# US 10,865,839 B2 · Clutch control device and clutch control method

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- Number: US 10,865,839 B2
- Document ID: US10865839B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/283,376
- Filed: 2019-02-22
- Published: 2019-06-20
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-25
- Assignees: Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle Systems Japan Ltd.
- Applicants: Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicle Systems Japan Ltd.
- Inventors: Junya Takeuchi; Takuya Nagase
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865839B2

## CPC

- F16D 48/06: Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
- F16D 48/02: Control by fluid pressure
- F16D 25/00: Fluid-actuated clutches
- F16D 2500/1028: Pneumatic
- F16D 2500/104: Clutch
- F16D 2500/3026: Stroke
- F16D 2500/3067: Speed of the engine
- F16D 2500/5012: Accurate determination of the clutch positions, e.g. treating the signal from the position sensor, or by using two position sensors for determination
- F16D 2500/70626: PID control
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES

## Abstract

A clutch control device and a clutch control method are capable of preventing progress of wear and damage of a pneumatic clutch actuator. The clutch control device that controls the operation of a pneumatic clutch actuator to disconnect a clutch is characterized by setting a stroke amount of a piston corresponding to a disconnection position of the clutch as a final target stroke amount, setting other stroke amounts different from the final target stroke amount as intermediate target stroke amounts, and controlling the operation of the piston in a stepwise manner such that an actual stroke amount of the piston is matched with the intermediate target stroke amounts and is thereafter matched with the final target stroke amount, thereby disconnecting the clutch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A clutch control device configured to control a pneumatic clutch actuator in order to connect and disconnect a clutch, comprising:
an electronic control device operatively configured to execute processing to:
set a stroke amount of a piston corresponding to a disconnecting position of the clutch as a final target stroke amount,
set other stroke amounts different from the final target stroke amount as intermediate target stroke amounts, and
control the piston in a stepwise manner such that an actual stroke amount of the piston is matched with the intermediate target stroke amounts and is thereafter matched with the final target stroke amount in order to disconnect the clutch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein
PID parameters are set on the basis of engine speed at a time of connecting or disconnecting the clutch, and
the piston is controlled in a stepwise manner on the basis of the final target stroke amount and intermediate target stroke amounts in order to disconnect the clutch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The clutch control device according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control device is further operatively configured to execute processing to:
determine whether the actual stroke amount is equal to the final target stroke amount, in accordance with whether the actual stroke amount falls within a prescribed range.

### Claim 4

A clutch control method for use in a clutch control device configured to control a pneumatic clutch actuator in order to connect and disconnect a clutch, the method comprising the steps of:
setting a stroke amount of a piston corresponding to a disconnecting position of the clutch as a final target stroke amount;
setting other stroke amounts different from the final target stroke amount as intermediate target stroke amounts; and
controlling the piston in a stepwise manner such that an actual stroke amount of the piston is matched with the intermediate target stroke amounts and is thereafter matched with the final target stroke amount, in order to disconnect the clutch.