Methods and systems for a vehicle driveline

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155513-B2
Application number	US-201715624958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, driveline operating modes may be manually selected to improve hybrid driveline operation during off road conditions. The approaches may improve vehicle drivability and reduce driveline degradation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of adjusting operation of a hybrid vehicle driveline, comprising:
providing a manual hill descent control input for a driver;
providing a manual driver input for adjusting activation of a driveline disconnect clutch in response to a state of the hill descent control input; and
automatically restarting a stopped engine in response to the driver selecting a four wheel drive range.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the driver selects the four wheel drive range while in a two wheel drive range.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the four wheel drive range is a high or low gear range.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising opening and closing the driveline disconnect clutch according to a first schedule based on operating the hybrid vehicle in the four wheel drive range.

5. The method of claim 1 , where automatically restarting the stopped engine includes closing the driveline disconnect clutch.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stopping engine rotation in response to a vehicle battery reaching a first threshold state of charge based on operating the hybrid vehicle in the four wheel drive range.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing automatic engine stopping in response to a vehicle that includes the driveline disconnect clutch decelerating.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising holding the driveline disconnect clutch closed in response to the driver selecting a four wheel drive range.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing opening of the driveline disconnect clutch in response to road conditions.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing automatic engine stopping in response to a closing rate between a vehicle and an object.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing to allow opening of the driveline disconnect clutch in response to a closing rate between a vehicle and an object.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising locking the driveline disconnect clutch closed in response to a manual request to lock the driveline disconnect clutch.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising closing the driveline disconnect clutch and increasing engine braking in response to the driver requesting a hill descent mode.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing manual input of engine stop conditions in a hill descent mode.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing manual input of driveline integrated starter/generator operating mode conditions in a hill descent mode.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing manual input of driveline disconnect clutch operating mode conditions in a hill descent mode.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pietron Gregory Michael
• Banker Adam Nathan
• Reed Dennis Craig
• Lee Seung-Hoon
• Mccallum James William Loch

Classifications

• Y10S903/93

  Conjoint control of different elements · CPC title

• Y10S903/946

  Characterized by control of driveline clutch · CPC title

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• B60W20/00

  Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} · CPC title

• B60K23/08

  for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)} · CPC title