Clutch and electric machine control for driveline damping

• US 9,988,036 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nefcy, Bernard D., Colvin, Daniel Scott, Nedorezov, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez Borrero, Luis A
• Application Number:
  US14/478,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20160068153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22, 701103, 701 54, 701 67, 701 1, 701104, 701 48, 701 53, 701112, 180 65265, 180 65275, 180 91, 180 932, 180220, 180 6529, 477 5, 477 3, 477 4, 477174, 477167, 477168, 477 27, 477 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• 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 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 20/17 for noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/19 for achieving enhanced acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/203 related or induced by the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/087 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge 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 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, a traction motor, a clutch, and a controller. The clutch selectively couples the traction motor to wheels. The controller, in response to a torque output by the fraction motor achieving a torque limit while operating to partially satisfy a demand for driveline damping and while the clutch is locked, slips the clutch to completely satisfy the demand for driveline damping.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

in response to a torque output by an electric machine achieving a torque limit while operating to partially satisfy a demand for driveline damping and while a clutch, coupling the electric machine and wheels, is locked, reducing the torque output and increasingly slip the clutch to completely satisfy the demand for driveline damping.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the torque limit decreases as a state of charge of a battery configured to supply power to the electric machine decreases.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of a battery configured to supply power to the electric machine changes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of the electric machine changes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the clutch is a lock-up clutch of a torque converter.

6. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a traction motor;

a clutch configured to selectively couple the motor to wheels; and

a controller configured to, in response to a torque output by the traction motor achieving a torque limit while operating to partially satisfy a demand for driveline damping and while the clutch is locked, reduce the torque output and increasingly slip the clutch to completely satisfy the demand for driveline damping.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a torque converter, wherein the clutch is a lock-up clutch of the torque converter.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the torque limit decreases as a state of charge of a battery configured to supply power to the traction motor decreases.

9. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of a battery configured to supply power to the traction motor changes.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of the traction motor changes.

11. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

in response to an engine charging a battery configured to supply power to an electric machine while the electric machine is supplying torque to at least partially satisfy a given demand for driveline damping, reducing the torque and increasing slip of a clutch coupling the electric machine and wheels based on a torque limit of the electric machine.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an amount of the increase is greater when the electric machine is supplying the torque at the torque limit as compared with when the electric machine is supplying the torque less than the torque limit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the reduced torque and increased slip act to completely satisfy the given demand for driveline damping.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the torque limit decreases as a state of charge of the battery decreases.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of the battery changes.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the torque limit changes as a temperature of the electric machine changes.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the clutch is a lock-up clutch of a torque converter.