Method and device for determining and dampening juddering vibrations of a drivetrain

• US 8,352,140 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Herter, Peter, Staudinger, Joachim, Petzold, Rainer, Bitzer, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US12/667,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 477/77, 477/83, 701/51, 701/60, 701/64, 701/67, 701/68
• US Class Current: 701/67
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30421 Torque of the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30814 Torque of the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30822 Torque of the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3117 Vehicle wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50293 Reduction of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/16 Dynamometric measurement of torque

Abstract

A method of determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, in which the disturbing vibrations are detected by a control and regulating unit aided by suitable sensors and, if predetermined limit values are exceeded, at least one device is actuated by the control and regulating unit in such manner that the disturbing vibrations are completely eliminated or at least reduced in amplitude. At least one torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to detect the occurrence of vibrations in the drivetrain (1) and the torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to determine vibration amplitude.

Claims

1. A method of determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, in which disturbing vibrations are detected by a control and regulating unit aided by suitable sensors, and if predetermined limit values are exceeded, the control and regulating unit actuates at least one device in such manner that the disturbing vibrations are one of at least reduced in amplitude and completely eliminated, and the method comprising the steps of:

detecting the vibrations in the drivetrain (1) with a single torque sensor (8) located at the clutch,

determining a vibration amplitude directly at the clutch via the torque sensor (8),

transmitting the vibration amplitude to the control and regulating unit, and

actuating the device with the control and regulating unit based on the vibration amplitude to at least reduce the vibration amplitude of the vibrations.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a position of the clutch as a function of torque fluctuations of the drivetrain (1), acting upon the torque fluctuations with the clutch to dampen the torque fluctuations.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining torque fluctuations with the torque sensor at the clutch already in the drivetrain (1).

4. A device for determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, the clutch being arranged in the drivetrain (1), and

a control and regulating unit detecting disturbing vibrations aided by a single torque sensor (8) located at the clutch for determining the disturbing vibrations,

wherein the torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is positioned one of either directly after the clutch (3), directly after a transmission (4) and on a wheel shaft (6) of the vehicle, the torque sensor transmitting torque fluctuations to the control and regulating unit, and the control and regulating unit converting the torque fluctuations to establish vibration amplitudes.

5. A method for determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

predetermining clutch torque fluctuation limit values;

monitoring clutch torque fluctuations with a single sensor;

transmitting the clutch torque fluctuations to a clutch control unit;

determining a vibration amplitude of the clutch torque fluctuations; and

adjusting engagement of the clutch, via the clutch control unit, to at least reduce drivetrain torque fluctuation.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of locating the single sensor at the clutch, determining the vibration amplitude of the clutch torque fluctuations directly at the clutch and transmitting the vibration amplitude to the clutch control unit.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of locating the single sensor between a transmission and a differential, calculating the vibration amplitude from the clutch torque fluctuations and a transmission ratio of the transmission and transmitting the vibration amplitude to the clutch control unit.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of locating the single sensor on a wheel shaft between a differential and a wheel, calculating the vibration amplitude from the clutch torque fluctuations and a transmission ratio of the differential and transmitting the vibration amplitude to the clutch control unit.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps determining a clutch position as a function of the clutch torque fluctuations of the drivetrain detected by the torque sensor at the clutch, and varying torque that is transmittable by the clutch during a slipping phase of the clutch.