Method and apparatus for controlling an engine disconnect clutch in a powertrain system

• US 8,989,930 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Sah, Jy-Jen F., Heap, Anthony H., Kaminsky, Lawrence A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US13/163,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.265, 903/930, 903/945
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/027 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/028 Clutch input shaft speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/186 excessive wear or burn out of friction elements, e.g. clutches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio

Abstract

A powertrain system includes an internal combustion engine configured to transfer torque via a clutch to an input member of a hybrid transmission having torque machines configured to transfer torque thereto. Operation of the engine is controlled to facilitate a change in activation of a clutch between the engine and the input member of the hybrid transmission.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an internal combustion engine configured to transfer torque via a clutch to an input member of a hybrid transmission having torque machines configured to transfer torque thereto, the method consisting of:

controlling operation of the engine to facilitate a change in activation of a clutch between the engine and the input member of the hybrid transmission, comprising managing a reactive torque load across the clutch by modifying an engine torque command to achieve a balance between a torque output of the internal combustion engine and a torque output of the torque machines.

2. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an internal combustion engine configured to transfer torque via activation of a clutch to an input member of a hybrid transmission having torque machines configured to transfer torque thereto, the method comprising:

commanding a change in activation of the clutch;

controlling operations of the torque machines to generate an output torque at an output member of the hybrid transmission responsive to an operator torque request; and

coincidently controlling operation of the engine to achieve the change in activation of the clutch between the engine and the input member of the hybrid transmission, comprising managing a reactive torque load across the clutch by modifying an engine torque command to achieve a balance between a torque output of the internal combustion engine and a torque output of the torque machines.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in activation of the clutch comprises a deactivation of the clutch, and wherein coincidently controlling operation of the engine comprises modifying engine torque to reduce a load on the clutch prior to the deactivation of the clutch.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein modifying engine torque to reduce the load on the clutch prior to the deactivation of the clutch comprises modifying engine torque to reduce a clutch reactive torque.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising controlling operation of the engine in an engine speed control mode subsequent to the deactivation of the clutch.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the deactivation of the clutch comprises exhausting a clutch torque capacity, and wherein modifying engine torque occurs prior to exhausting the clutch torque capacity.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein commanding the change in activation of the clutch comprises commanding a change in activation of the clutch from an activation state to a deactivation state.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein coincidently controlling operation of the engine comprises synchronizing the engine speed with a speed of the input member of the hybrid transmission prior to an activation of the clutch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein synchronizing the engine speed comprises controlling the engine in an engine speed control mode prior to the activation of the clutch.

10. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an engine couplable via an engine disconnect clutch to a hybrid transmission, comprising:

controlling the engine to generate an input torque responsive to achieving a change in activation of the engine disconnect clutch, comprising managing a reactive torque load across the engine disconnect clutch by modifying an engine torque command to achieve a balance between a torque output of the internal combustion engine and a torque output of the torque machines; and

coincidently controlling operations of torque machines to generate an output torque at an output member of the hybrid transmission responsive to an operator torque request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the engine to generate an input torque responsive to achieving a change in activation of the engine disconnect clutch comprises modifying engine torque to reduce a load on the clutch prior to a deactivation of the clutch.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein modifying engine torque to reduce the load on the clutch prior to the deactivation of the clutch comprises modifying engine torque to reduce a clutch reactive torque.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the deactivation of the clutch comprises exhausting a clutch torque capacity, and wherein modifying engine torque occurs prior to exhausting the clutch torque capacity.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling operation of the engine in an engine speed control mode subsequent to the deactivation of the clutch.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the engine comprises synchronizing the engine speed with a speed of an input member of the hybrid transmission prior to an activation of the clutch.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein synchronizing the engine speed comprises controlling the engine in an engine speed control mode prior to the activation of the clutch.