Hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission

Abstract

A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission for a motor vehicle includes a shiftable throttle valve allocated to one or more shift elements of a plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements. The shiftable throttle valve hydraulically connects a respective pressure-adjusting device of the one or more shift elements to a respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements. The shiftable throttle valve is shiftable into at least a first shift position and a second shift position. A hydraulic resistance between a hydraulic transmission controller and the one or more shift elements of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements is larger in the second shift position relative to the first shift position.

Claims

1. A hydraulic control device for an automatic transmission, comprising: a hydraulic transmission controller; a transmission pump operable to provide a flow of a pressurized fluid to the hydraulic transmission controller; a plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements, each shift element of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements having a clutch cylinder and a pressure-adjusting device, the pressure-adjusting device being a valve; and a shiftable throttle valve allocated to one or more shift elements of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements, the shiftable throttle valve arranged between the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements and the respective pressure-adjusting device of the one or more shift elements, the shiftable throttle valve hydraulically connecting the respective pressure-adjusting device of the one or more shift elements to the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements, wherein the shiftable throttle valve is shiftable into at least a first shift position and a second shift position, a hydraulic resistance between the hydraulic transmission controller and the one or more shift elements of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements being larger in the second shift position relative to the first shift position.

2. The hydraulic control device of claim 1, further comprising an actuating device operable to shift the shiftable throttle valve between the first and second shift positions, the actuating device formed such that the shiftable throttle valve automatically assumes the second shift position or remains in the second shift position when the transmission pump is at a standstill or when a system pressure within the hydraulic transmission controller falls below a pressure threshold.

3. The hydraulic control device of claim 2, wherein: the hydraulic transmission controller is connected to a lubricating oil branch such that fluid flowing from the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements through the shiftable throttle valve into the hydraulic transmission controller is receivable by the lubricating oil branch, the first shift position is an unthrottled shift position and the second shift position is a throttled shift position, the shiftable throttle valve formed such that the hydraulic resistance is minimized in the first, unthrottled shift position; the shiftable throttle valve also formed such that, after the standstill of the transmission pump when the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements is pressurized, the hydraulic resistance in the second, throttled shift position reduces a clutch pressure in the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements and the fluid flows from the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements over a period of time with the lubricating oil branch receiving the fluid from the hydraulic transmission controller.

4. The hydraulic control device of claim 3, wherein the actuating device is a control pressure valve, the shiftable throttle valve shiftable into the first shift position by a hydraulic control pressure switched on by the control pressure valve, the shiftable throttle valve shiftable into the second shift position by a spring when the hydraulic control pressure falls below the pressure threshold.

5. The hydraulic control device of claim 4, further comprising at least one additional shiftable throttle valve, the control pressure valve operable to actuate the shiftable throttle valve and the at least one additional shiftable throttle valve.

6. The hydraulic control device of claim 4, further comprising at least one additional shiftable throttle valve and at least one additional control pressure valve, each of the at least one additional control pressure valve operable to actuate a respective one of the at least one additional shiftable throttle valve.

7. The hydraulic control device of claim 3, wherein the actuating device is an electromagnet, the shiftable throttle valve shiftable into at least one of the first and second shift positions by an electromagnetic actuating force of the electromagnet.

8. A method for actuating a hydraulic control device of claim 7, comprising moving shiftable throttle valve into the second shift position with the electromagnet when the transmission pump is at the standstill or when a system pressure within the hydraulic transmission controller falls below the pressure threshold.

9. The hydraulic control device of claim 3, wherein the actuating device is a system pressure valve of the hydraulic transmission controller, a system pressure produced by the transmission pump adjustable with the system pressure valve, a control pressure line is connected to a line of the hydraulic transmission controller at the system pressure, the shiftable throttle valve shiftable into the first shift position by the system pressure, the shiftable throttle valve shiftable into the second shift position by a spring when the transmission pump is at the standstill or when a system pressure within the hydraulic transmission controller falls below the pressure threshold.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising: an automatic transmission; and a hydraulic control device, the hydraulic control device comprising a hydraulic transmission controller; a transmission pump operable to provide a flow of a pressurized fluid to the hydraulic transmission controller; a plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements, each shift element of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements having a clutch cylinder and a pressure-adjusting device, the pressure-adjusting device being a valve; and a shiftable throttle valve allocated to one or more shift elements of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements, the shiftable throttle valve arranged between the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements and the respective pressure-adjusting device of the one or more shift elements, the shiftable throttle valve hydraulically connecting the respective pressure-adjusting device of the one or more shift elements to the respective clutch cylinder of the one or more shift elements, wherein the shiftable throttle valve is shiftable into at least a first shift position and a second shift position, a hydraulic resistance between the hydraulic transmission controller and the one or more shift elements of the plurality of hydraulically actuated shift elements being larger in the second shift position relative to the first shift position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

(2) The following is shown:

(3) FIG. 1 a schematic presentation of a hydraulic control device according to the state of the art; and

(4) FIG. 2 a schematic presentation of a hydraulic control device in accordance with exemplary aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

(6) FIG. 1 schematically shows a hydraulic control device according to the state of the art for an automatic transmission. It comprises hydraulically actuated shift elements 10, 20, 30 and 40, and a hydraulic transmission controller 1. Multiple valve devices, which are designed as hydraulically or electrically controlled valves, are arranged within the hydraulic transmission controller 1. For reasons of a clear presentation, the elements allocated to one shift element are shown as examples for the shift element 10.

(7) The shift element 10 features a clutch cylinder 18, by which it can be actuated by a hydraulic clutch pressure p_K. A pressure control device 14, which adjusts the clutch pressure p_K, is allocated to the clutch cylinder 18. A pressure-adjusting device for adjusting the respective clutch pressure is also allocated to each additional shift element or its clutch cylinder, as the case may be.

(8) From a transmission pump 3, the hydraulic transmission controller 1 is provided through a supply line 4 with an operating medium, preferably transmission oil. The transmission pump 3 is driven by an internal combustion engine 2, which also serves to drive the motor vehicle.

(9) In the operation of the automatic transmission (i.e., with a running internal combustion engine), the transmission pump 3 produces a system pressure p_sys, which prevails both in the supply line 4 and in a system pressure line 17 within the hydraulic transmission controller 1 and the amount of which is adjusted by a system pressure valve 9. Thus, the system pressure p_sys is the highest pressure in the entire hydraulic system of the transmission.

(10) Within the hydraulic transmission controller 1, different required pressure values are adjusted through the reduction of the system pressure p_sys by various valve devices. Thus, for example, the pressure-adjusting device 14 adjusts the clutch pressure p_K, which acts on the clutch cylinder 18, and thus includes the shift element 10 for the presentation of a transmission ratio stage.

(11) The transmission oil is sucked in by the transmission pump 3 through a suction filter 5 from a transmission oil reservoir, which is also referred to as a transmission oil sump 6. In a connection 7 in the supply line 4, an auxiliary pressure source 50 is attached, and is thereby connected to the hydraulic transmission controller 1. A check valve (not shown) in the supply line 4 may be provided between the connector 7 and the transmission pump 3; this prevents the flow-through of the transmission pump 3 from the auxiliary pressure source 50 in the direction of the transmission oil sump 6, if the auxiliary pressure source 50 is in operation and the transmission pump 3 is stationary.

(12) The pressure-adjusting device 14 is supplied by a system pressure line 17, in which, for example, the system pressure p_sys produced by the transmission pump 3 prevails. Through a clutch pressure line 13, in which the clutch pressure p_K adjusted by the pressure-adjusting device 14 prevails, the pressure-adjusting device 14 is connected to the clutch cylinder 18 of the shift element 10.

(13) By the pressure-adjusting device 14, the clutch pressure p_K is variable between a maximum value, which corresponds to the system pressure p_sys itself, and the pressure upon the emptying of the shift element as a minimum value. The clutch cylinder 18 of the shift element 10 is thereby emptied by connecting the clutch pressure line 13 by the pressure-adjusting device 14 with an area in which ambient pressure prevails, such as the transmission oil sump 6.

(14) With the adjusting of pressures in the valve devices within the transmission controller 1, volume flows at a pressure level that is significantly below the system pressure p_sys arise. The valve devices and its channels are arranged within the hydraulic transmission controller in such a manner that the volume flows are fed to a lubricating oil branch 8. The lubricating oil branch 8 includes bearings (for example), which have to be lubricated or cooled in order to avoid wear.

(15) With the aim of reducing fuel consumption and thus carbon dioxide emissions, there are certain methods, such as a drive system, for operating a motor vehicle. One option is to switch off the internal combustion engine when it is not needed to drive the motor vehicle, such as (for example) when the motor vehicle is at a standstill or coasting up to standstill. Typically, the transmission pump is driven by the drive motor, for example an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle, which is stationary when the internal combustion engine is switched off. Thereby, the pressure in the entire hydraulic system of the automatic transmission drops to ambient pressure, and volume flows no longer flow to the lubricating oil branch. Thus, the bearings of the components rotating when the motor vehicle is coasting may no longer be lubricated, such that this can lead to transmission damages.

(16) For this reason, the auxiliary pressure source 50 is provided, from which, in operating conditions with a switched-off internal combustion engine and thus a stationary transmission pump, transmission oil is conveyed through the supply line 4 into the hydraulic transmission controller 1, and thus also reaches the lubricating oil branch 8. The auxiliary pressure source 50 may be formed (for example) as an electrically driven pump or a hydraulic accumulator. Both arrangements represent a considerable expense of costs and require additional installation space. In addition, there is a risk of transmission damages if the electrically driven pump should fail, such that a high effort is required to develop emergency strategies for such an event.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a schematic presentation of a hydraulic control device in accordance with exemplary aspects of the invention. In contrast to the hydraulic control device according to the state of the art of FIG. 1, this features a hydraulic transmission controller 101 and a shiftable throttle valve 111. In order to simplify the description, a designation is made of only the shiftable throttle valve 111 that is allocated to the shift element 10 and is connected by a clutch pressure line 113 to the clutch cylinder 18 of the shift element 10. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, a shiftable throttle valve is also arranged between the shift element 20 and the hydraulic transmission controller 101, whereas, theoretically, a shiftable throttle valve may be allocated to each shift element.

(18) In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, in the hydraulic transmission controller 101, in addition to the pressure-adjusting device 14 for adjusting the clutch pressure p_K, a control pressure valve 115 for actuating (i.e., shifting) the shiftable throttle valve 111 between at least two shift positions is provided. Alternatively, the actuation of the shiftable throttle valve may also take place electro-mechanically by an electromagnet. In the present exemplary embodiment, the shiftable throttle valve 111 is formed as a 2/2-way valve, since it features two connectors and is shiftable into two shift positions. One of the two connectors connects the shiftable throttle valve 111 to the clutch cylinder 18 of the shift element 10.

(19) The other connector connects the shiftable throttle valve 111 to the transmission controller 101 or the pressure-adjusting device 14, as the case may be.

(20) In a first shift position of the control pressure valve 115, a control pressure p_S produced in the hydraulic transmission controller 101, which may correspond (for example) to the system pressure p_sys, is applied to the shiftable throttle valve 111 through a control pressure line 116, which is shifted into a first shift position counter to the force of a spring 112, in which an inflow of the operating medium into the clutch cylinder 18 of the shift element 10 that is as unhindered as possible can take place upon its filling for shifting a transmission ratio stage. The first shift position of the shiftable throttle valve is also referred to as an unthrottled shift position. Thereby, the shiftable throttle valve 111 is formed in such a manner that its flow resistance in the unthrottled shift position is as low as possible. In a second shift position of the control pressure valve 115 or upon the standstill of the transmission pump 3, the control pressure line 116 is pressureless, such that the shiftable throttle valve 111 is moved by the force of the spring 112 into a second shift position. In this shift position, also referred to as a throttled shift position, the flow resistance is clearly increased compared to the first shift position by the shiftable throttle valve 111; i.e., in the throttled shift position, the shiftable throttle valve 111 constitutes a throttle or an aperture between the clutch cylinder 18 and the pressure-adjusting device 14.

(21) The control pressure p_S acts by the control pressure line 116 on the shiftable throttle valve 111, and holds it in the unthrottled shift position. If the stopping of the motor vehicle is now imminent, the internal combustion engine 2 is switched off during coasting, by which the transmission pump 3 comes to a standstill, and the system pressure p_sys produced by this reduces to the level of the ambient pressure. The control pressure p_S fed by the system pressure p_sys decreases with this, such that the shiftable throttle valve 111 is moved into the throttled shift position under the action of the spring 112. Due to the flow resistance of the throttle, the oil volume is initially retained in the shifted clutch, and the emptying of the shift element 10, and thus the reduction in the clutch pressure p_K, are delayed over time. As mentioned above, the shift element is typically provided with a piston return spring, which is not shown. After a pressure drop in the clutch pressure line 113 below the pressure that is produced by the return spring, a pushing out of the oil volume from the shift element 10 is carried out through the throttle point of the shiftable throttle valve 111 into the hydraulic transmission controller 101.

(22) In an alternative exemplary arrangement, the control pressure valve 115 as an actuating device for the shiftable throttle valve 111 is omitted. Instead of this, the system pressure valve 9 is the actuating device, by connecting the control pressure line 116 to a line of the hydraulic transmission controller 101, which is under the system pressure p_sys produced directly by the transmission pump 3, such as, for example, the supply line 4 or the system pressure line 17. Thus, the shiftable throttle valve 111 is in the unthrottled shift position as soon as the transmission pump 3 is in operation and a system pressure p_sys is thus produced. The control pressure p_S then corresponds to the system pressure p_sys. If, upon the switching off of the internal combustion engine 2, the transmission pump 3 comes to a standstill, the system pressure p_sys is reduced to ambient pressure and the shiftable throttle valve 111 is moved into the throttled shift position under the action of the force of the spring 112.

(23) The hydraulic transmission controller 101 is formed in such a manner that the volume may be accordingly redistributed to the lubricating oil branch 8 for the lubrication and/or cooling of the transmission. As described above, in an automatic transmission, multiple shift elements are typically involved for the presentation of a transmission ratio stage, whereas a shiftable throttle valve may be provided for each shift element, or for at least more than one shift element. Through such an accumulation, the stored volume that is available for feeding into the lubricating oil branch upon the standstill of the internal combustion engine can be significantly increased.

(24) In the exemplary embodiment shown, each shiftable throttle valve 111 is actuated by a control pressure valve 115 allocated to it. However, it would also be possible to shift all shiftable throttle valves of a hydraulic control device collectively with only one central control pressure valve. This would have the advantage of a lower construction expense and lower costs. With both variants, the shiftable throttle valves are, upon the standstill of the internal combustion engine and the transmission pump, shifted into the throttled shift position under the action of the respective spring 112.

(25) Theoretically, however, it would also be possible if the shiftable throttle valve 111 would be shifted into the throttled shift position after the filling and pressurization of the shift element 10. For the effect of the shiftable throttle valve, it is irrelevant whether this is brought into the throttled shift position only upon the standstill of the internal combustion engine or the transmission pump, as the case may be, or is already in this position.

(26) The hydraulic control device may be combined with transmissions with a pressure accumulator or a shiftable volume accumulator or an even an electrically driven auxiliary pump, by which, upon the start of the engine, a particularly rapid switching from the throttled shift position into the unthrottled shift position for the rapid refilling of the clutches can take place. Shiftable throttle valves may also be presented in reverse operation; that is, the shiftable throttle valve is formed in such a manner that it is in the unthrottled shift position when no control pressure is applied to it. This has advantages in terms of functional security. However, this structural form is only sensible if at least one minimum pressure for controlling the shiftable throttle valves, or for holding them in the throttled shift position while the internal combustion engine is at a standstill, is maintained or produced by an electrically driven auxiliary pump or a pressure accumulator for the discharge period of the oil volume from the clutch.

(27) Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(28) 1 Hydraulic control device 2 Internal combustion engine 3 Transmission pump 4 Supply line 5 Suction filter 6 Oil sump 8 Lubricating oil branch 9 System pressure valve 10 Shift element 13 Clutch pressure line 14 Pressure-adjusting device 17 System pressure line 18 Clutch cylinder 20 Shift element 30 Shift element 40 Shift element 50 Auxiliary pressure source 101 Hydraulic control device 111 Shiftable throttle valve 112 Spring 113 Clutch pressure line 115 Control pressure valve 116 Control pressure line p_K Clutch pressure p_S Control pressure p_sys System pressure)