Method for coupling a power take-off

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259462-B2
Application number	US-201615361138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2016
Priority date	Nov 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A method, a control unit and a computer program product for coupling an auxiliary power take-off of a motor vehicle transmission, in which, after a command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are checked and, if the conditions are satisfied, an actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off is activated. If, after the command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, the conditions for coupling the auxiliary power take-off are not fulfilled, then a control unit acts upon drive-train components in order to produce the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of coupling an auxiliary power take-off of a motor vehicle transmission while the vehicle is at rest, the method comprising:
after a command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, checking conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off;
when the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are satisfied, activating an actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off;
when, after the command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are not fulfilled, acting upon drive-train components with a control unit to produce the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking, as one condition for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off, when the vehicle is at rest, and when the vehicle is in motion, bringing the vehicle to rest by actuating, with the control unit, a braking device of the vehicle or of the motor vehicle transmission.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising only carrying out an automatic brake application when a current vehicle speed is not in excess of a specifiable speed limit.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking, as one condition for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off, when the motor vehicle transmission is in a neutral position, and, when a gear is currently engaged in the motor vehicle transmission, activating an actuator system of the motor vehicle transmission with the control unit to disengage the currently engaged gear.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising checking, as one condition for coupling the auxiliary power take-off, when a clutch, arranged between a drive engine and the motor vehicle transmission, is disengaged, and, when the clutch is engaged, activating an actuator system with the control unit to actuate the clutch so as to change the clutch to a disengaged condition.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising activating an actuator system with the control unit, once the conditions for coupling the auxiliary power take-off are satisfied, to couple the auxiliary power take-off and checking when the auxiliary power take-off is coupled.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising, following coupling of the auxiliary power take-off, determining with the control unit when the coupled auxiliary power take-off is a fixed auxiliary power take-off or a mobile auxiliary power take-off.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising following the determinating that the coupled auxiliary power take-off is a fixed auxiliary power take-off, initiating with the control device at least one of:
activating a parking brake of the motor vehicle;
blocking of a gear engagement in the motor vehicle transmission;
engaging a clutch arranged between a drive engine and the motor vehicle transmission; and
at least one of controlling and regulating one of an engine torque and an engine rotational speed of the drive engine.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising following the determinating that the coupled auxiliary power take-off is a mobile auxiliary power take-off, initiating with the control device at least one of:
engaging a gear appropriate in relation to a wish of a driver;
engaging a clutch arranged between a drive engine and the motor vehicle transmission when either a starting gear appropriate in relation to the wish of the driver is engaged in the motor vehicle transmission and a vehicle driver's wish to start off is recognized, or when, by virtue of a driver's command, the motor vehicle transmission is shifted to a neutral position; and
at least one of controlling and regulating one of an engine torque and an engine rotational speed of the drive engine.

10. A control unit for coupling an auxiliary power take-off of a motor vehicle transmission, the control unit comprising at least one receiving interface designed to receive input signals from drive-train components, an evaluation unit for evaluating the input signals received and information in the input signals received, and a sending interface for emitting control signals to the drive-train components, the control unit being designed such that after a command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, on a basis of the input signals received, the control unit checks conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off and when the control unit determines that the conditions are satisfied, the control unit activates an actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off whereas when the control unit determines that the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are not satisfied, the control unit acts upon drive-train components in order to produce the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off so that thereafter the control unit can activate the actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off.

11. The control unit according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit carries out a method for coupling the auxiliary power take-off of the motor vehicle transmission while the vehicle is at rest, the method including:
after a command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, checking the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off;
when the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are satisfied, activating the actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off; and
when, after the command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are not fulfilled, acting upon the drive-train components with the control unit to produce the conditions required for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off.

12. A computer program product with program code means, which are stored in a computer-readable data support, the computer program product is run on a control unit to carry out a method for coupling an auxiliary power take-off of a motor vehicle transmission while the vehicle is at rest, the method including:
after a command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, checking conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off;
when the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are satisfied, activating an actuator system for coupling the auxiliary power take-off; and
when, after the command to couple the auxiliary power take-off, the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off are not fulfilled, acting upon drive-train components with a control unit to produce the conditions for the coupling of the auxiliary power take-off,
wherein the control unit has at least one receiving interface designed to receive input signals from the drive-train components, an evaluation unit for evaluating the input signals received and information in the input signals received, and a sending interface for emitting control signals to the drive-train components.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Mair Roland

Classifications

• B60W2540/215

  Selection or confirmation of options · CPC title

• B60W10/18

  including control of braking systems · CPC title

• B60W10/02

  including control of driveline clutches · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60W2510/0208

  Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged · CPC title