System and method for operating a vehicle powertrain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10632989-B2
Application number	US-201715619136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 9, 2017
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for operating a powertrain or driveline of a hybrid vehicle that includes two electric machines and a transmission are described. In one example, vehicle propulsion is maintained while transmission operating parameters are determined for improving transmission operation. In particular, a rear drive unit maintains vehicle speed and monitors torque delivered via an output of the transmission.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A powertrain operating method, comprising:
at least partially engaging a gear synchronizer or a band while rotating a transmission input shaft via an electric machine, a transmission output shaft held stopped while rotating the transmission input shaft via the electric machine, including commanding an increased torque transferred by the gear synchronizer or the band and increasing electric machine torque; and
adjusting transmission shifting in response to a torque transferred via the gear synchronizer or the band, including updating a characterization of the gear synchronizer or the band based on a comparison of electric machine torque increase to the commanded gear synchronizer or a band torque increase.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the gear synchronizer is included in a dual clutch transmission.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the band is included in a transmission that includes a planetary gear set.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the electric machine in a speed control mode where the electric machine follows a desired speed, even with the increased torque.

5. The method of claim 4 , where the torque transferred via the gear synchronizer or the band is based on current supplied to the electric machine while at least partially engaging the gear synchronizer or the band while rotating the transmission input shaft via the electric machine.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the transmission output shaft is held stopped while rotating the transmission input shaft via wheel brakes.

7. The method of claim 1 , where the transmission output shaft is held stopped via a parking pawl.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein updating a characterization of the gear synchronizer or the band includes updating values in a table or function that describe gear synchronizer or band operation in a controller as the transmission ages.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ruybal Kevin Ray
• Meyer Jason
• Doering Jeffrey Allen
• Ortmann Walt Joseph

Classifications

• F16H2200/2046

  with six engaging means · CPC title

• B60K2006/4808

  Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft · CPC title

• B60W2710/027

  Clutch torque · CPC title

• F16D2500/1107

  Vehicles · CPC title

• F16H61/686

  with orbital gears · CPC title