Clutch control system for a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10451124-B2
Application number	US-201715426748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 7, 2017
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A clutch control system for a work vehicle includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position, to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position, and to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch. The controller is also configured to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position, and to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch. The controller is also configured to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque, and to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clutch control system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position, to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position, to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch, to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position, to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch, to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque, and to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

2. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on a lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

3. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the input torque based on a lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

4. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the inching torque by dividing the output torque by the first gear ratio.

5. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the launch torque by multiplying the input torque by the second gear ratio.

6. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein determining the clutch control torque comprises selecting the higher value of the inching torque and the launch torque.

7. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on an inching lookup table and the clutch pedal position, and to determine the input torque based on a launch lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

8. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the control clutch is a dedicated inching and/or launch clutch that is not associated with a gear pair.

9. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position, and to determine the input torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

10. A method for controlling a control clutch of a work vehicle, comprising:
receiving a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position;
determining an output torque based on the clutch pedal position;
determining an inching torque for the control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch;
determining an input torque based on the clutch pedal position;
determining a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch;
determining a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque; and
outputting a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the output torque comprises using a lookup table to determine the output torque based on the clutch pedal position.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the input torque comprises using a lookup table to determine the input torque based on the clutch pedal position.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the inching torque comprises dividing the output torque by the first gear ratio.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the launch torque comprises multiplying the input torque by the second gear ratio.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the clutch control torque comprises of selecting the higher value of the inching torque and the launch torque.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the output torque comprises determining the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position; and
determining the input torque comprises determining the output torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

17. An apparatus comprising at least one non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:
instructions to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position;
instructions to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position;
instructions to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch;
instructions to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position;
instructions to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch;
instructions to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque; and
instructions to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the output torque comprise instructions to use an inching lookup table to determine the output torque based on the clutch pedal position; and
the instructions to determine the input torque comprise instructions to use a launch lookup table to determine the input torque based on the clutch pedal position.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the inching torque comprises instructions to divide the output torque by the first gear ratio; and
the instructions to determine the launch torque comprises instructions to multiply the input torque by the second gear ratio.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the output torque comprise instructions to determine the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position; and
the instructions to determine input torque comprise instructions to determine the input torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Bulgrien Garth Harvey

Classifications

• F16D2500/1107

  Vehicles · CPC title

• F16D2500/1112

  Heavy vehicle · CPC title

• F16D2500/70252

  Clutch torque · CPC title

• F16D2500/31413

  Clutch pedal position · CPC title

• F16D2500/30412

  Torque of the input shaft · CPC title