actuator has a notch with a first side, a second side, and an opening between the two sides. The width of the opening is greater than a width of the pivotable member. The pivotable member is retained within the notch, and the actuator is configured to selectively pivot the pivotable member between an engaged position, corresponding to a PARK gear, and a disengaged position, corresponding to a gear other than PARK. The transmission diagnostic system also includes a biasing spring configured to exert a biasing torque on the pivotable member to bias the pivotable member toward the first side of the notch. The transmission diagnostic system further includes a controller configured to generate at least one diagnostic signal in response to the pivotable member not being in contact with the first side of the notch.

System for detecting park state of a transmission

A vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a shift-by-wire transmission, a pressure source configured to selectively provide hydraulic pressure in the absence of engine power, an internal combustion engine, and a controller. The shift-by-wire transmission includes a hydraulic actuator, and the electric pump is in fluid communication with the actuator. The controller is configured to, in response to a driver input and the engine being off, control the pressure source to provide hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic actuator.

Method for shifting a shift-by-wire transmission without engine power

A voting strategy is used to determine the mode state of a transmission when a vehicle is restarted. The transmission includes a return to park feature and a controller including at least three memories. The controller is configured to write a remembered mode state into each memory. The remembered mode state is one of a Normal mode state that allows the transmission to automatically shift to Park, a hold mode state that causes the transmission to remain in Neutral and not automatically shift to Park upon detecting a triggering event or other mode states. The controller reads each memory and, when at least two of the remembered mode states are the same mode state, causes the transmission to enter a mode state corresponding to the same mode state.

Method and system for providing a voting strategy for determining a mode state in a shift-by-wire transmission

A vehicle includes both a transmission park mechanism and an electronic parking brake. As a failure management strategy, a controller monitors vehicle movement to verify that the park mechanism is successfully restraining the vehicle against movement. Specifically, when the driver releases the brake pedal with the transmission park mechanism commanded to restrain the vehicle, the controller waits for a predetermined amount of time. If the vehicle moves during this time, the controller commands application of the electronic parking brake. The controller may also command application of the electronic parking brake if the vehicle does not come to a stop after the transmission park mechanism is commanded to restrain the vehicle.

Shift-by-wire vehicle and method to verify securement

A method for controlling a transmission includes using actuation of a button of a shift module to produce a signal representing a desired gear, using the signal and a second signal commanding a park range to determining a priority range, using a shift mechanism to attempt engagement of the transmission in the priority range, and if the priority range is park and park is not engaged, engaging a park brake.

Control of automatic transmission shift by wire range selection

Emergency shifting is performed in a shift-by-wire (SBW) vehicle during a power failure of a main electrical supply that includes a battery. A shift actuator is configured to mechanically couple to the transmission in order to execute shift events between a plurality of shift positions (including park and neutral) using the main voltage from the main supply during normal conditions. A human-powered generator is provided for converting a manually-imparted motion to an electrical output during the power failure. A storage device (e.g., capacitor) receives the electrical output to store a power reserve to apply to the shift actuator to execute an emergency shift event in the absence of main power in response to a manual command. The generator and storage device are configured such that a maximum power reserve stored from the generator can achieve only one emergency shift event at a time.

Backup system for electronic transmission range shifting

A method and system provides a Neutral Hold mode in a vehicle having a shift-by-wire transmission with a return to park feature. The Neutral Hold mode is entered upon detecting when the transmission control mechanism has been used a first time to select Neutral when a driver's door is open or has been used a second time to select Neutral. When in Neutral Hold mode, the transmission will stay in Neutral and not shift to Park upon detecting that a driver has exited the vehicle.

Method and system for providing a neutral hold mode in a shift-by-wire transmission

A method and system provides a Neutral Tow mode in a vehicle with a shift-by-wire transmission by displaying a Neutral Tow mode option when the transmission control mechanism has been used to select Park, an ignition switch is on, and an engine is off or an information button has been pushed and entering a Neutral Tow mode upon detecting a triggering event. The Neutral Tow mode is canceled upon detecting a certain sequence of events, such as turning on the ignition switch, depressing and holding a brake pedal, and selecting Park. When in Neutral Tow mode the transmission will stay in Neutral, without automatically shifting to Park or using battery power, thereby enabling the vehicle to be towed long distances without draining battery power.

Method and system for providing a neutral tow mode in a shift-by-wire transmission

A method for testing a transmission gear shift device includes using an electric machine and a primary mechanism to place the device and a secondary mechanism, latched to the primary mechanism, in a park position, using a motor to delatch the secondary mechanism from the primary mechanism, using the electric machine to absorb energy released by a spring when delatching, and using the electric machine to relatch the secondary mechanism to the primary mechanism.

Shift-by-wire default-to-park functional verification

A system includes a controller that executes a method for determining failure of the door latch sensor using both the door latch sensor and a door lock sensor. If the door latch sensor is faulty, the controller adjusts an automatic feature of the vehicle based on a door lock signal instead of a door state signal. The controller is also configured to mark the door latch signal as faulty if the door latch system is not functioning properly by using a fault counter that tracks the door lock sensor.

Method and system for detecting door state and door sensor failures

A voting strategy is used to determine the mode state of a transmission when a vehicle is restarted. A Powertrain Control Module, a Transmission Range Control Module, and a Gear Shift Module communicate through a communication network during execution of the voting strategy. Each module stores a remembered mode state (Normal, Neutral Hold, Neutral Tow, etc.) of the transmission in non-volatile memory. Upon module initialization, the Powertrain Control Module will compare its own remembered mode state of the transmission with the remembered mode state reported by the other two modules. A basic voting strategy is that if two of the three modules report the same remembered mode state then the Powertrain Control Module changes the transmission to that same mode state.

A method and system provides a Brake Transmission Shift Interlock Override mode in a vehicle including a shift-by-wire transmission. With power applied and ignition on, a driver will press and hold an override switch for a calibrated time. While the override switch is pressed, the driver presses a non-Park button for another calibrated time. The result will be that the vehicle is placed in the selected range wherein the transmission will not automatically shift to Park upon detecting a triggering event. The driver is able to shift the vehicle from Park, even if an electrical failure prevents the transmission from shifting out of Park. As such the vehicle can be driven until the failure is serviced.

Growing community of inventors

Howell, MI, United States of America

Brian J Deurloo