METHOD OF OPERATING A TRANSMISSION SYSTEM VALVE CONFIGURATION

• US 20090206292A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: BRAUN, Christoph, POPP, Christian, SCHMIDT, Thilo, STEINHAUSER, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.150
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0255 Solenoid valve using PWM or duty-cycle control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0251 Elements specially adapted for electric control units, e.g. valves for converting electrical signals to fluid signals

Abstract

The invention describes a method for operating a transmission'"'"'s valve system of a vehicle'"'"'s drive train through a valve unit and said valve unit'"'"'s electro-magnetic activator configuration. In a transmission'"'"'s hydraulic system and being part of the vehicle'"'"'s drive train, its hydraulic pressure value (p_EDS) can be employed and adjusted through a valve unit'"'"'s configuration by applying to the electro-magnetic activator system a pulse-width-modulated current signal (i_EDS). The pulse-width modulated current signal (i_EDS) and its signal'"'"'s amplitude (A) and/or its pulse duration (pw1) will periodically change during the applied Dither-Modulation, by maintaining at the same time the required pressure value (p_EDS), whereby a horizontally moving anchor, which is attached the valve system'"'"'s valve shaft, receives hereby an imposed vibrating oscillation. As shown in this invention, the Dither-Modulation will be activated or deactivated accordingly during pre-defined operating conditions of the vehicle'"'"'s drive train.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method to operate a valve system of a drive train of a vehicle transmission system with a valve system unit and an engaging electro-magnetic activator unit, whereby through the valve system unit a hydraulic pressure value of the hydraulic system in the transmission of a vehicle'"'"'s drive train can be set, depending on a pulse-width modulated current signal (i_EDS), present at the electro-magnetic activator unit, and at least one of an amplitude (A) and a pulse duration (pw1) of a pulse-width modulated signal, during a Dither-Modulation which is, by maintaining the pressure value to be set, whereby the valve system'"'"'s horizontally moving anchor and the connected valve shaft are now exposed to a vibration, thereby characterized that the Dither-Modulation will be activated or deactivated in accordance with existing, pre-defined operating conditions of the vehicle'"'"'s drive train.

17. A method of operating a valve system of a vehicle drive train of a transmission system including a valve system unit and an engaging electro-magnetic activator unit, whereby a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic system in the transmission of the vehicle drive train can be set, through the valve system unit, depending on a pulse-width modulated current signal (i_EDS) present at the electro-magnetic activator unit, and one of an amplitude (A) and a pulse duration (pw1) of a pulse-width modulated signal, during a Dither-Modulation which is, by maintaining the pressure value to be set, whereby a horizontally moving anchor, attached a valve shaft of the valve system, is exposed to a vibration;

the method comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation in accordance with existing, pre-defined operating conditions of the vehicle drive train.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation upon exceeding a pressure value which was pre-defined through the valve system.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of one of varying and altering the pre-defined pressure value, depending on temperature, and on an adoption routine.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of enabling and disabling the Dither-Modulation depending on at least one torque parameter of the transmission.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation, depending on a pre-defined gear ratio change, and changing the current signal (i_EDS) during the Dither-Modulation depending on said gear ratio change.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating the Dither-Modulation within pre-defined shift strategy ranges.

23. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation during the processing of an adoption routine.

24. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation during a disabled adoption routine.

25. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of one of activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation depending on defined operating temperature ranges of the vehicle drive train.

26. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of varying the current signal (i_EDS), through the Dither-Modulation, depending on a gradient of a set pressure (p_EDS) of the valve system.

27. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of setting an activation pressure for the gear system of the transmission through a valve system, which is designated to provide different gear ratios for the transmission, whereby different support factors are in existence for different gear ratios, and activating and deactivating the Dither-Modulation based on these support factors.

28. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of altering the current signal (i_EDS) of the valve system through the Dither-Modulation in pre-defined operating conditions depending on tolerances of a pressure activated switch element of the valve system.

29. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of setting the at least one of the amplitude and the frequency of the Dither-Modulation depending on an accuracy and a resonance stability of the valve system.

30. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of varying the at least one of the amplitude and the frequency of the Dither-Modulation depending on different operating condition parameters of the drive train of the vehicle.

31. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of calculating a self-induction in a vicinity of the electro-magnetic activation unit and, in case of exceeding a self-induction threshold, recognizing bouncing inside a mechanical fitting of the valve as part of the valve system.