Vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle has an engine, an accelerator for controlling the rotary speed of the engine, an axle and a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle. The multi-speed transmission includes an odd-numbered speed drive train for an odd-numbered speed level, a first clutch for the odd-numbered speed drive train, an even-numbered speed drive train for an even-numbered speed level, and a second clutch for the even-numbered speed drive train. In correspondence to operation of the accelerator and an actual speed of the axle, either the odd-numbered speed drive train or the even-numbered speed drive train is selected so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle. A shift-up or shift-down timing between the odd-numbered speed level and the even-numbered speed level relative to variation of the actual speed of the axle is changed according to detection of a tilt angle of the vehicle or a weight of the vehicle.

1 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an accelerator for controlling a rotary speed of the engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   an odd-numbered speed drive train for an odd-numbered speed level,   a first clutch for the odd-numbered speed drive train,   an even-numbered speed drive train for an even-numbered speed level, and   a second clutch for the even-numbered speed drive train, wherein, in correspondence to operation of the accelerator and an actual speed of the axle, either the odd-numbered speed drive train or the even-numbered speed drive train is selected so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle, and wherein a shift-up or shift-down timing between the odd-numbered speed level and the even-numbered speed level relative to variation of the actual speed of the axle is changed according to detection of a tilt angle of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope is detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-up timing is larger than that when a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land is detected. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle descending a slope is detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-down timing is larger than that when a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land is detected. 
     
     
         4 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an accelerator for controlling a rotary speed of the engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   an odd-numbered speed drive train for an odd-numbered speed level,   a first clutch for the odd-numbered speed drive train,   an even-numbered speed drive train for an even-numbered speed level, and   a second clutch for the even-numbered speed drive train, wherein, in correspondence to operation of the accelerator and an actual speed of the axle, either the odd-numbered speed drive train or the even-numbered speed drive train is selected so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle, and wherein a shift-up or shift-down timing between the odd-numbered speed level and the even-numbered speed level relative to variation of the actual speed of the axle is changed according to detection of a weight of the vehicle.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein, when a large weight of the vehicle is detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-up timing is larger than that when a small weight of the vehicle is detected. 
     
     
         6 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an accelerator for controlling a rotary speed of the engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   an odd-numbered speed drive train for an odd-numbered speed level,   a first clutch for the odd-numbered speed drive train,   an even-numbered speed drive train for an even-numbered speed level, and   a second clutch for the even-numbered speed drive train, wherein, in correspondence to operation of the accelerator and an actual speed of the axle, either the odd-numbered speed drive train or the even-numbered speed drive train is selected so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle, and wherein a shift-up or shift-down timing between the odd-numbered speed level and the even-numbered speed level relative to variation of the actual speed of the axle is changed according to detection of a tilt angle and detection of a weight of the vehicle.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein, when at least one of a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope and a large weight of the vehicle is detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-up timing is larger than that when both the vehicle traveling on a flat land and a small weight of the vehicle are detected. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein, when both a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope and a large weight of the vehicle are detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-up timing is further larger than that when one of a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope and a large weight of the vehicle is detected. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle according to  claim 6 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle descending a slope is detected, the actual speed of the axle corresponding to the shift-down timing is larger than that when both a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land and a small weight of the vehicle are detected. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   one or more clutches for shifting a speed level, wherein one of the clutches for shifting a speed level also serves as a start-up clutch to be engaged during start of the vehicle, and wherein an increased rate of a clutch pressure of the start-up clutch to a time passage is changed according to detection of a tilt angle of the vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope is detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is larger than that when a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land is detected. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle descending a slope is detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is smaller than that when a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land is detected. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a brake shiftable between a braking state for braking the axle and an unbraking state for unbraking the axle, wherein the increased rate of the clutch pressure is changed according to detection of the tilt angle of the vehicle immediately after a shift of the brake from the braking state to the unbraking state is confirmed.   
     
     
         14 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   one or more clutches for shifting a speed level, wherein one of the clutches for shifting a speed level also serves as a start-up clutch to be engaged during start of the vehicle, and wherein an increased rate of a clutch pressure of the start-up clutch to a time passage is changed according to detection of a weight of the vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The vehicle according to  claim 14 , wherein, when a large weight of the vehicle is detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is larger than that when a small weight of the vehicle is detected. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a brake shiftable between a braking state for braking the axle and an unbraking state for unbraking the axle, wherein the increased rate of the clutch pressure is changed according to detection of the weight of the vehicle immediately after a shift of the brake from the braking state to the unbraking state is confirmed.   
     
     
         17 . A vehicle comprising:
 an engine;   an axle; and   a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle, the multi-speed transmission including:   one or more clutches for shifting a speed level, wherein one of the clutches for shifting a speed level also serves as a start-up clutch to be engaged during start of the vehicle, and wherein an increased rate of a clutch pressure of the start-up clutch to a time passage is changed according to detection of a tilt angle of the vehicle and detection of a weight of the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein, when at least one of a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope and a large weight of the vehicle is detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is larger than that when both a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land and a small weight of the vehicle are detected. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle according to  claim 18 , wherein, when both a tilt angle of the vehicle ascending a slope and a large weight of the vehicle are detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is further larger than that when one of a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land and a small weight of the vehicle is detected. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle according to  claim 17 , wherein, when a tilt angle of the vehicle descending a slope is detected, the increased rate of the clutch pressure is smaller than that when both a tilt angle of the vehicle traveling on a flat land and a small weight of the vehicle are detected. 
     
     
         21 . The vehicle according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a brake shiftable between a braking state for braking the axle and an unbraking state for unbraking the axle, wherein the increased rate of the clutch pressure is changed according to detection of the tilt angle of the vehicle and detection of the weight of the vehicle immediately after a shift of the brake from the braking state to the unbraking state is confirmed.