Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ronald Thomas Cowan

Bradley Dean Riedle

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Yuji Fujii

Marvin Paul Kraska

Walter Joseph Ortmann

Davorin David Hrovat

William Emil Tobler

David Allen Janson

Gregory Michael Pietron

Gregory Daniel Goleski

Steven Gerald Thomas

Alvin Henry Berger

Pramod Kumar Jain

Charles Edward Marshall

Eli Avny

Chuanchi Tang

James Merner

Howard Cecil Kuhn

Gregory Michael Pletron

A gear ratio shift control and control method controls gear ratio upshifts in a multiple-ratio transmission for an automotive vehicle. Pressure actuated friction elements establish torque flow paths in transmission gearing as they are selectively engaged and released. A net torque reduction at a transmission torque output shaft during an upshift event is reduced by increasing transmission input torque prior to the start of the inertia phase of the upshift event.

Ratio shift control for a multiple ratio automatic transmission

An automatic transmission ratio shift and shift feel control system and method for a powertrain having an engine, multiple-ratio gearing controlled by friction elements actuated by hydraulic pressure, an output shaft torque sensor producing a signal representing the magnitude of current output torque, an electronic controller for controlling the target output torque based on the current output torque, increasing the torque capacity of the oncoming friction element and decreasing the torque capacity of the offgoing friction element after a gear ratio change is initiated. During the inertia phase of the ratio change, the controller controls the engine speed to follow a predetermined rate of change of input speed. The strategy employs an electronic throttle and closed loop engine torque control and closed loop engine speed control at various phases of the gear shift, to improve shift feel. Various engine parameters, including throttle position, ignition timing, engine air-fuel ratio, and engine airflow, control engine torque and speed, are used to control input torque or input speed, depending upon the shift phase.

Control of powertrain smoothness using output torque sensing and input torque control

A method of controlling engine idle speed in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and multi-ratio transmission when launched from a neutral idle rest condition. At neutral idle, the transmission is controlled such that the input and output members are decoupled. During vehicle launch from neutral idle operation, two different strategies may be employed to control engine idle speed. One preferred method is to determine a feedforward or predicted torque converter load as a function of time. Another preferred method is to determine the feedforward or predicted torque converter load by comparing a maximum engine brake torque and the torque capacity of the forward clutch at any given time. Irrespective of the particular method used, other engine torque loads are added to the feedforward or predicted torque converter load to determine the engine output torque required to control engine idle speed and provide a smooth between transmission operating modes throughout the launch period.

Method of controlling engine idle speed during launch from neutral idle operation

A coupling assembly which selectively causes a primary mass or flywheel be engaged or be coupled to a crankshaft as a transmission gear assembly moves from a first gear position to a second gear position and which further selectively causes the primary mass or flywheel to be disengaged or disconnected from the crankshaft as the vehicle is accelerated from an idle state, effective to decrease or substantially eliminate acceleration lag.

Coupling assembly and a method for accelerating a vehicle and operating a transmission utilizing the coupling assembly

A method of controlling engine torque in a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and multi-ratio transmission when launched from a neutral idle rest condition. At neutral idle, the transmission is controlled such that the input and output members are decoupled. During vehicle launch, two different strategies may be employed to control engine torque. One preferred method is to determine an engine brake torque limit as a function of time. Another preferred method to determine the engine brake torque limit is to estimate the torque capacity of the forward clutch at any given time using a mathematical model and a calibrated offset of turbine torque. Irrespective of the particular method used, the determined engine brake torque limit is compared to the corresponding engine torque amount that is requested by the vehicle operator. As a result, the actual engine torque output is optimized at all times to provide approximately the maximum amount of requested torque without exceeding the capacity of the transmission's forward clutch.

Method of controlling engine torque during launch from neutral idle operation

A rotary clutch assembly for a geared power transmission mechanism comprising a friction disc clutch with driving and driven friction clutch plates, the driving plates being connected to a torque input element of the clutch assembly and the driven plates being connected to a torque output element of the clutch assembly, the clutch assembly providing a torque flow path to multiple-ratio gearing, a pressure actuator comprising first and second annular cylinder members and a movable piston member located in one of the cylinder members and cooperating with each member to define a pressure release chamber and a pressure apply chamber, the second clutch member being held axially fast on a torque input shaft for the transmission, the geometry of the cylinder members and the movable piston being sized to effect a centrifugal balance so that the clutch gain is essentially determined by the clutch commanded pressure to produce a relatively speed-independent net clutch-apply force, regardless of clutch cylinder speed.

Centrifugally balanced, pressure-operated clutch assembly

A control strategy and method for controlling application and release of friction elements in an automatic transmission to effect gear ratio changes as one friction element is release and another friction element is applied during ratio changes. The transmission has an electronic controller and multiple solenoid regulator valves hydraulically coupled directly to pressure-operated friction elements. Powertrain variables are obtained and processed to calculate gear ratio control parameters derived from desired line pressure for a pressure control valve circuit that communicates with the friction elements. The desired gear ratio is determined for each given set of powertrain variables. Upshifts and downshifts are obtained by releasing one friction element in synchronism with an application of the other friction element, whereby a direct friction element to friction element torque transition is achieved with minimal inertia torque disturbances.

Control strategy and method for independently controlling friction element actuators for an automatic transmission

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Ronald Thomas Cowan