GB2325034A - A foot-operated transmission control system for a vehicle - Google Patents
A foot-operated transmission control system for a vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2325034A GB2325034A GB9709099A GB9709099A GB2325034A GB 2325034 A GB2325034 A GB 2325034A GB 9709099 A GB9709099 A GB 9709099A GB 9709099 A GB9709099 A GB 9709099A GB 2325034 A GB2325034 A GB 2325034A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- transmission control
- transmission
- control system
- shift
- vehicle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
- G05G1/00—Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members
- G05G1/30—Controlling members actuated by foot
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed-, or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
- F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
- G05G1/00—Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members
- G05G1/30—Controlling members actuated by foot
- G05G1/42—Controlling members actuated by foot non-pivoting, e.g. sliding
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed-, or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
- F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
- F16H2059/0234—Selectors for gearings using foot control
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed-, or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
- F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
- F16H2059/0239—Up- and down-shift or range or mode selection by repeated movement
- F16H2059/0243—Up- and down-shift or range or mode selection by repeated movement with push buttons, e.g. shift buttons arranged on steering wheel
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed-, or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
- F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
- F16H59/04—Ratio selector apparatus
- F16H59/044—Ratio selector apparatus consisting of electrical switches or sensors
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Arrangement Or Mounting Of Control Devices For Change-Speed Gearing (AREA)
- Control Of Transmission Device (AREA)
Abstract
A pair of foot operated gear change switches U, D are provided for a vehicle 10 having an electrically controlled transmission 14. The switches comprise an up-shift switch U and a down-shift switch D and are positioned in the driver's foot well 22 for easy foot operation by the driver to select between output ratios of the transmission 14.
Description
A Transmission Control Svstem for a Vehicle
This invention relates to transmission control systems and in particular to a transmission control system for a vehicle.
It is known to provide an electrically controlled transmission for a vehicle and further to provide a manually operated transmission output ratio selection mechanism in the form of an up-shift switch and a down-shift switch. Such switches have been known to be mounted on the steering wheel, thereby adding complexity to the steering wheel and further crowding that area with operations necessitating the able use of fingers.
This can cause difficulty, for example, to drivers who have rheumatism, arthritis or who have lost digits.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved transmission control system for a vehicle.
According to the invention there is provided a transmission control system for a vehicle comprising a transmission, a transmission control means and a manually operated ratio selection means, the transmission control means being arranged to shift the transmission between a series of transmission output ratios in response to the ratio selection means, wherein the ratio selection means comprises a foot operated up-shift switch means arranged in use to select a higher output ratio and a foot operated downshift switch means arranged in use to select a lower output ratio.
The up-shift and the down-shift switch means may be positioned in a footwell of the vehicle and may be positioned in a substantially side by side relationship and may also be positioned to facilitate operation in use by one foot of the driver being swivelled about its heel while the heel is in a substantially fixed position.
The invention also provides a vehicle having a transmission control system according to the invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle having a transmission control system according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of part of the system of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a plan view of part of the system of Figure 1.
Referring to the figures, a vehicle 10 has a prime mover in the form of
.
an engine 12 which is connected to an electrically controlled semi-automatic transmission 14 which provides drive to a set of wheels 16. The transmission 14 includes an output ratio shift mechanism 18 which is used to shift the transmission 14 between a series of transmission output ratios to vary the torque provided to the wheels 16.
The vehicle 10 further comprises a transmission controller 20 which controls the shift mechanism 18 in response to signals from a ratio selection means. The ratio selection means is in the form of an up-shift switch U and a down-shift switch D which provide up-shift and down-shift signals to the controller 20 each time the relevant switch U, D is depressed.
Both the switches U, D are mounted below a steering wheel S in a driver's foot well 22 and are positioned next to an accelerator pedal A and a brake pedal B. The switches U, D are mounted on a foot plate 24 which comprises a plate fixed at an angle to a floor panel 26 so as to facilitate foot operation by the driver swivelling his foot F about its heel H and depressing one of the switches U, D to manually select either an up-shift or a downshift of the transmission 14, while the heel H remains in substantially the same position.
Although the switches U, D are described above as being mounted on a foot plate, they could also be mounted directly to the floor panel 26. The switches U, D negate the need for a conventional hand operated gear shift lever and associated mechanism. The transmission in the embodiment described herein could be substituted by a different transmission type without changing the essential features of the invention, for example such as by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), an infinitely variable transmission (ivy) or a stepped automatic transmission.
Claims (6)
1. A transmission control system for a vehicle comprising a
transmission, a transmission control means and a manually operated
ratio selection means, the transmission control means being arranged
to shift the transmission between a series of transmission output ratios
in response to the ratio selection means, wherein the ratio selection
means comprises a foot operated up-shift switch means arranged in use
to select a higher output ratio and a foot operated down-shift switch
means arranged in use to select a lower output ratio.
2. A transmission control system according to Claim 1, wherein the up
shift and the down-shift switch means are positioned in a footwell of the
vehicle.
3. A transmission control system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2,
wherein the up-shift and the down-shift switch means are positioned in
a substantially side by side relationship.
4. A transmission control system according to any preceding claim,
wherein the up-shift and the down-shift switch means are positioned to
facilitate operation in use by one foot of the driver being swivelled about
its heel while the heel is in a substantially fixed position.
5. A transmission control system substantially as described herein
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A vehicle having a transmission control system according to any
preceding claim.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9709099A GB2325034A (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | A foot-operated transmission control system for a vehicle |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9709099A GB2325034A (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | A foot-operated transmission control system for a vehicle |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9709099D0 GB9709099D0 (en) | 1997-06-25 |
| GB2325034A true GB2325034A (en) | 1998-11-11 |
Family
ID=10811827
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9709099A Withdrawn GB2325034A (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | A foot-operated transmission control system for a vehicle |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2325034A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2399604A (en) * | 2003-03-15 | 2004-09-22 | Oliver Peter Doctrove | Foot operated transmission control with fuzzy logic processing |
| DE102016214354A1 (en) | 2016-08-03 | 2018-02-08 | Audi Ag | Circuit system for a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating a circuit system |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1992013215A1 (en) * | 1991-01-22 | 1992-08-06 | Zf Friedrichshafen Ag | Gear and gear-range selector for a semi-automatic or fully automatic vehicle gearbox |
| WO1994026550A1 (en) * | 1993-05-07 | 1994-11-24 | Guichard Philippe Jean Claude | Management and control device for an automatic gearbox |
-
1997
- 1997-05-07 GB GB9709099A patent/GB2325034A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1992013215A1 (en) * | 1991-01-22 | 1992-08-06 | Zf Friedrichshafen Ag | Gear and gear-range selector for a semi-automatic or fully automatic vehicle gearbox |
| WO1994026550A1 (en) * | 1993-05-07 | 1994-11-24 | Guichard Philippe Jean Claude | Management and control device for an automatic gearbox |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2399604A (en) * | 2003-03-15 | 2004-09-22 | Oliver Peter Doctrove | Foot operated transmission control with fuzzy logic processing |
| GB2399604B (en) * | 2003-03-15 | 2006-04-05 | Oliver Peter Doctrove | Transmission system |
| DE102016214354A1 (en) | 2016-08-03 | 2018-02-08 | Audi Ag | Circuit system for a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating a circuit system |
| DE102016214354B4 (en) * | 2016-08-03 | 2018-04-12 | Audi Ag | Circuit system for a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating a circuit system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9709099D0 (en) | 1997-06-25 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |