Fuel reducing clutch control apparatus and method for fuel reduction using the same

A method for fuel reduction of vehicle using a fuel reducing clutch control apparatus that is connected to a booster cylinder which operates a clutch, wherein the fuel reducing clutch control apparatus comprising:

• a hollow first housing;
• a second housing provided at a rear of the first housing;
• an actuator module placed moveably throughout an inside of the first housing and the second housing;
• a cylinder which is connected to a hydraulic pressure line connected to the booster cylinder, and into which a portion of the actuator module is inserted to supply hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic pressure line with the movement of the actuator module;
• a position sensor which measures a straight line distance of the actuator module moving in the first housing;
• a pressure regulation unit provided in the first housing to regulate pressure;
• and
• a control unit which controls the pressure of the pressure regulation unit according to the distance measured by the position sensor,
• wherein the control unit is connected to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) of a vehicle via Controller Area Network (CAN) communication to collect information associated with a brake pedal, an accelerator pedal, a clutch pedal, a clearance of an engine brake, a vehicle speed, an engine rotation frequency and an amount of fuel supply, and receives input of a position signal of the actuator module through the position sensor, and controls solenoid valves which form the pressure regulation unit for operation of the actuator module,
• wherein the method comprising the steps of:
• attaching the fuel reducing clutch control apparatus onto the clutch for improved fuel efficiency of the vehicle through automatic control, and setting an operation mode on the control unit, the operation mode being divided into normal driving condition and coasting condition;
• receiving, by the control unit, measured vehicle speed and engine rotation frequency information from the ECU of the vehicle via CAN communication;
• and
• determining whether the measured vehicle speed and engine rotation frequency is higher than or equal to a reference value preset to the control unit,
• wherein when the measured vehicle speed and engine rotation frequency is determined to be higher than or equal to the reference value, the coasting condition is performed, and the coasting condition comprises:
• a first mode in which when the accelerator pedal is pressed while coasting, the clutch is engaged to transmit driving power for acceleration of the vehicle, and when the accelerator pedal is released, the clutch is disengaged again,
• a second mode in which when the engine brake operates while coasting, the clutch is engaged to transmits brake power by driving power, and when the engine brake is released, the clutch is disengaged to maintain the coasting condition again, and
• a third mode in which when the clutch pedal is pressed while coasting, a semi-auto clutch is maintained in initial state and operated by the clutch pedal, and when the clutch pedal is released, the semi-auto clutch is allowed to operate to disengage the clutch.