Starter release

• US 20060144667A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Martin, Stengel, Frank, Ehrlich, Matthias, Hirt, Joachim, Fuss, Martin, Martin, Jens, Schweizer, Alexander, Nazari, Behzad
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 192/84.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0225 Clutch actuator position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/10 Safety devices F02N11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1025 with threaded transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/10412 Transmission line of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1085 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3026 Stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30401 On-off signal indicating the engage or disengaged position of the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50224 Drive-off
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5108 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/10 Preventing unintentional or unsafe engagement

Abstract

A process and device for controlling a motor vehicle with an initialization device (43) for startup and a clutch actuated by means of a clutch actuator set (45) between a drive unit and a gear with a control device (41) by means of which at least one control of the clutch actuator set (45) and an acquisition of measurement data of a sensor (47) takes place for the purpose of determining the position of the clutch, characterized in that to verify the state “clutch open” upon startup, a positioning of the clutch actuator set (45) that has been set and stored before or during shutdown is compared to a positioning that was acquired during a predetermined movement course of the clutch actuator set (45) after startup by means of a distance measurement, which takes place at least in a segment of that movement course, whereby the state “clutch open” is recognized, in particular, when the magnitude of the comparison is within a predetermined tolerance range. By means of the invention one can further reduce the probability of the setting into motion of a motor vehicle after startup, which is critical in terms of safety.

Claims

1. A process for controlling a motor vehicle with an initialization device (43) for startup and a clutch actuated by means of a clutch actuator set (45) between a drive unit and a gear with a control device (41) by means of which at least one control of the clutch actuator set (45) and an acquisition of measurement data of a sensor (47) takes place for the purpose of determining the position of the clutch, characterized in that to verify the state “

clutch open”

upon startup, a positioning of the clutch actuator set (45) that has been set and stored before or during shutdown is compared to a positioning that was acquired during a predetermined movement course of the clutch actuator set (45) after startup by means of a distance measurement, which takes place at least in a segment of that movement course, whereby the state “

clutch open”

is recognized, in particular, when the magnitude of the comparison is within a predetermined tolerance range.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein a self-locking clutch actuator set (45) before or during shutdown (13) is positioned remote (15) by a predetermined distance from the stop “

clutch open”

in the direction of “

clutch closed”

.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein a non-self-locking clutch actuator set (45) is moved before or during shutdown (13) upon the stop “

clutch open”

(15).

4. The process according to claim 2, wherein upon startup (21), one moves with the self-locking clutch actuator set (45) in the direction of “

clutch open” and

that the covered distance is measured until a stop is recognized.

5. The process according to claim 3, wherein upon startup (21) using the non-self-locking actuator set (45), one moves for a predetermined distance in the direction “

clutch closed” and

that one stops then and thereupon moves back in the other direction, in the direction of “

clutch open”

, and that the return-run distance is measured until a stop is recognized (23).

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the movement and positioning of the actuator set take place electrically with an actuator motor.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein a reset movement of the actuator set in the direction of “

clutch open”

takes place through impacting by an energy storage unit such as, for example, a spring device.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the clutch is considered as opened when the deviation of a measured distance from a predetermined distance is within the predetermined tolerance range (25).

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the clutch is subjected to a diagnosis procedure (27) when the deviation of a measured distance from a predetermined distance is not within the predetermined tolerance range (25).

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the starter release is not given (31) when the diagnosis procedure determines an implausible actuator set behavior (29).

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the procedural steps must be applied to both clutches in case of a dual-clutch gear.

12. A device for controlling a motor vehicle with an initialization device (43) for the purpose of starting the vehicle and shutting it down and a clutch actuated by means of a clutch actuator set (45) between a drive unit and a gear with a control device (41) by means of which at least one control of the clutch actuator set (45) and an acquisition of measurement data of sensor (47) will take place to determine the position of the clutch, characterized in that the control device is so executed that it can be used to make a comparison of a positioning of the clutch actuator set (45) that is set and stored before or during shutdown with a positioning that is acquired during a predetermined movement course of the clutch actuator set (45) after startup by means of a distance measurement that takes place at least in a segment of that motion course.