Gearbox Shift Lockout System

1 . A system for preventing shifting between a plurality of gear ratios in a mechanical gearset comprising:

a rotation sensor detecting rotation of a moving component in the mechanical gearset;

a shift solenoid controlling shifting among the plurality of gear ratios; and

a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the shift solenoid and the rotation sensor that prevents activation of the shift solenoid when rotation is detected by the rotation sensor.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotation sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving component comprises a planetary gearset.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving component comprises a target ring affixed to a carrier of a planetary gearset.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving component comprises a compound planetary gearset having a plurality of stepped planetary gears with first and second gears on a common axis providing first and second output ratios at a planet carrier retaining the plurality of stepped planetary gears.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising:

an input shaft to the mechanical gearset, the mechanical input shaft being moveable between a first location engaged as a sun gear with the first gears of the plurality of planetary gears and a second location being engaged as the sun gear with the second gears of the plurality of planetary gears thereby effecting a first and second output ratio between the input shaft and the planet carrier respectively.

7 . A system for preventing shifting between a plurality of gear ratios in a mechanical gearset comprising:

an operating sensor providing a signal indicative of the mechanical gearset being in operation;

a shift solenoid and valve block controlling shifting among the plurality of gear ratios in the gearset; and

a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the shift solenoid and the rotation sensor that prevents activation of the shift solenoid when the mechanical gearset is in operation.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the operating sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor detecting movement of the mechanical gearset.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the Hall-effect sensor senses rotation of a target ring affixed to a planet carrier of a planetary gearset.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the operating sensor is a hydraulic sensor detecting flow of hydraulic fluid powering a hydraulic motor powering the mechanical gearset.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller receives an input shift command but does not send a signal to the solenoid in response to the command when the operating sensor indicates operation of the mechanical gearset.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller receives an input shift command but does not send a signal to the solenoid in response to the command when the operating sensor indicates operation of the mechanical gearset, until after outputting a stop signal from the microprocessor that causes an input drive to the mechanical gearset to cease operation.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the mechanical gearset comprises a first compound planetary gearset having a plurality of stepped planetary gears with first and second gears on a common axis providing first and second output ratios at a planet carrier retaining the plurality of stepped planetary gears such that the planet carrier rotates when either the first or second gears are rotated by a sun gear; and

the operating sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor detecting rotation of a target ring affixed to the planet carrier.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein:

shifting between the first and second ratios is effect by movement of an input shaft having a sun gear on a proximal end thereof to rotate the first or second gears;

the input shaft is moved by a hydraulic piston affixed to a distal end thereof; and

the hydraulic piston is moved in response to fluid flow from the valve block as controlled by the solenoid signaled by the microprocessor.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the planet carrier of the first compound planetary gearset drives a sun gear of a second planetary gearset having a planet carrier affixed to an output shaft of the gearset.

16 . A method for preventing shifting of a mechanical gearset when the gearset is in operation comprising:

providing an operating sensor detecting rotation of an internal component of the mechanical gearset; and

providing a microcontroller communicatively coupled to the operating sensor;

wherein the microcontroller prevents a shift solenoid of the mechanical gearset from initiation a change of input/output ratio of the mechanical gearset when the internal component of the mechanical gearset is rotating.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein providing an operating sensor further comprises providing a Hall-effect sensor and a target ring on the internal component such that rotation of the internal component moves the target ring to be detected by the Hall-effect sensor.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein providing a target ring on the internal component further comprises providing the target ring on a planet carrier in the mechanical gearset that moves whenever the mechanical gearset is in operation.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the microcontroller prevents the shift solenoid from initiating the change by blocking a received electronic shift signal from being sent to the solenoid.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the microcontroller propagates the received electronic shift signal to the when the operating sensor does not detect rotation of the internal component of the mechanical gearset.