CLUTCH CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090299590A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ozeki, Takashi, Kojima, Hiroyuki, Nedachi, Yoshiaki, Tsukada, Yoshiaki, Fukaya, Kazuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/68
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1117 Motorcycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3022 Current
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3024 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3111 Standing still, i.e. signal detecting when the vehicle is standing still or bellow a certain limit speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3115 Vehicle wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3127 Road slope
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31426 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70605 Adaptive correction; Modifying control system parameters, e.g. gains, constants, look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/066 Control of fluid pressure, e.g. using an accumulator F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/08 Regulating clutch take-up on starting

Abstract

A clutch control device is provided for a clutch to connect and disconnect the transmission of a rotational drive force from a power source to a drive wheel in a vehicle. A clutch control unit is configured to control a control amount for said clutch. A drive wheel rotation start detector is configured to detect a start of rotation of said drive wheel. A control correction amount calculator is configured to calculate a control correction amount of said clutch based on a difference between the clutch control amount detected at the start of rotation of said drive wheel and a predetermined reference value. The clutch control unit is further configured to apply said control correction amount to the control amount for said clutch to control said clutch.

Claims

1. A clutch control device for a clutch to connect and disconnect the transmission of a rotational drive force from a power source to a drive wheel in a vehicle, said clutch control device comprising:

clutch control means for controlling a control amount of said clutch;

drive wheel rotation start detecting means for detecting a start of rotation of said drive wheel; and

control correction amount calculating means for calculating a control correction amount of said clutch based on a difference between the clutch control amount detected at the start of rotation of said drive wheel and a predetermined reference value,

wherein said clutch control means applies said control correction amount to the control amount of said clutch to control said clutch.

2. The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein said control correction amount calculating means calculates a control correction amount to be applied to clutch control during running of said vehicle, and

wherein said control correction amount calculating means calculates a control correction amount to be applied to invalid stroke filling control at starting of said vehicle.

3. The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein said drive wheel rotation start detecting means detects the start of rotation from a stopped condition of said drive wheel based on an output pulse from a vehicle speed sensor to directly detect a rotational speed of said drive wheel.

4. The clutch control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

inclination angle detecting means for detecting an inclination angle of said vehicle in its longitudinal direction,

wherein said control correction amount calculating means suspends the calculation of said control correction amount when said inclination angle is larger than a predetermined value.

5. The clutch control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

brake operation detecting means for detecting a brake operation in said vehicle,

wherein said control correction amount calculating means suspends the calculation of said control correction amount when said brake operation is detected.

6. The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein said clutch comprises a twin clutch type clutch including a first clutch and a second clutch provided on a main shaft;

wherein an engaged condition of said first clutch and an engaged condition of said second clutch is alternately switched every time a shift operation is performed to transmit the rotational drive force from said power source to said drive wheel.

7. The clutch control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

warning means for giving a warning,

wherein said control correction amount calculating means gives the warning through said warning means when said control correction amount exceeds a predetermined value.

8. The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein said clutch is driven by an actuating means, and

wherein the control amount of said clutch comprises a control current value supplied to said actuating means.

9. The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein said clutch comprises a hydraulic clutch, and

wherein the control amount of said clutch comprises an oil pressure generated in said clutch.

10. A clutch control device for a clutch to connect and disconnect the transmission of a rotational drive force from a power source to a drive wheel in a vehicle, said clutch control device comprising:

a clutch control unit configured to control a control amount for said clutch;

a drive wheel rotation start detector configured to detect a start of rotation of said drive wheel; and

a control correction amount calculator configured to calculate a control correction amount of said clutch based on a difference between the clutch control amount detected at the start of rotation of said drive wheel and a predetermined reference value,

wherein said clutch control unit is further configured to apply said control correction amount to the control amount for said clutch to control said clutch.

11. The clutch control device according to claim 10, wherein said control correction amount calculator is further configured to calculate a control correction amount to be applied to clutch control during running of said vehicle, and

wherein said control correction amount calculator is further configured to calculate a control correction amount to be applied to invalid stroke filling control at starting of said vehicle.

12. The clutch control device according to claim 10, wherein said drive wheel rotation start detector is further configured to detect the start of rotation from a stopped condition of said drive wheel based on an output pulse from a vehicle speed sensor to directly detect a rotational speed of said drive wheel.

13. The clutch control device according to claim 10, further comprising:

an inclination angle detector configured to detect an inclination angle of said vehicle in its longitudinal direction,

wherein said control correction amount calculator suspends the calculation of said control correction amount when said inclination angle is larger than a predetermined value.

14. The clutch control device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a brake operation detector configured to detect a brake operation in said vehicle,

wherein said control correction amount calculator suspends the calculation of said control correction amount when said brake operation is detected.

15. The clutch control device according to claim 10, wherein said clutch comprises a twin clutch type clutch including a first clutch and a second clutch provided on a main shaft;

wherein an engaged condition of said first clutch and an engaged condition of said second clutch is alternately switched every time a shift operation is performed to transmit the rotational drive force from said power source to said drive wheel.

16. The clutch control device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a warning unit configured to provide a warning,

wherein said control correction amount calculator gives the warning through said warning unit when said control correction amount exceeds a predetermined value.

17. The clutch control device according to claim 10, wherein said clutch is driven by an actuator, and

wherein the control amount of said clutch comprises a control current value supplied to said actuator.

18. The clutch control device according to claim 10, wherein said clutch comprises a hydraulic clutch, and

wherein the control amount of said clutch comprises an oil pressure generated in said clutch.

19. A clutch control method for connecting and disconnecting the transmission of a rotational drive force from a power source to a drive wheel in a vehicle, said clutch control method comprising:

controlling, by a clutch control unit, a control amount for said clutch;

detecting, by a drive wheel rotation start detector, a start of rotation of said drive wheel;

calculating, by a control correction amount calculator, a control correction amount for said clutch based on a difference between the clutch control amount detected at the start of rotation of said drive wheel and a predetermined reference value; and

applying, by said clutch control unit, said control correction amount to the control amount of said clutch to control said clutch.

20. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

calculating, by said control correction amount calculator, a control correction amount to be applied to clutch control during running of said vehicle; and

calculating, by said control correction amount calculator, a control correction amount to be applied to invalid stroke filling control at starting of said vehicle.

21. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

detecting, by said drive wheel rotation start detector, the start of a rotation from a stopped condition of said drive wheel based on an output pulse from a vehicle speed sensor to directly detect a rotational speed of said drive wheel.

22. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

detecting, by an inclination angle detector, an inclination angle of said vehicle in its longitudinal direction; and

suspending the calculation of said control correction amount when said inclination angle is larger than a predetermined value.

23. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

detecting, by a brake operation detector, a brake operation in said vehicle; and

suspending the calculation of said control correction amount when said brake operation is detected.

24. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

configuring said clutch to be a twin clutch type clutch comprising a first clutch and a second clutch provided on a main shaft; and

alternatively switching an engaged condition of said first clutch and an engaged condition of said second clutch every time a shift operation is performed to transmit the rotational drive force from said power source to said drive wheel.

25. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

configuring a warning unit to provide a warning; and

warning through said warning unit when said control correction amount exceeds a predetermined value.

26. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

driving said clutch by an actuator; and

configuring the control amount of said clutch to be a control current value supplied to said actuator.

27. The clutch control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

configuring said clutch to be a hydraulic clutch; and

configuring the control amount of said clutch to be an oil pressure generated in said clutch.