Method for actuating a clutch with a clutch actuation system, and a clutch actuation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047435-B2
Application number	US-201816604635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A method for actuating a clutch with a clutch actuation system, wherein an axially moveably mounted first piston ( 4 ) arranged on a master-side is moved via an electric motor, and the movement thereof is transmitted via a hydraulic section ( 8 ) to a second piston ( 10 ) positioned on a slave-side, which second piston actuates the clutch ( 11 ), wherein a path change triggered by the movement is measured and evaluated. In a method, in which a path change can be immediately measured, the path change of the clutch ( 11 ) detected on the slave-side is converted into an acoustic signal, which is transmitted via the hydraulic section ( 8 ) to the master-side for evaluation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for actuating a clutch with a clutch actuation system, the method comprising:
moving an axially moveably mounted first piston arranged on a master side using an electric motor;
transmitting a movement of the first piston via a hydraulic section to a second piston positioned on a slave side;
actuating the clutch with the second piston;
measuring and evaluating a change in travel caused by the movement by converting the change in travel of the clutch detected on the slave side into an acoustic signal; and
transmitting the acoustic signal via the hydraulic section to the master side for evaluation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising generating acoustic pulses as a function of the change in travel, applying the acoustic pulses to the hydraulic section, and recording and counting the acoustic pulses on the master side, wherein one said acoustic pulse corresponds to a predetermined change in travel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising inferring a state of the hydraulic section from at least one of: a strength of the acoustic signals, an acoustic spectrum of the acoustic signals, or disturbance signals superimposed on the acoustic signals.

4. A clutch actuation system, comprising:
a clutch actuator including an electric motor, a transmission connected to the electric motor, a first piston connected to the transmission and axially moveably mounted in a master cylinder of the clutch actuator, wherein the clutch actuator is positioned on a master side;
a hydraulic section;
a slave cylinder on a slave side, the slave cylinder including a second piston, and the second piston is connected to the clutch actuator via the hydraulic section, the second piston is configured to be in an operative connection with a clutch via a release bearing;
a travel measuring device that outputs acoustic output signals arranged on the slave side, the travel measuring device being configured to detect a change in travel of the clutch and being connected via the transmission section that transmits the acoustic signals to a receiving device; and
an evaluation device connected to the receiving device.

5. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a rack that detects the change in travel of an axially moveable component on the slave side, and a diaphragm, the rack acts on a diaphragm in order to emit acoustic pulses as the acoustic output signals.

6. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a rack transmission configured to transform an axial motion of the rack into a rotation arranged between the rack and the diaphragm, wherein the rack transmission interacts with a pulse generator device that actuates the diaphragm.

7. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the pulse generator device is arranged parallel to a transmission axis and has a plurality of radial projections on an circumference for actuating the diaphragm.

8. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the travel measuring device that outputs acoustic output signals, is secured on the second piston of the slave cylinder or the release bearing or the clutch.

9. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the transmission section is formed by the hydraulic section which connects the travel measuring device arranged on the slave side, which outputs the acoustic output signals, to the receiver device, which is arranged on the clutch actuator.

10. The clutch actuation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the receiver device comprises a microphone which includes a piezoelectric or inductive sensor system.

11. A clutch actuation system, comprising:
a clutch actuator including a first piston axially moveably mounted in a master cylinder, the clutch actuator being positioned on a master side;
a hydraulic section;
a slave cylinder on a slave side, the slave cylinder including a second piston, and the second piston is connected to the clutch actuator via the hydraulic section, the second piston is configured to be in an operative connection with a clutch;
a travel measuring device that outputs acoustic output signals arranged on the slave side, the travel measuring device being configured to detect a change in travel of the clutch and being connected via the transmission section that transmits the acoustic signals to a receiving device; and
an evaluation device connected to the receiving device.

12. The clutch actuation system of claim 11 , further comprising a rack that detects the change in travel of an axially moveable component on the slave side, and a diaphragm, wherein the rack acts on a diaphragm in order to emit acoustic pulses as the acoustic output signals.

13. The clutch actuation system of claim 12 , further comprising a rack transmission configured to transform an axial motion of the rack into a rotation arranged between the rack and the diaphragm, wherein the rack transmission interacts with a pulse generator device that actuates the diaphragm.

14. The clutch actuation system of claim 13 , wherein the pulse generator device is arranged parallel to a transmission axis and has a plurality of radial projections on an circumference for actuating the diaphragm.

15. The clutch actuation system of claim 11 , wherein the clutch actuator includes an electric motor and a transmission configured to axially move the first piston.

16. The clutch actuation system of claim 11 , wherein the travel measuring device that outputs acoustic output signals is secured on the second piston of the slave cylinder.

17. The clutch actuation system of claim 11 , further comprising a release bearing and a clutch, the second piston is configured to act on the clutch via the release bearing, and the travel measuring device that outputs acoustic output signals is secured on the release bearing or the clutch.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Kunzig Raphael

Classifications

• F16D2500/7103

  Acoustic alarms · CPC title

• F16D2500/316

  Other signal inputs not covered by the groups above · CPC title

• F16D25/12

  Details not specific to one of the before-mentioned types · CPC title

• F16D48/066 Primary

  Control of fluid pressure, e.g. using an accumulator (F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D28/00

  Electrically-actuated clutches (arrangements for synchronisation F16D23/02; clutches actuated directly by means of an electromagnet F16D27/00; automatic clutches F16D43/00 - F16D45/00; external control F16D48/00) · CPC title