Methods and systems for operating a driveline clutch

• US 9,108,632 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gibson, Alex O'Connor, McCallum, James William Loch, Lee, Seung-Hoon, Pietron, Gregory Michael, Fujii, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/776,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20130296125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/023 Fluid clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• 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 2510/0208 Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0275 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/024 of torque converter lock-up clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/027 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 : Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 : Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, operation of a driveline disconnect clutch is adjusted to compensate for clutch wear and manufacturing tolerances.

Claims

1. A method of operating a hybrid vehicle driveline, comprising:

adjusting torque output of a driveline integrated starter/generator (DISG) in response to a difference between a desired driveline torque and an actual driveline torque during at least partially closing a driveline disconnect clutch.

2. The method of claim 1, where the desired driveline torque is a desired torque converter impeller torque and where the actual driveline torque is an actual torque converter impeller torque.

3. The method of claim 1, where the desired driveline torque is based on a driver demand torque.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting torque output of the DISG based on an open-loop estimate of driveline disconnect clutch torque.

5. The method of claim 4, where the open-loop estimate of the driveline disconnect clutch torque is based on a driveline disconnect clutch application command.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising cranking an engine via closing the driveline disconnect clutch.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising starting the engine via supplying fuel and spark to the engine before the driveline disconnect clutch is fully closed.

8. A method of operating a hybrid vehicle driveline, comprising:

adjusting torque output of a driveline integrated starter/generator (DISG) in response to a difference between a desired driveline torque and an actual driveline torque during at least partially closing a driveline disconnect clutch; and

adjusting a driveline disconnect clutch transfer function based on the difference between the desired driveline torque and the actual driveline torque.

9. The method of claim 8, where the transfer function describes a driveline disconnect clutch torque as a function of driveline disconnect clutch application force.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising cranking an engine via at least partially closing the driveline disconnect clutch.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising starting the engine via supplying spark and fuel to the engine before fully closing the driveline disconnect clutch.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising fully closing the driveline disconnect clutch in response to engine speed substantially equaling DISG speed a first time since engine stop.

13. The method of claim 8, where the desired driveline torque is based on an accelerator pedal input.

14. The method of claim 8, where the actual driveline torque is based on output of a torque sensor.