Caterpillar Inc.

William M McClure

Lorne W Tweed

William James Tate

Kevin G Meyer

Kevin Dwight King

Jason Ray Walker

Brian T Rolli

James David Hill

Jason Robert Allen

Cody A McIntyre

Timothy A Cross

Michael B Brennemann

A transmission clutch cooling system includes a clutch housing defined between a drive hub of a drive member and a clutch hub of a driven member and a clutch assembly housed in the clutch housing. The clutch hub includes a hub deck having a plurality of bores therethrough, an inner annulus extending axially from the hub deck, and an outer annulus extending axially from the hub deck, the outer annulus including a plurality of radial orifices therethrough and a lip flange extending from a distal end towards the inner annulus. The clutch assembly includes a plurality of clutch plates secured to the drive hub and a plurality of friction plates secured to the driven member. A piston assembly is provided for engaging or disengaging the plurality of friction plates against the plurality of clutch plates to cause or release integrated rotation of the drive member and the driven member.

Clutch cooling system

A seal assembly includes a seal carrier configured to be coupled to and rotate with a shaft. The seal carrier defines at least three annular recesses configured to receive annular seals. The seal assembly further includes at least three annular seals configured to provide a seal between the seal carrier and a non-rotating housing defining an inner surface having a circular cross-section. One of the at least three seals is received in each of the at least three annular recesses, and one of the at least three seals has a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of at least one of the other seals.

Seal assembly for torque converter

The present invention provides a control which automatically elevates engine speed to a preselected value when the vehicle coasting in neutral above a preselected speed. In order to accomplish this objective, the engine controller is adapted to receive an actual gear ratio signal and a vehicle speed signal, If the vehicle is in neutral and engine speed is above a preselected threshold, the controller sets the desired engine speed to a preselected value which has been empirically determined to ensure sufficient transmission cooling and lubrication, Controlling to this speed also reduces transmission wear when the transmission is reengaged at high ground speeds.

Elevated low idle for coasting in neutral

A control system is provided for a vehicle regulating engine speed during shifts so as to reduce driveline torque and shift shock. The control system includes separate microprocessor based engine and transmission controllers which communicate via a data link. When a shift is initiated, the transmission controller delays a period of time sufficient for the transmission to disengage the old gear ratio and then produces a CTSSPEED signal. The transmission controller continues to produce the CTSSPEED signal for a second period of time which corresponds to the time required for the transmission to engage the new gear ratio. The engine controller receives the desired engine speed signal and regulates engine speed into correspondence with the desired speed. During upshifts, the CTSSPEED signal is set to a speed which is a predetermined amount above the synchronization speed of the new gear for an upshift. Conversely, during downshifts, the CTSSPEED is set to a speed which is a predetermined amount below the synchronization speed in the new gear.

Integrated engine and transmission control system

Growing community of inventors

East Peoria, IL, United States of America

William M McClure