Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power
transmission device for a vehicle equipped with a
transmission provided between an engine and the drive
wheels, and a transmission clutch provided between a
power source and a transmission
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, saddle ridden type vehicles are
equipped with an integrated engine and a transmission
power unit, whereby shift changes are performed by the
foot of the rider operating the change pedal provided at
the side of the transmission.
In addition, electric motor vehicles wherein a
shift change is performed by intermittently revolving a
transmission shift drum with a motor are described in
Laid Open Patent Gazette No. Hei 5-39865.
However, in above mentioned conventional
transmission devices which use change pedals, as the
change pedal is operated by the foot of the rider,
proficiency is required to perform fast shift changes and
there is a limit to the reduction in the time required
for shift changes even for proficient riders.
Furthermore, as the transmission clutch is provided on
the transmission and is operated by the change pedal,
proficiency is required to smoothly engage the
transmission clutch and suppress the occurrence of
transmission shock. Also, as the change pedal always
protrudes from the side of the transmission, problems
exist such as the change pedal interfering with the floor
board, and when attempting to confirm the upward and
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downward stroke of the change pedal, the transmission is
underneath and the lowest road clearance is reduced, etc.
Also, as the transmission in the device stated in
said Laid Open Patent Gazette No. Hel 5-39865 is not
equipped with a transmission clutch, when performing a
shift change, it is necessary to synchronize the drive-
stop of the running motor and the drive of the shift
change motor, so that not only is the control
complicated, but in the case where the shift drum is
unable to revolve smoothly, a lost motion mechanism is
required to prevent excessive loads from being applied to
the shift change motor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Taking the aforesaid situation into account, it is
the object of the present invention to provide a shift
change which can be performed simply and precisely
without proficiency in the operation being required.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, a power
transmission device for a vehicle equipped with a
transmission is provided between an engine and a drive
wheel and a transmission clutch provided between an
engine and a transmission.
An electric actuator is provided for performing
the engagement and disengagement of the transmission
clutch based on command signals from the operating member
operated by the rider.
According to the above configuration, as the
engagement and disengagement of the transmission clutch
is provided between the power source and the transmission
is performed by the electric actuator, it is possible for
an operator to perform simple and precise clutch
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operations without proficiency being required. In
addition, rapid clutch operations which were previously
impossible to perform directly with the hands and feet of
the operator are now also possible to perform.
In the present invention, as well as engagement
and disengagement of the transmission clutch, the motor
also performs the transmission gear changes. This is
controlled by the operator member.
According to the above mentioned configuration, as
the same motor is shared for the engagement and
disengagement of the transmission clutch and transmission
gear changes, the number of parts is reduced, thus
contributing to cost reductions.
Moreover, in the present invention, the
transmission is equipped with a gear column capable of
establishing multiple gear levels, a shift fork for
changing the mesh of the gear column, a shift drum for
driving the shift fork, and a shift spindle for driving
the shift drum. Here, the transmission clutch is engaged
and disengaged by the rotation of the shift spindle and
the motor is feed-back controlled based on the signals
from a rotational phase detection means for detecting the
rotational phase of the shift spindle.
According to the aforesaid configuration, as
control of the transmission clutch and control of the
transmission is performed using a common rotational phase
detection means, the number of parts is reduced, thus
contributing to cost reductions. Moreover, as the
rotational phase detection means detects the rotational
phase of the shift spindle near both the transmission
shift drum and the transmission clutch that are to be
controlled, it is possible to minimize detection errors.
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The power transmission device for a vehicle is
equipped with a transmission provided between an engine
and the drive wheels and with a transmission clutch
provided between an engine and a transmission. The
transmission is equipped with a gear column capable of
establishing multiple gear levels, a shift fork for
changing the mesh of the gear column, a shift drum for
driving the shift fork, and a shift spindle for driving
the shift drum. The transmission clutch is engaged and
disengaged by the shift spindle that is rotated by an
electric actuator that is operated based on the command
signals from the operating members operated by the rider.
According to the aforesaid configuration, as the
engagement and disengagement of the transmission clutch
provided between the power source and the transmission is
performed by an electric actuator, it is possible for an
operator to perform simple and precise clutch operations
without proficiency being required. In addition, rapid
clutch operations which were previously impossible to
perform directly with the hands and feet of the operator
are now also possible to perform.
Further scope of applicability of the present
invention will become apparent from the detailed
description given hereinafter. However, it should be
understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since
various changes and modifications within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown
in the drawings, wherein:
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FIG. 1 is a side view of the left side of the
saddle ridden type vehicle;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the saddle ridden type
vehicle taken in the direction of the arrow 2 illustrated
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view taken in the
direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view taken in the
direction of arrow 4 of FIG. 2 of the power unit;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view along line 5--5
of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the essential parts
of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a plan view taken in the direction of
arrow 7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a skeleton drawing of the shift change
device;
FIG. 9 is a time chart describing the operation;
FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged drawing of the
transmission;
FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 11--11 of FIG.
10;
FIG. 12 is a view taken along line 12--12 of FIG.
10; and
FIG. 13 is a drawing corresponding to said FIG. 5,
and relating to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Below embodiments of the present invention are
described based on the attached drawings wherein FIG. 1
to FIG. 12 show a first embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, illustrate a saddle ridden
type vehicle V that is equipped with a vehicle body frame
F assembled from welded steel tubes, to the front and
back parts of which each of the left and right pair of
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front wheels Wf, Wf, and the left and right pair of rear
wheels Wr, Wr are suspended. A handle 1, fuel tank 2 and
straddle type seat 30 are arranged from the front on the
upper part of a vehicle body frame F. A brake lever 4 is
provided on the left end of handle 1, and a brake pedal 5
is provided on the right side of the central part of the
vehicle body. Handle cover 6 covers the central part of
steering handle 1 and meter 7 is provided so as to
overhang in front thereof.
A power unit P is equipped with an engine E for
driving left and right front wheels Wf, Wf and left and
right rear wheels Wr, Wr. The power unit P is loaded on
the central part of vehicle frame F below the fuel tank 2
and seat 3. The power unit P is equipped with casing 11
divided in two to the front and back combining the crank
case and the mission case, and the crankshaft (see FIG.
4) supported by casing 11 is located in a lengthwise
direction on the vehicle body.
A front propeller shaft 13 extending forwards
from the power unit P is connected with the left and
right parts of the front axle 15L, 15R via a front part
differential 14. A rear propeller shaft 16 extending
backwards from the power unit P is connected to the left
and right parts of the rear axle 18L, 18R via rear
differential 17 so that the four wheels Wr, Wf, Wr, Wr
are driven.
As is clear from FIG. 3, a dimmer switch 22 for
performing the upper and lower switching of the
headlights, a lighting switch 23 for switching the head
lights ON and OFF, a starting switch 24 for starting the
engine E, a stop switch 25 for stopping the engine E, and
a shift-up switch 26 and shift-down switch 27 for
shifting transmission T up and down, to be described
later, are provided near the left side grip 21 of handle
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1. The shift-up switch 26 and shift-down switch 27
comprise the operating member of the present invention.
Next, based on FIG. 4 to FIG. 8, the
construction of the shift change device provided on power
unit P is described. As shown in FIG. 5, the casing 11 of
power unit P is constructed from front casing 31, rear
casing 32 connected to the rear surface of this front
casing 31, a front cover 33 connected to the front
surface of the front casing 31, and rear cover 34
connected to the rear surface of the rear casing 32.
As schematically shown in FIG. 8, transmission
T is housed in the inner part of power unit P and is
equipped with a main shaft 35 connected to the crank
shaft 12 (see FIG. 4) and a counter shaft 36 connected to
a front propeller shaft 13 and a rear propeller shaft 16
(see FIG. 2). A gear column 37 for establishing multiple
gear levels is provided between the main shaft 35 and the
counter shaft 36.
As shown in FIG. 4, an accelerating clutch 38
formed from an automatic centrifugal clutch which
automatically engages according to the increase in the
number of engine revolutions is provided on the front end
of crank shaft 12. A multi-disc type transmission clutch
39 connected and disconnected by said shift change device
is provided on the front end of main shaft 35. A
transmission clutch 39 is equipped with a clutch outer 40
supported so as to be relatively freely rotatable by the
main shaft 35, a clutch inner 41 is fixed to the main
shaft 35, a multiplicity of friction plates 42 are
arranged between the clutch outer 40 and the clutch inner
41, and a clutch piston 43 is provided for pushing
against the friction plates 42. The clutch outer 40 is
connected to the crank shaft 12 via an input gear 44
connected as an integrated unit to the clutch outer 40.
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A shaft spindle 51 extending in a length wise
direction along the vehicle body is supported by the
front cover 33, front casing 31, rear casing 32 and rear
cover 34. The shift spindle 51 is supported by the front
cover 33 via a needle bearing 52 and 0 ring 53. The front
part of the shift spindle 51 further projects in a
forward direction from front cover 32 and is supported by
a gear case 54 connected to the front end of the front
cover 33 via a ball bearing 55. Furthermore, the front
end of the shift spindle 51 is connected to a rotational
phase detection means 56 consisting of a potentiometer
provided in the gear case 54. The outside of rotational
phase detection means 56 is covered by protector 57
connected to gear case 54.
A motor 58 taken as an electric actuator is
supported on the outside surface of the gear case 54. A
first moderator shaft 60 and a second moderator shaft 61
are supported in a compartmentalized gear chamber 59
between the gear case 54 and the front cover 33. A first
moderator gear 62 is provided on the output shaft of
motor 58 and meshes with a second moderator gear 63
provided on the first moderator shaft 60. A third
moderator gear 64 is provided on the first moderator
shaft 60 and meshes with a forth moderator gear 65
provided on the second moderator shaft 61. A fifth
moderator gear 66 is provided on the second moderator
shaft 61 and meshes with a sixth moderator gear 67 formed
from the sector gear provided on shift spindle 51.
Therefore, by forward and reverse driving motor 58 it is
possible to forward and reverse drive shift spindle 51.
The second moderator gear 63 to the sixth moderator gear
67 are made from carbonized sintered metal.
A roller 69 provided on the tip of a clutch arm
68 fixed to shift spindle 51 engages with a groove 711 of
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a movable cam plate 71 (See FIG. 4) pivotally supported
by a spindle 70 provided on the front cover 33 arranged
in an extended line from the main shaft 35. A plurality
of balls 73 are arranged between a fixed cam plate 72
connected to the spindle 70 and the movable cam plate 71.
When the movable cam plate 71 revolves, the movable cam
plate 71 moves in the center right direction in FIG. 5
due to the reactive force received via the balls 73 from
the fixed cam plate 72. A connecting plate 75 connected
via a ball bearing 74 to the movable cam plate 71 is
connected by a bolt 76 to the clutch piston 43. The
connecting plate 75 is energized in the center left
direction of FIG. 5 by a clutch spring 77 compressed
between the clutch inner 41.
However, when the motor 58 is forward driven or
reverse driven, the shift spindle 51 rotates forward and
in reverse via moderator gears 62-67, and as the clutch
arm 68 attached to the shift spindle 51 oscillates, the
movable cam plate 71, pushed against groove 71, by roller
69 provided on the tip clutch arm 68, also oscillates. As
a result, movable cam plate 71 is moved by the reactive
force received via balls 73 from fixed cam plate 72, and
as the connecting plate 75 connected to movable cam plate
71 moves clutch piston 43 in resistance to clutch spring
77 in the center right direction of FIG. 5, the friction
plates 42 separate from each other and the connection of
transmission clutch 39 is released.
Shift drum 81 and shift fork shaft 82 are
supported in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle by
front casing 31 and rear casing 32. Three cam grooves 811
to 813 are formed on the periphery of shift drum 81, and
the bases of the three shift forks 83, 84, 85 engage with
the cam grooves 811 to 813 When shift drum 81 revolves,
shift forks 83, 84, 85 move in the shaft direction, and a
predetermined gear change level is established via said
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gear column 37. The revolution position of the shift drum
81, namely, the shift position, is detected by a shift
position detection means 91 consisting of a potentiometer
attached to the rear end of the shift drum 81.
FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 show a shifter gear 113
driven by either of the shift forks 83, 84, 85 supported
so as to be freely slidable by transmission shaft 112,
and transmission gear 114 connected to the transmission
shaft 112 by said shifter gear 113 supported so as to be
relatively freely rotatable by the transmission shaft
112. Eight dogs 1131 protrude evenly spaced around the
circumference of the side of shifter gear 113, and the
inside end of the radius of these dogs 1131are reinforced
by being solidly connected to ring protrusion 1132. Also,
eight dogs 1141 capable of meshing with the 6 dogs 1131 of
the shifter gear 113 protrude in an evenly spaced manner
around the circumference of the side of the transmission
gear 114. The outside end of the radius of the dogs 1141
are reinforced by being solidly connected to ring
protrusion 1142.
In order to increase the chances of shifter
gear 113 and transmission gear 114 meshing and to reduce
the time required for shift change, the dogs 1131, 1141
have been miniaturized. However, by reinforcing dogs 1131
and 1141using ring protrusions 1132 and 114Z, it has been
possible to prevent strength being reduced due to the
miniaturization of the dogs 1131 1141. By doing this, it
is possible to perform a precise shift change in a short
period of time.
As is clear when FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are referred
to together, the base of change arm 87 equipped with a
first opening part 871, a second opening part 872 and a
spring receiver 873, formed by bending the inner
circumference edge part of a first opening part 871, and a
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roller 88 is welded to collar 86 engaging so as to be
relatively freely rotatable with the circumference of
shift spindle 51. Both ends of a twist coil spring 89
supported by said collar 86 are screwed into the front
casing 31 and engage with both side parts of a stud bolt
90 which loosely pass through the first opening part 871
and both end parts of the spring receiver 873 of the
change arm 87. Therefore, when the change arm 87 is in a
neutral position and oscillates in either direction to a
position where the edge of the first opening part 871
engages with the stud bolt 90, the spring receiver 87 3
displaces the twist coil spring 89 and a force is
generated to return the change arm 87 to the neutral
position.
The tip of an L-shaped connecting arm 92
attached to shift spindle 51 extends inside the first
opening 871 of change arm 87 and is inserted in between
both ends of said twist coil spring 89. Therefore, when
shift spindle revolves in either a forward or reverse
direction, the tip of connecting arm 92 slips only a
predetermined distance inside the first opening part
871 of change arm 87. When the tip engages with the
internal edge of the first opening part 871, the change
arm 87 rotates in a forward/reverse direction. When the
tip of connecting arm 92 is slipping, the change arm 87
remains stopped in a neutral position, and during that
time the engagement of the transmission clutch 39 is
released. Therefore, with predetermined timing from the
disengagement of transmission clutch 39, it is possible
to begin transmission operations with certainty.
Change plate 93 provided with a slot 931 formed
at one end, a long hole 93z formed at the other end and an
opening part 93, formed in the middle is arranged between
the end face of the shift drum 81 and the change arm 87.
The change plate 93 is energized in a parallel direction
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to said slot 931 and long hole 93Z by the spring 94
stretched between change arm 87, in a state where slot
931 engages with the periphery of the collar 86, and
long hole 93z engages with the roller 88 of the change arm
87. In this state, the second opening part 872 of change
arm 87 and opening part 933 of change plate 93 are
arranged in a position so that they are substantially
aligned.
A star shaped pin plate 95 is connected by a
bolt 97 via a locating pin 96 to the end part of the
shift drum 81. A detent arm 99 pivoted by a spindle 98 to
the front casing 31 is energized by a spring 100, and a
detent roller 101 provided on the tip of this detent arm
99 engages resiliently with either of seven concave parts
951 formed on the periphery of pin plate 95. Therefore,
shift drum 81 is able to stop stably at either of 7
rotation positions corresponding to 7 shift positions.
Seven feed pins 952 are arranged at the
periphery of the end surface of pin plate 95 in such a
manner as to protrude, and a pair of protrusions 93,,
93,capable of engaging with the feed pins 95z and the pair
of cam faces 935, 935 are formed on the inner periphery of
opening part 933 of the change plate 93. Furthermore, a
plate shaped holder 102 pressing against the outer
surface of change plate 93 is jointly fastened by said
bolt 97 in order to prevent the change plate 93 from
falling from the pin plate 95.
As shown in FIG. 5, on the rear cover 34, the
secondary spindle 103 is supported orthogonally by the
shift spindle 51, and an arm 104 connected to one end of
a secondary spindle 103 engages with an arm 105 connected
to the rear end of the shift spindle 51. A hexagonal part
1031 is formed on the other end of secondary spindle 103,
and this hexagonal part 1031 faces the opening 311 of
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front casing 31 (See FIG. 4).
The torque of twist coil spring 89 energizing
the shift spindle 51 to a neutral position is set greater
than the sum of the frictional force of each moderator
gear 62-67 and the motor 58 during extreme low
temperatures (-25° C.). As the gear chamber 59 is
lubricated with a small quantity of grease in order to
reduce the frictional force of each of the moderator
gears 62-67, if the motor 58 fails, the energizing force
of twist coil 89 automatically returns the shift spindle
51 to a neutral position. Also, even if motor 58 fails,
by engaging wrenches and other tools 106 (See FIG. 5) to
the hexagonal part 1031 of secondary spindle 103, it is
possible to manually operate the shift drum 81.
Assembly of the shift change device of the
aforesaid construction is performed in the following
order.
After inserting the shift spindle 51 from the
rear with respect to the previously bolted front casing
31 and rear casing 32, the change arm 87, connecting arm
92 and clutch arm 68 are assembled to the shift spindle
51 from the front. Next, the rear cover 34 which has
already been assembled with the secondary spindle 103 is
bolted to the rear face of the rear casing 32. The front
cover 33 which has previously been assembled with needle
bearing 52 and 0 ring 53, etc., is bolted to the front
face of front casing 31. Next, after assembling the first
moderator shaft 60, the second moderator shaft 61 and the
second moderator gear 63 to the sixth moderator gear 67
to the gear chamber 59 of the front face of front cover
33, the gear case 54 equipped with the integrated motor
58 and rotational phase detection means 56 is bolted so
as to overlap the front face of front cover 33 together
with protector 57.
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The above mentioned shift change device is
arranged in a lengthwise direction along the vehicle body
so that the axis of shift spindle 51, shift drum 81 and
motor 58 is parallel with the axis of crankshaft 12 of
engine E, and as the entire shift change device is
arranged concentrated below the area between crankshaft
12 and counter shaft 36 of transmission T, the efficient
use of space makes it possible to miniaturize the power
unit P. Also, as the motor 58 of the shift change device
is arranged on the front face of the power unit P, it is
possible to effectively cool the motor 58 with running
air currents.
As shown in FIG. 3, in addition to signals from
the shift up switch 26, shift down switch 27, revolving
phase detection means 56 and position detection means 91,
signals from vehicle speed detection means 107 and engine
revolution detection means 108 are input to electronic
control unit C, and the drive of motor 58 is controlled
based on these signals.
Next, the operation of the embodiment is
described. In the time chart of FIG. 9, when the shift up
switch 26 or shift down switch 27 is operated at time t0,
in the period until t1, the motor 58 is driven with a
duty ratio of 100%. The drive direction of motor 58 at
this time, that is to say, the direction of rotation of
the shift spindle 51 is in the opposite direction in the
case of shift up and in the case of shift down. When the
angle of rotation of the shift spindle 51 reaches
6° 30', the transmission clutch 39 disengages, and
the shift drum 81 begins revolving.
The following is a description of the operation
at this time. In FIG. 7, when the change arm 87 revolves
in the direction of arrow A, the change plate 93
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connected via the roller 88 and long hole 93z to this
change arm 87 rotates in the direction of arrow A, and
the under side protrusion 934 formed by this opening part
933 pushes against one feed pin 95z in an upward
direction so as to rotate the shift drum 81 in the
direction of arrow A by one pitch. As a result, at time
t2, when the angle of revolution of the shift spindle 51
reaches 19°, the detent roller 101 engages with a
new concave part 951 of the pin plate 95, and the shift
drum 81 is stopped stably at a new position. Between time
t1 and time t2, motor 58 produces a braking force and
softens the impact of the inside edge of opening part 871
of change arm 87 when engaging with stud bolt 90.
Next, between time t2 and time t4, the
revolution angle of the shift spindle 51 is maintained at
19°, and the shift change is completely ended. In
the first half, the time between time t2 and time t3 is
the time when the dog of the shifter gear driven by shift
forks 81-83 is completely engaged with the dog of the
transmission, and in the second half, between time t3 and
time t4 is the time when throttle operation by the rider
is permitted to reduce transmission shock.
Next, from time t4 to time t6, motor 58 is
driven in a reverse direction. As a result, in FIG. 7,
change arm 87 revolves in the direction of arrow B
towards a neutral position, and change plate 93 together
with change arm 87 revolves in the direction of arrow B,
however, as the under side cam face 935 formed by the
opening part 933 engages with one feed pin and receives a
reactive force, the change plate 93 moves in the
direction of arrow C due to this reaction force while
causing the spring 94 to extend. As a result, the cam 935
overrides the feed pin 95Z and while the stopping shift
drum 81 in said new position, it is possible for change
arm 87 and change plate 93 to return to a neutral
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position.
During this time, transmission clutch 39 is
again engaged. However, during the time from t5 to time
t6 when transmission clutch 39 is engaged, the drive
speed of motor 58 is reduced. As a result, it is possible
to prevent the occurrence of transmission shock by slowly
engaging the transmission clutch 39.
Furthermore, when the number of engine
revolutions detected by engine revolution speed detection
means 108 exceeds a predetermined value (for example 3000
rpm), or the vehicle speed detected by vehicle speed
detection means 107 is above a predetermined value (for
example 10 km/h), in order that a sudden load is not
placed upon the engine E, neutral to first gear, and
neutral to reverse gear is prohibited. Also, when vehicle
speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means 107
exceeds a predetermined value, (for example 3 km/h), in
order to prevent an interruption of the drive force, a
shift change from first gear to neutral is prohibited.
As in the above, in the first half of the shift
change, the motor 58 is driven at a duty ratio of 100%
and the transmission clutch 39 is quickly disengaged,
enabling the time required for the shift change to be
reduced. Also, in the second half of the shift change, by
feedback controlling the revolution angle of shift
spindle 51 based on the signals from revolving phase
detection means 56, in addition for it to be possible to
minutely control the revolution angle of the shift
spindle, it is also possible to prevent the occurrence of
transmission shock by setting the disengagement speed of
the transmission clutch slower than the engagement speed.
However, instead of the change pedal and the
change lever, by operating using only the shift up switch
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26 or the shift down switch 27, as a shift change can be
performed with the drive force of motor 58, a smooth
shift change can be performed in a short time without
requiring proficiency. Furthermore, as the same motor 58
and the same rotational phase detection means 56 are
jointly used in the operation of the transmission clutch
39 and the operation of the transmission T, the number of
parts is reduced, thus contributing to cost reductions.
In this case, as the rotational phase detection means 56
detects the rotational phase of the shift spindle 51 near
both driven members driven by the motor 58, namely, the
clutch arm 68 and change arm 87, high precision
operations are possible.
FIG. 13 shows the second embodiment of the
present invention. In this second embodiment, as a heat
insulator 111 made from bakelite intervenes between the
front cover 33 and the gear case 54, it is possible to
prevent the heat from the engine E from being transferred
to the motor 58 and the rotational phase detection means
56 by using this heat insulator 111. Also, as the inside
of gear case 54, in both the first embodiment and the
second embodiment, is lubricated by a small quantity of
grease, the insulation from heat from engine E is further
enhanced.
In the above, details of the embodiments of the
present invention have been given, however, various
design modifications are possible without deviating from
the scope of the essence of the present invention.
For example, the embodiment shows a four-
wheeled saddle ridden type vehicle V. However, it is also
possible to apply the present invention to two and three
wheeled vehicles.
According to the present invention, as the
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connection and disconnection of the transmission clutch
provided between a drive source and a transmission is
performed by an actuator, a simple and precise clutch
operation can be performed by anyone without extensive
training or experience, and it is possible to perform a
rapid clutch operation that would be impossible in the
case where it is directly performed with the operator's
hands or feet.
Also, according to the present invention, in
conjunction with rapidly performing the transmission
clutch disconnection reducing the transmission time, it
is possible to slowly engage the transmission clutch,
minimizing transmission shock.
Also, according to the present invention, as
the same motor is used to engage or disengage the
transmission clutch and change gears of the transmission,
the number of parts is reduced, thus contributing to
possible cost reductions. Also, even if the drive speed
of the motor is increased, as the timing of the
engagement and disengagement of the transmission clutch
and the timing of the gear change of the transmission is
always simultaneous, it is possible to perform smooth
gear changes in a short time.
Also, according to the present invention, as
the control of the transmission and the control of the
clutch is performed using a common rotational phase
detection means, part numbers are reduced, contributing
to possible cost reductions. Furthermore, as the
rotational phase detection means detects the rotational
phase near to both controlled systems, namely the
transmission shift drawing and the transmission clutch,
it is possible to minimize detection errors.
The invention being thus described, it will be
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WH 10 220.1CA
obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such
variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the
spirit and scope of the invention, and all such
modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the
art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail,
it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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