Method and control arrangement for changing an activation state for a power take-off

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358486-B2
Application number	US-202418602445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2024
Priority date	Mar 21, 2023
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A method is disclosed for changing an activation state of a power take-off (PTO) in a vehicle, where the activation state corresponds to either an activated state, where the PTO transfers a torque between the vehicle's power source for propelling the vehicle and an auxiliary load, or a deactivated state, where no torque is transferred by the PTO between the power source and the auxiliary load. The activation state of the PTO is changed by engaging or disengaging a clutch of the PTO. The method comprising, when the power source is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle, and the activation state of the PTO is to be changed, controlling the clutch to control a rate of change of torque transferred between the power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO based on at least one current operating condition of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a control arrangement for changing an activation state of a power take-off (PTO) in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a power source for propelling the vehicle, wherein the activation state of the PTO is either an activated state, during which the PTO is configured to transfer a torque between the vehicle's power source and an auxiliary load, or a deactivated state, during which no torque is transferred by the PTO between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load, and wherein the activation state of the PTO is changed by engaging or disengaging a clutch of the PTO, respectively, the method comprising, when the power source is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle, and when the activation state of the PTO is to be changed:
determining an anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle resulting from changing the activation state of the PTO; and
controlling the clutch of the PTO in order to control a rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO, wherein control of the clutch of the PTO is based on the anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle such that the rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO is reduced when the torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle exceeds a second torque change limit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling the clutch of the PTO such that different rates of change are obtained for different operating conditions of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling the clutch of the PTO such that a resulting rate of change of torque during the change of the activation state of the PTO is less than a first torque change limit.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first torque change limit is based on the at least one current operating condition of the vehicle and/or a torque required to power the auxiliary load.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein changing the activation state of the PTO is carried out over a state change duration, and wherein controlling of the rate of change of torque comprises controlling the state change duration.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the changing of the activation state of the PTO comprises:
activating the PTO by engaging the clutch of the PTO when disengaged and wherein controlling of the state change duration comprises controlling a duration of engaging the clutch; and/or
deactivating the PTO by disengaging the clutch of the PTO when engaged and wherein controlling of the state change duration comprises controlling the duration of disengaging of the clutch.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current operating condition of the vehicle comprises one or more vehicle related parameters, the one or more vehicle related parameters comprising:
a vehicle weight;
a current speed of the vehicle;
a current engaged gear in the vehicle gear box; and/or
a torque required to power the auxiliary load.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the current operating condition of the vehicle further comprises information related to a coming road section, the information related to the coming road section comprises one or more of:
an inclination of a coming road section;
a curvature of a coming road section;
a characteristic of a surface of a coming road section;
current traffic conditions along a route travelled by the vehicle; and/or
current ambient temperature along the route travelled by the vehicle.

9. A control arrangement for changing an activation state of a power take-off in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a power source for propelling the vehicle, wherein the activation state of the PTO is either an activated state, during which the PTO is configured to transfer a torque between the vehicle's power source and an auxiliary load, or a deactivated state, during which no torque is transferred by the PTO between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load, and wherein the activation state of the PTO is changed by engaging or disengaging a clutch of the PTO, respectively, the control arrangement being configured to, when the power source is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle, and when the activation state of the PTO is to be changed:
determine an anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle resulting from changing the activation state of the PTO; and
control the clutch of the PTO in order to control a rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO, wherein control of the clutch of the PTO is based on the anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle such that the rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO is reduced when the torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle exceeds a second torque change limit.

10. A vehicle comprising a control arrangement for changing an activation state of a power take-off in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a power source for propelling the vehicle, wherein the activation state of the PTO is either an activated state, during which the PTO is configured to transfer a torque between the vehicle's power source and an auxiliary load, or a deactivated state, during which no torque is transferred by the PTO between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load, and wherein the activation state of the PTO is changed by engaging or disengaging a clutch of the PTO, respectively, the control arrangement being configured to, when the power source is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle, and when the activation state of the PTO is to be changed:
determine an anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle resulting from changing the activation state of the PTO; and
control the clutch of the PTO in order to control a rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO, wherein control of the clutch of the PTO is based on the anticipated torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle such that the rate of change of torque transferred between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load during the change of the activation state of the PTO is reduced when the torque change at the drive wheels of the vehicle exceeds a second torque change limit.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer program product used for changing an activation state of a power take-off in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a power source for propelling the vehicle, wherein the activation state of the PTO is either an activated state, during which the PTO is configured to transfer a torque between the vehicle's power source and an auxiliary load, or a deactivated state, during which no torque is transferred by the PTO between the vehicle's power source and the auxiliary load, and wherein the activation state of the PTO is changed by engaging or disengaging a clutch of the PTO, respectively, said computer program code comprising computer instructions to cause one or more control devices to perform the following operations when the power source is connected to drive wheels of the vehicle, and when the activation state of the PTO is to be changed:
determine an anticipated torque change at the

Assignees

• Scania Cv Ab

Inventors

• Lindberg Mikael
• Stiernstedt Linus

Classifications

• B60K17/28 Primary

  characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off · CPC title

• B60W30/1888 Primary

  Control of power take off [PTO] · CPC title

• F16D2500/312

  External to the vehicle · CPC title

• F16D2500/31

  from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W50/0097

  Predicting future conditions · CPC title