METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR THE MANUAL CHANGING OF GEARS IN A VEHICLE

Abstract: Method of operating a gearbox (6) in a vehicle by means of a gear lever (1) with the help of a computer (4). The computer controls a device that can be a friction device (8), a continuous current motor, a stepping motor or a magnetic device with controlled forces of attraction/repulsion so that the device gives adjustable perceptive indications of the movement of the gear lever. If necessary, the slowing down or blocking of the movement of the gear lever can take place with the controllable device. The invention also refers to an electronically-controlled friction device for performing the method.

Description: METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR THE MANUAL CHANGING OF GEARS IN A VEHICLE TECHNICAL AREA The present invention concerns a method and an arrangement for the manual changing of gears in a vehicle, whereby the operation of the gearbox occurs with a gear lever via a computer. THE PRIOR ART A computer-controlled automatic gear change in a vehicle is well known. Regarding the manual operation of a gearbox in a vehicle, a wire device is usually used to transfer the movement of the gear lever to an equivalent operation of the mechanism of the gearbox. One disadvantage of such an arrangement is that annoying vibrations and sound from the arrangement are transferred to the cabin of the vehicle. An increased computerisation of the function of the engine has placed a demand that the communication between engine and gearbox be via a computer, not only regarding vehicles with automatic gearboxes, but also vehicles with manual gearboxes. In doing so, different safety requirements place different demands on the interlocking clamping mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to provide a method and an arrangement to technically and ergonomically operate a gearbox in a vehicle via a gear lever and a computer. Figure 1 shows a sketch of the principle of such a computer-controlled system. The position of the gear lever 1 is detected by a sensor 2 and the position signal 3 sent out is fed to a computer 4 that also communicates with the engine 5 and gearbox 6. The computer 4 then controls the operation of the gearbox 6 in accordance with the said position signal 3. For the driver, this means that the gear change procedure is limited to just a change of the position of the gear lever. The driver has no ergonomic feeling that a change of gears has occurred, apart from by means of the position of the gear lever. This is a disadvantage since a large part of the "feeling" of driving the car is lost. It is therefore desirable that the driver should have a similar feeling when driving a vehicle with a computer-controlled manual gearbox as when driving a vehicle with a traditional manual gearbox. This is solved according to the invention by an electronically-controlled arrangement providing perceptible indications of the movements of the gear lever. A further disadvantage of manually operated computer-controlled gear change systems is that a rapid movement of the gear lever is not immediately matched by an equally rapid movement in the gearbox. A time gap between the selected gear position and the actual change of gear occurs, which can feel uncomfortable for the driver. In addition, there are also technical weaknesses in such a system. This is solved according to the invention by a computer-controlled friction device that is programmed to slow down or block the movement of the gear lever when needed. Further advantages and characteristics of the invention are evident from the following claims. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows schematically the principle of a system for manual gear change in a vehicle via a computer. Figure 2 shows a system for manual gear change in a vehicle via a computer according to the invention. Figure 3 shows a friction device for use in the system according to figure 2. Figure 4 shows a sketch of a principle of a device including different magnets that provide perceptible indications of movements of a gear lever. DESCRIPTIONS OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 2 shows a gear lever 1 that can be set in a number of positions a, b, c, that are equivalent to the different gears in a traditional gear lever. It is preferable if the positions a, b, c are arranged in a longitudinal row, but they can naturally be arranged in another suitable way. The gear lever can be arranged as a floor-mounted gear change or be mounted on the steering column or in some other way. Gear lever 1 is arranged with a position sensor 2, change-over switch or other transmitter that gives the current position of the lever 1. The position sensor 2 gives a position signal 3 to a computer 4 that transmits an outgoing signal 7 to a computer-controlled friction device 8 or another sensation controllable device that in turn affects the movement of the gear lever 1 with different regulated forces of friction or equivalent forces that can be sensed. The computer 4 is programmed so that via the friction device 8 or other named device, it provides the driver with different perceptible indications of the respective movements of the gear lever. The driver thus gets a "feeling of changing gear" that is equivalent to that of conventional manual gear changing. Computer 4 is also connected to a position transmitter 9 or similar for the gearbox 6. This position transmitter 9 interacts with the gearbox 6 and gives current gear changing signals 10 to the computer. If the gear lever 1 is moved rapidly from one position to another, there is a risk that the gear lever 1 reaches the second position before the equivalent change of gear has been achieved in the gearbox 6, which is operated by means of a servo motor 11. Computer 4 thus compares the signals 3 from the position sensor 2 of the gear lever 1 with the signals 10 from the position transmitter 9 or similar for the gearbox 6. If the result does not match the value given, there is, according to the invention, a possibility of slowing down or blocking gear lever 1 by means of a computer-controlled friction device 8. Figure 3 shows an example of how a gearbox mechanism according to the invention can be built up. It includes a controllable friction device that can also be used for other applications where an electronically-controlled element of friction is desirable. The gear lever 1 is connected to a number of disks 12 that in turn are connected by articulated joints to a number of disks 13 that are attached to the chassis or similar in a vehicle. Around the joint 14 that connects the disks 12, 13 there is an electromagnetic device that comprises, for example, a core 15 in a spool 16 with a coil 17 and a moveable plunger 18 with a clutch drive plate 19. A clutch pressure spring 20 is arranged between the spool 16 and the clutch drive plate 19 so that the plate is pressed against the disks in the link 14 and an equivalent friction between the disks prevents these from moving between themselves. The gear lever is thus locked in position. If a current passes through coil 17, in the present case an outgoing signal 7 from computer 4, the plunger 18 is drawn against the magnetised core 15 with a certain force. When this force is greater than the opposing force of the pressure spring 20, the force of pressure against the disks is cancelled out and the friction between the disks ceases. By controlling the strength and duration of the current, one can thus achieve any chosen degree of friction between the disks 12 connected to the gear lever and the disks 13 that are attached to the chassis. According to the invention, it is possible to arrange an electric continuous current motor or a stepping motor instead of the electrically-controlled friction device named above. In the same way as is stated above, these respective motors are arranged so that they can be controlled to provide different perceptible indications of the movements of the gear lever (not shown on the drawings). Figure 4 shows schematically a further means of providing different perceptible indications of the movements of the gear lever according to the invention. The end of the gear lever 1 is provided with a suitable permanent magnet or electromagnet where the magnet 21 has a certain polarity. When this magnet, during gear changing, passes over magnets 22 of different polarities and sizes and that are located at specified positions in the gearbox, different spatial sensations can be achieved with the help of a programmed computer that magnetises/demagnetises the respective magnets 22 so that by means of the force of attraction and the force of repulsion respectively, it indicates in a perceptible manner the desired or not desired positions of the gear lever. The gear lever can be combined with sensors to indicate the positions chosen (not shown).

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Method of operating a gearbox (6) in a vehicle by means of a gear lever (1) with the help of a computer (4) characterised in that the computer (4) is programmed to give different perceptible indications of the movements of the gear lever (1) via an electronically-controlled device (8), whereby during gear changing, the mechanical position of the gear lever (1) is detected in the computer (4) and compared with the position of a changing transmitter (9) in the gearbox (6), following which a slowing down or blocking of the movement of the gear lever is achieved via a computer- controlled device (8) if the result does not lie within specified limits. 2. Method according to claim Icharacterised in that the perceptible indications are achieved with the help of an electronically-controlled friction device (8). 3. Method according to claim Icharacterised in that the perceptible indications are achieved with the help of a continuous current motor. 4. Method according to claim Icharacterised in that the perceptible indications are achieved with the help of a stepping motor. 5. Method according to claim Icharacterised in that different electromagnets or permanent magnets (22) are arranged to be equivalent to the different positions of the gear lever (1) where the magnets (22) interact with an existing magnet (21) on the gear lever, whereby different perceptible forces of attraction or repulsion are achieved with the help of a programmed computer-controlled magnetisation/demagnetisation of the magnets by the movements of the gear lever (1). 6. Method according to claim lor2characterised in that the arrangement is a friction device (8) that includes two groups of disks (12, 13) linked together (14) and moveable between themselves that are respectively connected to a gear lever (1) and chassis or similar, whereby a computer-controlled electromagnetic device with a coil (17), core (15) and a plunger (18) controlled by current are joined to the connecting link (14) so that when there is no current supplied to the electromagnet, the plunger (18), with the help of a spring (20), presses against the groups of disks (12, 13) and by means of friction, locks them in position between themselves, and that when variable current (7) is supplied to the electromagnet, the plunger (18) is drawn against the core and the force of this attraction in an equivalent degree overcomes the force of the spring and the said friction is reduced or ceases. 7. Electrically controlled friction device (8) for performing the method according to claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a group of disks (12) is connected to a gear lever (1) of a vehicle and that another group of disks (13) is connected to the chassis or other suitable part of a vehicle, whereby the groups of disks are joined together between themselves in one link (14) whereby a computer-controlled electromagnetic device with a coil (17), core (15) and a plunger (18) is mechanically connected to the joint (14) via a pressure spring (20) so that when no current flows through the coil, the plunger (18) is arranged to press against the joint (14) and by means of friction lock the groups of disks in position between themselves, and that when a controllable current flows through the coil, the plunger (18) is arranged to be drawn against the core (15) in an equivalent degree whereby the friction locking between the disks is reduced or ceases.

Inventors: AAHS WILGOT, AAHS, WILGOT
Applicants: AAHS WILGOT, SEM DRIVE AB, AAHS, WILGOT
Application year: 1998
Main classification: F16H59
IPC codes: B60K20, F16H59, F16H61, G05G9