Monitoring a hydrodynamic clutch
AssigneeVoith Patent GmbH
InventorHarald Hoffeld
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrodynamic clutch having an input side and an output side, the rotational motions of which are coupled to one another with a hydraulic fluid. A method for determining the degree of filling of the hydrodynamic clutch with fluid including steps of periodically sensing a fluid temperature of the hydraulic fluid, determining the thermal output supplied to the clutch on the basis of the temperature, determining a lambda value on the basis of the thermal output and determining the degree of filling on the basis of the lambda value.
Claims8
A method for determining a fill level of a hydrodynamic clutch with a hydraulic fluid, the clutch including an input side and an output side, rotational motions of the input side and the output side being coupled to one another by the hydraulic fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- periodical sensing of a fluid temperature of the hydraulic fluid;
- determining a thermal output supplied to the clutch using the fluid temperature;
- determining a lambda value using the thermal output;
- determining the fill level using the lambda value;
- and
- determining a power supplied to the clutch, the step of determining the power supplied to the clutch including the sub-steps of:
- determining a maximum permissible temperature of the clutch;
- determining an ambient temperature of an area surrounding the clutch;
- and
- determining a power that is being transferred via the clutch using the fluid temperature and the ambient temperature.
A method for determining a fill level of a hydrodynamic clutch with a hydraulic fluid, the clutch including an input side and an output side, rotational motions of the input side and the output side being coupled to one another by the hydraulic fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- periodical sensing of a fluid temperature of the hydraulic fluid;
- determining a thermal output supplied to the clutch using the fluid temperature;
- determining a lambda value using the thermal output;
- determining the fill level using the lambda value;
- and
- determining a remaining life span of an antifriction bearing for mounting of the input side relative to the output side, the step of determining the remaining life span of the antifriction bearing including the sub-steps of:
- determining loads on the antifriction bearing using the fluid temperature;
- determining a sum of the loads;
- and
- determining the remaining life span using the sum.
A control unit for determining an operating status of a hydrodynamic clutch, having an input side and an output side, rotational motions of the input side and the output side being coupled to one another by a hydraulic fluid, the control unit comprising:
- an interface for connecting with a temperature sensor equipped for periodic sensing of a temperature of the hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a processor arranged for determining a thermal output supplied to the clutch using the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, determining a lambda value using the thermal output, and determining a fill level using the lambda value
- the processor additionally executing a method that includes the step of determining a power supplied to the clutch, the step of determining the power supplied to the clutch including the sub-steps of:
- determining a maximum permissible temperature of the clutch;
- determining an ambient temperature of an area surrounding the clutch;
- and
- determining a power that is being transferred via the clutch using the fluid temperature and the ambient temperature.
A clutch system comprising:
- a hydrodynamic clutch having an input side and an output side, rotational motions of the input side and the output side being coupled to one another by a hydraulic fluid;
- a temperature sensor equipped for periodic sensing of a temperature of the hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a control unit for determining an operating status of the hydrodynamic clutch, the control unit comprising:
- an interface for connecting with the temperature sensor;
- and
- a processor arranged for determining a thermal output supplied to the clutch using the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, determining a lambda value using the thermal output, and determining a fill level using the lambda value;
- the processor additionally executing a method that includes the step of determining a power supplied to the clutch, the step of determining the power supplied to the clutch including the sub-steps of:
- determining a maximum permissible temperature of the clutch;
- determining an ambient temperature of an area surrounding the clutch;
- and
- determining a power that is being transferred via the clutch using the fluid temperature and the ambient temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.