Method for controlling an automated friction clutch

• US 8,617,031 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Goeppert, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, David D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hlavka, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/494,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20120252632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 477/174, 477/175, 477/176, 477/180, 701/68
• US Class Current: 477/175
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30406 Clutch slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3065 Torque of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50236 Adaptations of the clutch characteristics, e.g. curve clutch capacity torque - clutch actuator displacement
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50287 Torque control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7044 Output shaft torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure

Abstract

A method for controlling an automated friction clutch arranged in a drive train between an internal combustion engine and a gearbox, including: operating the friction clutch by a clutch actuator controlled by means of a controller; transmitting actual clutch torque by means of the friction clutch; implementing actual clutch torque that can be transmitted by means of the friction clutch and that can be adapted to the transmission behavior of the friction clutch by means of a control variable of the clutch actuator associated with a target torque of the clutch torque to be transmitted; operating the friction clutch in an engaged state while the target torque is specified; and adapting the target torque depending on clutch torque estimated from the operating data of the engine. The target torque corresponds to an engine torque that is generated by the internal combustion engine and that is applied with a safety margin.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an automated friction clutch arranged in a drive train between an internal combustion engine and a gearbox, comprising:

operating the friction clutch by a clutch actuator controlled by means of a controller;

transmitting first torque from the internal combustion engine by means of the friction clutch;

estimating, using engine torque provided by an engine control unit of the internal combustion engine, the first torque transmitted by the friction clutch;

generating a target torque by adding a safety margin to the estimated torque;

operating the friction clutch in an engaged state at the target torque;

when the target torque is lower than the first clutch torque from the internal combustion engine transmitted by the friction clutch;

increasing the target torque;

increasing slip until a specified slip is reached in the friction clutch; and

generating, in response to reaching the specified slip, an adjusted clutch torque; and

adapting the adjusted clutch torque as the target torque.

2. A method for controlling an automated friction clutch arranged in a drive train between an internal combustion engine and a gearbox, comprising:

operating the friction clutch with a clutch actuator controlled by means of a controller using a control variable of the clutch actuator, the control variable associated with a target torque to be transmitted by the clutch;

transmitting first torque from the internal combustion engine by means of the friction clutch;

estimating, using engine torque provided by an engine control unit of the internal combustion engine, the torque transmitted by the friction clutch;

generating a target torque by adding a safety margin to the estimated torque;

operating the friction clutch in an engaged state at the target torque; and

,

when the target torque is greater than the first clutch torque from the internal combustion engine transmitted by the friction clutch;

reducing the target torque so that the target torque is lower than the control variable; and

,

tightening the friction clutch.

3. A method for controlling an automated friction clutch arranged in a drive train between an internal combustion engine and a gearbox, comprising:

operating the friction clutch by a clutch actuator controlled by means of a controller;

transmitting first torque from the internal combustion engine by means of the friction clutch;

estimating, using engine torque provided by an engine control unit of the internal combustion engine, the torque transmitted by the friction clutch;

generating a target torque by adding a safety margin to the estimated torque;

operating the friction clutch in an engaged state at the target torque; and

,

when the target torque is greater than the first clutch torque from the internal combustion engine transmitted by the friction clutch;

reducing the target torque;

tightening the friction clutch;

reducing a specified slip of the friction clutch until the friction clutch is no longer slipping;

disengaging the friction clutch until the friction clutch slips at the specified slip; and

,

changing the target torque to the torque of the friction clutch at the specified slip.