Actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle drive train and method for operating an actuator arrangement

• US 8,620,513 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getrag Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Getrag Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & CIE KG
• Inventors: Seufert, Martin, Ludwig, Michael Gerhard, Naegele, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US12/338,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/99, 701/29.1, 192/20, 192/40, 192/48.2, 192/48.8, 192/93, 192/94, 192/98, 192/115, 477/77, 477/86
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1023 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3026 Stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3028 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/501 Relating the actuator
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5108 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5114 Failsafe
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1208 with diagnostic check cycles; Monitoring of failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1288 the failing part is an actuator
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/12 Detecting malfunction or potential malfunction, e.g. fail safe in control of hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4192; Circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/32 Electric motors actuators or related electrical control means therefor

Abstract

An actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle drive train has a control device, an electric actuator and a drive circuit for the actuator. The drive circuit receives at least one nominal signal relating to an actuator from the control device and converts it into a drive signal for the actuator. The control device is checked for faults by means of a monitoring device. The drive circuit and/or a power stage which is arranged between the drive circuit and the motor receives a reset signal when such a fault occurs. Further, the control device is configured to check the function of the drive circuit and to generate a reset signal for the drive circuit and/or for the power stage if a malfunction occurs.

Claims

1. Actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle drive train, having

a control device,

a monitoring device,

an actuator,

a drive circuit for the actuator, and

a power stage arranged between the drive circuit and the actuator,

the drive circuit receives at least one nominal signal relating to the actuator from the control device and converts it into a drive signal for the actuator,

the control device is checked for control device faults by means of the monitoring device, wherein at least one of the drive circuit and the power stage receives a reset signal when such a control device fault occurs,

the control device checks the function of the drive circuit and generates a reset signal for at least one of the drive circuit and the power stage if a drive circuit malfunction occurs, wherein the control device receives a first control signal from the actuator and checks the first control signal to determine whether the drive circuit is functioning correctly, and wherein the control device receives a second control signal from the drive circuit and evaluates the first control signal and the second control signal to determine whether the drive circuit is functioning correctly.

2. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second control signal is an actual value signal relating to an actuator variable.

3. Actuator arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the actual value signal and the nominal signal are transmitted on a bidirectional line between the control device and the drive circuit.

4. Actuator arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the rotational speed band or accuracy band is larger the greater the degree by which the rotational speed which results from the processed control signal differs from the first predefined rotational speed.

5. Actuator arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the actual value signal is a digital signal.

6. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first control signal has a digital signal from at least one sensor.

7. Actuator arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the first control signal has a plurality of digital signals which monitor the state of the actuator.

8. Actuator arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the digital control signal is a digital commutation signal.

9. Actuator arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the digital control signal is fed to a converter device which converts the digital control signal into a converted control signal which is fed to the control device.

10. Actuator arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the converted control signal contains information about at least one of the rotational direction, the rotational speed and the position of the actuator.

11. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the nominal signal is an analogue signal.

12. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is embodied as a motor and has a predefined rotational speed range, wherein at least one of the control device and a converter device which converts the first control signal into a control signal for the control device is configured to process the first control signal up to a first predefined rotational speed within the rotational speed range in such a way that the rotational speed of the motor can be reproduced exactly from the processed control signal, and wherein, above the first predefined rotational speed, a plausibility-checking device in at least one of the control device and the converter device checks the processed control signal to determine whether the resulting rotational speed is within a predefined rotational speed band or accuracy band.

13. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is embodied as a motor and has a predefined rotational speed range, wherein at least one of the control device and a converter device which converts the first control signal into a control signal for the control device is configured to process the first control signal up to a second predefined rotational speed within the rotational speed range, in such a way that the Nyquist criterion is met, and wherein, above the second predefined rotational speed, a plausibility-checking device in at least one of the control device and the converter device checks whether it is plausible that the rotational speed is above the second predefined rotational speed.

14. Actuator arrangement according to claim 13, wherein, if the rotational speed was previously in a rotational speed band below the second predefined rotational speed, the plausibility-checking device detects it as plausible that the rotational speed is above the second predefined rotational speed.

15. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuit has an ASIC module.

16. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a brushless motor.

17. Actuator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to compare a state signal from the actuator with a state signal of the drive circuit simultaneously or in a chronological assignment to one another, in order to check the function of the drive circuit.

18. Actuator arrangement according to claim 17, wherein a synchronization signal is transmitted between the control device and the drive circuit, by means of which synchronization signal a chronological assignment between the state signals is effected in the control device.

19. In an actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle drive train, having

a control device,

a monitoring device,

an actuator,

a drive circuit for the actuator, and

a power stage arranged between the drive circuit and the actuator,

an operating method for operating the actuator arrangement comprises the steps of:

receiving in the drive circuit at least one nominal signal relating to the actuator from the control device and converting it into a drive signal for the actuator,

checking the control device for control device faults by means of the monitoring device, wherein at least one of the drive circuit and the power receives a reset signal when such a control device fault occurs, and

checking the function of the drive circuit by means of the control device and generating a reset signal for at least one of the drive circuit and the power stage by means of the control device if a drive circuit malfunction occurs,

receiving in the control device a first control signal from the actuator and checking in the control device the first control signal to determine whether the drive circuit is functioning correctly, and

receiving in the control device a second control signal from the drive circuit and evaluating in the control device the first control signal and the second control signal to determine whether the drive circuit is functioning correctly.