Operating a clutch device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11261925-B2
Application number	US-201716772206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 13, 2017
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A clutch device has at least a multiplicity of clutch discs which are in frictional contact with one another, and a control unit which controls the clutch device. The clutch device is calibrated repeatedly during an operating time of the clutch device. A first calibration is performed at a first point in time. A second calibration is performed at a second point following the first calibration. The first point in time and the second point in time are within a first operating time of the clutch device and occur within a first time interval. At least a third calibration is performed in a subsequent second operating time at a third point in time. At least the second calibration is performed within a second interval of the third point in time. The first and second intervals are determined by the control unit based on a mileage of a vehicle or an energy input into the clutch device. The first interval is shorter than the second interval.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a clutch device including at least a plurality of clutch plates in frictional contact with each other and a control unit controlling the clutch device, wherein the clutch device is calibrated multiple times during an operating time of the clutch device; the method comprising:
performing a first calibration at a first time;
performing a second calibration at a second time following the first calibration, wherein the first time and the second time are within a first operating time of the clutch device and occur within a first interval; and
performing at least a third calibration in a subsequent second operating time at a third time, wherein the second time and the third time occur within a second interval;
wherein the first and second intervals are determined by the control unit based on a mileage of a vehicle or an energy input into the clutch device;
wherein the first interval is shorter than the second interval.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first interval is determined based on the energy input and the second interval is determined based on the mileage.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first interval is determined based on the energy input, wherein the first interval is less than 30 kilojoules.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second interval is determined based on the energy input, wherein the second interval amounts to at least 50 kilojoules.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clutch plates are carbon plates.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at least in the first operating time, in the case of a request for transmission of a target torque via the clutch device, transferring an actual torque with a deviation relative to the target torque of not more than ten per cent.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a setting behavior of the clutch device at least during the first operating time in a test field by applying energy inputs and determining a change of the kiss point of the clutch device as a function of the energy input;
storing the relationship of the energy input and a kiss point in the control unit; and
determining, in the control unit, at least the first interval based on determining the energy input carried out during the operating time of the clutch device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, upon the first interval or the second interval being exceeded, performing the third calibration after a restart of a drive unit of a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, upon the first interval or the second interval being exceeded, performing the third calibration during the operating time of a drive unit of a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operating time extends to the energy input of at least 50 kilojoules.

11. A system for a vehicle, comprising:
a clutch device that includes a plurality of clutch plates in frictional contact with each other; and
a control unit programmed to:
determine first and second intervals based on a mileage of the vehicle or an energy input to the clutch device;
perform a first calibration at a first time;
perform a second calibration at a second time following the first calibration, wherein the first time and the second time are within a first operating time of the clutch device and occur within the first interval; and
perform at least a third calibration in a subsequent second operating time at a third time, wherein the second time and the third time occur within the second interval;
wherein the first interval is shorter than the second interval.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to determine the first interval based on the energy input and the second interval based on the mileage.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to determine the first interval based on the energy input, wherein the first interval is less than 30 kilojoules.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to determine the second interval based on the energy input, wherein the second interval amounts to at least 50 kilojoules.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of clutch plates are carbon plates.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein, at least in the first operating time, in the case of a request for transmission of a target torque via the clutch device, the control unit is further programmed to transfer an actual torque with a deviation relative to the target torque of not more than ten per cent.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to:
determine a setting behavior of the clutch device at least during the first operating time in a test field based on a relationship of the energy input and a kiss point stored in a memory of the control unit, wherein the relationship is determined by applying energy inputs and determining a change of the kiss point of the clutch device as a function of the energy input; and
determine at least the first interval based on determining the energy input carried out during the operating time of the clutch device.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to, upon the first interval or the second interval being exceeded, perform the third calibration after a restart of a drive unit of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further programmed to, upon the first interval or the second interval being exceeded, perform the third calibration during the operating time of a drive unit of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first operating time extends to the energy input of at least 50 kilojoules.

Assignees

• Gkn Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Fitz Rudolf
• Esch Eric Rene

Classifications

• F16D2500/70605

  Adaptive correction; Modifying control system parameters, e.g. gains, constants, look-up tables · CPC title

• F16D48/06 Primary

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

• F16D2500/3166

  Detection of an elapsed period of time · CPC title

• F16D2500/1045

  Friction clutch · CPC title

• F16D2200/0052

  Carbon · CPC title