Method for operating an actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system, and actuator arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067140-B2
Application number	US-201816498519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2017
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A method for operating an actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system includes providing an actuator arrangement with a transmission, a piston, and an inductive sensor device. The transmission has an electric motor and a metal lead screw that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion. The piston is connected to the metal lead screw. The method also includes energizing the electric motor to linearly displace the metal lead screw in an axial direction, axially displacing the piston with the metal lead screw, using the metal lead screw as a target for the inductive sensor device, and using the inductive sensor device to determine an axial distance traveled by the piston.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating an actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system comprising:
providing an actuator arrangement comprising:
a transmission comprising:
an electric motor; and
a metal lead screw that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion;

a piston connected to the metal lead screw; and
an inductive sensor device;

energizing the electric motor to linearly displace the metal lead screw in an axial direction;
axially displacing the piston with the metal lead screw;
using the metal lead screw as a target for the inductive sensor device; and
using the inductive sensor device to determine an axial distance traveled by the piston.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inductive sensor device comprises:
a coil surrounding at least a portion of the metal lead screw; and
an evaluation circuit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein an excitation frequency of the coil is tuned with respect to a surrounding zone of influence of the coil within the actuator arrangement.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the coil is linearized.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a rotational position sensor; and
checking plausibility of the axial distance by measuring a rotation of the metal lead screw with the rotational position sensor.

6. An actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system, comprising:
a transmission comprising a metal lead screw that converts a rotary motion of the transmission into a linear motion;
a piston connected to the metal lead screw; and
a sensor device for determining a travel of the piston, comprising:
a coil that surrounds the metal lead screw such that the metal lead screw is used as a sensor target; and
an evaluation circuit, connected to the coil, for determining a metal lead screw position from a change in an inductance of the coil.

7. The actuator arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the evaluation circuit is arranged within the actuator arrangement.

8. The actuator arrangement of claim 6 further comprising a metal shield arranged around the coil.

9. The actuator arrangement of claim 6 , further comprising a coil carrier; wherein:
the coil is arranged on the coil carrier; and
an extent of the coil predetermines an entry zone for the metal lead screw.

10. The actuator arrangement of claim 6 , further comprising a rotor position sensor for detecting a rotation of the metal lead screw that is arranged opposite one end of the metal lead screw.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Dietrich Markus
• Franz Viktor

Classifications

• F16D2500/7041

  Position · CPC title

• F16D2121/24

  using motors · CPC title

• F16D2500/10412

  Transmission line of a vehicle · CPC title

• H02K11/21

  Devices for sensing speed or position, or actuated thereby (specially adapted for machines having non-mechanical commutating devices H02K29/06, H02K29/14) · CPC title

• F16D48/06

  Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure · CPC title