Method for carrying out an automated clutch actuation during non-driven operational phases

• US 6,926,638 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2000
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Weiss, Michael, Schwarz, Alexander, Onnen, Christian, Gimmler, Helmut, Kuhn, Peter-Klaus, Wollenhaupt, Udo, Scherer, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US09/959,689
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 477/174, 477/175, 477/86, 477/901, 477/905, 477/171, 701/96, 701/65, 701/67, 701/117, 701/300, 701/301, 180/282, 192/3.51, 192/13.R
• US Class Current: 477/86
• 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 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0652 Speed change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/103 Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31426 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31446 : Accelerator pedal position change rate
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50816 : Control during a braking operation, e.g. during ABS control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70424 : Outputting a clutch engaged-disengaged signal
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/064 : Control of electrically or electromagnetically actuated clutches F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/901 : Control signal is slope
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/905 : Acceleration of throttle signal

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation of a motor vehicle with a drive engine and a transmission, connected to said drive engine by way of a clutch, in which process the clutch exhibits both an opened and a closed operating position, whereby to introduce unpowered operating phases the clutch is transferred by means of automation into the opened operating position and to introduce powered operating phases it is transferred by means of automation into the closed operating position.

To design such a process more reliably and comfortably, the variables, from which a dangerous situation in time or its termination can be concluded with a certain probability, are measured, according to the invention, so that the clutch can be moved into an operating position (opened or closed), which makes it possible to carry out faster the subsequent request of the driver—such as an acceleration request or a braking request.

Claims

1. A process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation of a first motor vehicle with a drive engine and a transmission wherein the clutch exhibits both an opened and a closed operating position, and wherein

transferring the clutch, by means of automation, into the opened operating position introduces unpowered phases wherein there is no power transferred from the drive engine to the transmission and, transferring the clutch by means of automation into the closed operating position introduces power operating phases, wherein power is transferred from the drive engine to the transmission wherein a distance to a second motor vehicle driving ahead is determined and the operating position of the clutch depends on said distance.

2. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance is sensed over time;

and from said sensing the rate of change of the distance to a motor vehicle driving ahead is derived.

3. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clutch is opened by means of automation, when the rate of change of the distance falls below a negative threshold value.

4. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clutch is opened by means of automation, when the value of the distance falls short of a threshold.

5. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clutch is closed by means of automation, when the rate of change of the distance is positive and exceeds a threshold value.

6. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gas pedal angle is sensed, and that the gas pedal angle is sensed over time, and from said sensed gas pedal angle over time the rate of change of the gas pedal angle is derived, and the operating position of the clutch (5) depends on this rate of change.

7. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transversal acceleration is sensed, and the operating position of the clutch (5) depends on the transversal acceleration.

8. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a visibility value, representing the visibility conditions, is sensed;

and the clutch is closed by means of automation, when said visibility value falls below a threshold, and that the unpowered operating phases are eliminated as long as said value remains short of the threshold.

9. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle advances with respect to the road by means of drive wheels and a variable, representing the coefficient of friction (Φ

) between the drive wheels and the road is determined and the clutch is closed by means of automation, when the variable falls below a threshold value and wherein the unpowered operating phases are eliminated as long as said variable remains short of the threshold.

10. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a virtual road network, which describes the topographical variables of the road;

and the operating position of the clutch depends on said variables.

11. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a virtual road network, which describes the traffic-regulating variables of the road;

and the operating position of the clutch depends on said variables.

12. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a virtual road network, which describes the variables relating to the dangerous spots on the road;

and the operating position of the clutch (5) depends on these variables.

13. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a variable representing the actuation of a brake is determined, and

the clutch is closed by means of automation, when the variable is reduced below a threshold value, and the motor vehicle is in the unpowered operating phase.

14. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a variable representing the actuation of a brake is determined, and that said variable is sensed over time;

and the rate of change of said variable is sensed; and

the operating position of the clutch depends on said rate of change.

15. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 1, wherein driving speed is set by means of a gas pedal angle of a gas pedal having a deflection within a tolerance angle in the unpowered operating phase which does not result in the closing of the clutch but also in an interruption in the fuel feed of the drive engine whereby the tolerance angle exhibits a lower and an upper limiting value, and in which the lower limiting value is assigned to a driving engine speed reduction;

and falling short of this lower limiting value results not only in an automated closing of the clutch but also in an interruption in the fuel feed of the drive engine.

16. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 15, wherein the driver perceives the two limiting values as resistance (pressure points).

17. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clutch is opened by means of automation, when the rate of change of the gas pedal angle is negative and falls below a threshold value.

18. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 6, wherein it is sensed whether the motor vehicle is on a downgrade and that the clutch is closed by means of automation, when, on the one hand, a downgrade is sensed and, on the other hand, the rate of change of the gas pedal angle is negative and falls below a threshold value.

19. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clutch is closed by means of automation, when the rate of change of the gas pedal angle is positive and exceeds a threshold value.

20. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the clutch is closed by means of automation, when a threshold value of the transversal acceleration is exceeded.

21. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clutch is closed by means of automation, when the rate of change of the variable representing the actuation of a brake is negative and falls below a threshold value.

22. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 14, wherein the clutch is opened by means of automation, when the rate of change of the variable representing the actuation of a brake is positive and exceeds a threshold value.

23. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value depends on a speed of the motor vehicle.

24. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value depends on the speed of the drive engine.

25. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the threshold value depends on a transmission ratio, adjusted at a transmission.

26. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation as claimed in claim 3, wherein a variable representing the driving behavior of the motor vehicle driver exists in the motor vehicle;

and

the threshold value depends on this variable.

27. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the motor vehicle includes a receiver, which records the variables from a transmitter.

28. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 11, wherein the motor vehicle includes a receiver, which records the variables from a transmitter.

29. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the motor vehicle includes a receiver, which records the variables from a transmitter.

30. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the variables exist in the stored form on a data medium in the motor vehicle.

31. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 11, wherein the variables exist in the stored form on a data medium in the motor vehicle.

32. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the variables exit in the stored form on a data medium in the motor vehicle.

33. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the visibility value, representing the visibility conditions, is a rain sensor.

34. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the visibility value, representing the visibility conditions, depends on the operating state of a rear fog light or a front fog light of the motor vehicle.

35. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the variable, representing the coefficient of friction (Φ

) between the drive wheels and the road, is a speed differential, which occurs between the drive wheels and the non-driven wheels.

36. The process for carrying out an automated clutch actuation, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the variable, representing the coefficient of friction (Φ

) between the drive wheels and the road, is determined by means of a sensor that measures the reflection of the light on the road.