Patent · US Expired

Shift prompter/driver information display

US5017916A · kind A · utility

55Cited by
20References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 9, 1989
Grant dateMay 21, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 9, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16H2306/54
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A shift prompter/driver information display for a highway truck is disclosed. The display is operable to cruising, prompting, and shifting modes of operation. In the cruising mode of operation the driver of the vehicle can select, via a set of keypad switches, information about the vehicle's operation that he desires to see presented on a multi-digit decimal readout of the display. Information concerning fuel economy, engine speed, vehicle speed, travel time, travel distance and engine hours can be selected. In the prompting mode of operation the display indicates that operation of the transmission to a different gear is appropriate. The shifting mode commences when the driver initiates a shift to a different gear. In the shifting mode the target gear to which the transmission should be shifted is presented on the display. Additional displays are included to aid the driver in completing the shifting procedure and these involve indicating when the engine speed is substantially equal to the synchronous meshing speed of the target gear. One of these is a linear analogue display that is associated with the digital display and is operational in both the cruising mode and in the shifting…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.