Method for controlling a damper clutch

• US 8,818,666 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Chae, Chang Kook, Lee, Heungseok, Oh, Sukil, Oh, Wan Soo, Kim, Jin Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUILLEN, ALLEN ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/619,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/67
• US Class Current: 701/67
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/203 related or induced by the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/145 for controlling slip, e.g. approaching target slip value
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/04 Smoothing ratio shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/14 Control of torque converter lock-up clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/38 Control of exclusively fluid gearing

Abstract

A method for controlling a damper clutch may include determining whether the damper clutch is in a slip or lock-up state in a driving state of a vehicle, determining whether a condition of the vehicle is within a predetermined resonant range, determining whether a torque of the vehicle is within a predetermined resonant torque range, detecting a subharmonic vibration when the damper clutch is in the slip or lock-up state, the condition of the vehicle is within the predetermined resonant range, and the torque of the vehicle is within the predetermined resonant torque range, and controlling the damper clutch to slip or be open when the subharmonic vibration is larger than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a damper clutch in a torque converter of a combustion engine using only a power of an engine, comprising:

determining, by an electronic control unit (ECU) or a transmission control unit (TCU), whether the damper clutch is in a slip or lock-up state in a driving state of a vehicle;

determining whether a condition of the vehicle is within a predetermined resonant range;

determining whether a torque of the vehicle is within a predetermined resonant torque range;

detecting, by a sensor, a subharmonic vibration when the damper clutch is in the slip or lock-up state, the condition of the vehicle is within the predetermined resonant range, and the torque of the vehicle is within the predetermined resonant torque range; and

controlling, by the electronic control unit (ECU) or the transmission control unit (TCU), the damper clutch to slip or be open when the subharmonic vibration is larger than a predetermined value;

wherein the damper clutch has a 2-stage stiffness structure by applying dual damper springs, and the resonant torque range is a predetermined range that includes a torque corresponding to a break point of stiffness of the damper clutch; and

wherein the controlling of the damper clutch to slip or be open includes controlling the damper clutch to slip when the subharmonic vibration is larger than a predetermined first index value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the damper clutch to slip or be open includes controlling the damper clutch to open when the subharmonic vibration which is detected after controlling the damper clutch to slip is larger than a predetermined second index value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the resonant range of the vehicle is set by considering a design value or an experimental value of a driving system of the vehicle including an engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the resonant range of the vehicle is an engine speed range which is preset according to a gear speed of the vehicle.