Clutch operational control apparatus

• US 5,609,543 A
• Filed: 02/14/1995
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Aoki, Takashi, Matsuda, Takahiro, Katsuta, Keisuke, Kanda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Application Number:
  US08/388,019
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 477/40, 477/44, 477/45, 477/50, 477/74, 477/92, 477/114, 477/116, 477/173, 477/175, 477/176
• US Class Current: 477/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0671 Engine manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/065 Idle condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18063 Creeping
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1085 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1088 CVT
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3061 Engine inlet air flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3067 Speed of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30806 Engaged transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3101 Detection of a brake actuation by a sensor on the brake brake pedal actuation F16D2500/31426
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50206 Creep control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50215 Brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5045 Control of engine at idle, i.e. controlling engine idle conditions, e.g. idling speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50858 Selecting a Mode of operation
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70404 Force
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7061 Feed-back
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/066 Control of fluid pressure, e.g. using an accumulator F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/6807 Status of gear-change operation, e.g. clutch fully engaged
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/202 : Active creep control for slow driving, e.g. by controlling clutch slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/10 : comprising levers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/22 : Idle position
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/30 : Intake manifold vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/54 : dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/20 : Preventing gear creeping ; Transmission control during standstill, e.g. hill hold control

Abstract

A clutch operational control apparatus (75) controls an engaging force of a starting clutch (5) which is provided in a power transmitting path including an automatic transmission (CVT). The control apparatus comprises an idling state detector of an engine, a vacuum pressure detector for detecting an actual intake vacuum pressure of the engine, a range judging unit for judging a shift position of a manual shift lever, a target intake vacuum pressure determining unit for determining a target intake vacuum pressure, and clutch engaging force control means for controlling the clutch engaging force. The target intake vacuum pressure determining unit determines the target intake vacuum pressure based on the actual intake vacuum pressure when it is judged that the shift position is in the non-driving range and further when it is detected that said engine is in the idling state. The clutch engaging force control means controls the clutch engaging force so that the actual intake vacuum pressure coincides with the target intake vacuum pressure when it is judged that the shift position is in the driving range and further when it is detected that the engine is in the idling state.

Claims

1. A clutch operational control apparatus for controlling an engaging force of a clutch provided in a power transmitting path from an engine through an automatic transmission to drive wheels with the power transmitting path being controlled by the clutch, comprising;

idling state detecting means for detecting whether the engine is in an idling state;

vacuum pressure detecting means for detecting an actual intake vacuum pressure of the engine;

range judging means for judging whether a shift position of a manual shift means of the automatic transmission is in one of a driving-range and a non-driving range;

target intake vacuum pressure determining means for determining a target intake vacuum pressure based on the actual intake vacuum pressure when said range judging means judges that the shift position is in the non-driving range and further when said idling state detecting means detects that the engine is in the idling state; and

clutch engaging force control means for controlling the clutch engaging force so that the actual intake vacuum pressure coincides with the target intake vacuum pressure when said range judging means judges that the shift position is in the driving range and further when said idling state detecting means detects that the engine is in the idling state.

2. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, said target intake vacuum pressure determining means determines said target intake vacuum pressure by subtracting a specified value from said actual intake vacuum pressure.

3. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, said actual intake vacuum pressure is detected immediately before the shift from the non-driving range to the driving range.

4. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, when shifted from the non-driving range to the driving range, at first said clutch engaging force control means controls the clutch engaging force for a specified time period so that the actual intake vacuum pressure coincides with the target intake vacuum pressure, and then the clutch engaging force is kept constant at a value determined at the end of said time period.

5. A clutch operational control apparatus for controlling an engaging force of a clutch provided in a power transmitting path from an engine through an automatic transmission to drive wheels with the power transmitting path being controlled by the clutch, comprising;

idling state detecting means for detecting whether the engine is in an idling state;

braking operation detecting means for detecting whether a vehicle brake is applied;

vacuum pressure detecting means for detecting an actual intake vacuum pressure of the engine;

range judging means for judging whether a shift position of a manual shift means of the automatic transmission is in one of a driving range and a non-driving range;

target intake vacuum pressure determining means for determining a target intake vacuum pressure based on the actual intake vacuum pressure when said range judging means judges that the shift position is at the non-driving range and further when said idling state detecting means detects that the engine is in the idling state;

creep-mode selection means for selecting a first creep-mode when said range judging means judges that the shift position is in the driving range and further when by said braking operation detecting means detects that the vehicle brake is not applied, and for selecting a second creep-mode when said range judging means judges that the shift position is in the driving range and further when said braking operation detecting means detects that the vehicle brake is applied;

the creep force transmitted through the clutch being larger in said first creep-mode than in said second creep-mode; and

clutch engaging force control means for controlling the clutch engaging force so that the actual intake vacuum pressure coincides with the target intake vacuum pressure when said second creep-mode is selected by said creep mode selection means.

6. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 5 wherein, said target intake vacuum pressure determining means determines said target intake vacuum pressure by subtracting a specified value from said actual intake vacuum pressure.

7. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 5 wherein, said actual intake vacuum pressure is detected immediately before the shift from the non-driving range to the driving range.

8. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 5 wherein, when shifted from the non-driving range to the driving range under said second creep-mode, at first said clutch engaging force control means controls the clutch engaging force for a specified time period so that the actual intake vacuum pressure coincides with the target intake vacuum pressure, and then the clutch engaging force is kept constant at a value determined at the end of said time period.

9. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 5 wherein, when said first creep-mode is selected, said clutch engaging force control means controls the clutch engaging force so as to coincide with a predetermined engaging force.

10. A clutch operational control apparatus according to claim 9 wherein, said predetermined engaging force is determined by adding a specified value to the engaging force determined in said second creep-mode.