# US 11,260,862 B2 · Method for controlling engine clutch of vehicle

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- Number: US 11,260,862 B2
- Document ID: US11260862B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/032,503
- Filed: 2020-09-25
- Published: 2021-10-07
- Granted: 2022-03-01
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-03
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
- Inventors: Chun Hyuk Lee; Kwon Chae Chung; Seong Ik Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11260862B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/18027: {Drive off, accelerating from standstill}
- F16D 48/06: Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60K 6/442: Series-parallel switching type
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/023: {Fluid clutches}
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/15: Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
- B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)}
- F16D 25/14: {Fluid pressure control}
- B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft}
- B60W 2300/185: Off-road vehicles
- B60W 2510/0638: Engine speed
- B60W 2510/081: Speed
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2510/30: Auxiliary equipments
- B60W 2540/215: Selection or confirmation of options
- B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/086: Power
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- B60Y 2300/42: Control of clutches
- F16D 2500/10412: Transmission line of a vehicle
- F16D 2500/1066: Hybrid
- F16D 2500/3067: Speed of the engine
- F16D 2500/3124: Driving conditions, e.g. climbing hills, cornering, traffic
- F16D 2500/50224: Drive-off
- F16D 2500/50858: Selecting a Mode of operation
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method for controlling an engine clutch of an electrified vehicle is provided to easily engage and disengage an engine clutch by applying a launch engagement control method that utilizes power from both of an engine and a motor in accordance with the variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine and the usage rate of electrical energy by a motor to engage the engine clutch in a terrain mode and by applying a control method that disengages an engine clutch early in accordance with the number of revolutions per hour of the engine and the shaft torque of the engine clutch in the terrain mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling an engine clutch of a vehicle, the method comprising:
checking, by a controller, whether a driving mode of the vehicle has been selected as a terrain mode;
checking, by the controller, whether a variation of a number of revolutions per hour of an engine is greater than a first reference value and whether a usage rate of electrical energy per hour of a motor is greater than a second reference value, upon determining that the terrain mode has been selected;
adjusting, by the controller, an engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration, upon determining that the variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine is greater than the first reference value and the usage rate of electrical energy per hour of the motor is greater than the second reference value; and
engaging, by the controller, the engine clutch through a launch engagement control method when the engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration is adjusted.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of an engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration includes:
a control process of increasing a third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, to a predetermined level;
a control process of adjusting a fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle to a predetermined level; and
a battery state of charge (SOC) reference value correction control process of decreasing a fifth reference value for a battery SOC to a predetermined level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the control process of increasing the third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, to a predetermined level is performed to satisfy a condition for applying the launch engagement control method of engaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the control process of adjusting the fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle to a predetermined level is performed to satisfy a condition for applying the launch engagement control method of engaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the battery SOC reference value correction control process of decreasing the fifth reference value for a battery SOC to a predetermined level is performed to engage the engine clutch through the launch engagement control method.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein when the third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, is configured to be increased to a predetermined level, the fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle is adjusted to a predetermined level, and the fifth reference value for a battery SOC is decreased to a predetermined level, the engine clutch is engaged by the launch engagement control method.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the launch engagement control method includes:
a step in which the engine clutch is engaged through slip control of the engine clutch and engine torque is transmitted to the motor; and
a step in which motor power is assisted by electrical energy stored and transmitted to the motor after a battery is charged by a charging operation of a hybrid starter generator according to an operation of the engine, or electrical energy produced by a charging operation of the hybrid starter generator is directly transmitted to the motor through an inverter and motor power is assisted.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further including:
checking, by the controller, whether the driving mode of the vehicle is maintained as the terrain mode;
checking, by the controller, whether a variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine has exceeded the first reference value with the engine clutch engaged and whether shaft torque of the engine clutch is greater than a fifth reference value, upon determining that the terrain mode is maintained; and
performing, by the controller, control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch when the variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine is greater than the first reference value and the shaft torque of the engine clutch is greater than the fifth reference value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein hydraulic pressure supplied to the engine clutch is stopped and the engine clutch is disengaged early by the control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or the control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein when the control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or the control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch is performed, control for increasing an inclination of engine torque and an inclination of hydraulic pressure for disengaging the engine clutch is performed by the controller to disengage the engine clutch.

### Claim 11

A vehicle comprising:
an engine and a motor;
an engine clutch mounted between the engine and the motor and selectively transmitting engine power therebetween; and
a controller including a processor and a non-transitory storage medium containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform:
checking whether a driving mode of the vehicle has been selected as a terrain mode;
checking whether a variation of a number of revolutions per hour of the engine is greater than a first reference value and whether a usage rate of electrical energy per hour of the motor is greater than a second reference value, upon determining that the terrain mode has been selected;
adjusting an engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration, upon determining that the variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine is greater than the first reference value and the usage rate of electrical energy per hour of the motor is greater than the second reference value; and
engaging the engine clutch through a launch engagement control when the engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration is adjusted.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the adjusting of an engagement condition of the engine clutch for launch acceleration includes:
a control process of increasing a third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, to a predetermined level;
a control process of adjusting a fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle to a predetermined level; and
a battery state of charge (SOC) reference value correction control process of decreasing a fifth reference value for a battery SOC to a predetermined level.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the control process of increasing the third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, to a predetermined level is performed to satisfy a condition for applying the launch engagement control method of engaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the control process of adjusting the fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle to a predetermined level is performed to satisfy a condition for applying the launch engagement control method of engaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the battery SOC reference value correction control process of decreasing the fifth reference value for a battery SOC to a predetermined level is performed to engage the engine clutch through the launch engagement control method.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The vehicle of claim 12, wherein when the third reference value of an engine RPM, which is configured to be synchronized with a motor speed, is configured to be increased to a predetermined level, the fourth reference value for a driving load and an acceleration variation of the vehicle is adjusted to a predetermined level, and the fifth reference value for a battery SOC is decreased to a predetermined level, the engine clutch is engaged by the launch engagement control.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein in the launch engagement control
the engine clutch is engaged through slip control of the engine clutch and engine torque is transmitted to the motor; and
motor power is assisted by electrical energy stored and transmitted to the motor after a battery is charged by a charging operation of a hybrid starter generator according to an operation of the engine, or electrical energy produced by a charging operation of the hybrid starter generator is directly transmitted to the motor through an inverter and motor power is assisted.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the processor of the controller, further perform:
checking whether the driving mode of the vehicle is maintained as the terrain mode;
checking whether a variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine has exceeded the first reference value with the engine clutch engaged and whether shaft torque of the engine clutch is greater than a fifth reference value, upon determining that the terrain mode is maintained; and
performing control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch when the variation of the number of revolutions per hour of the engine is greater than the first reference value and the shaft torque of the engine clutch is greater than the fifth reference value.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein hydraulic pressure supplied to the engine clutch is stopped and the engine clutch is disengaged early by the control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or the control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein when the control for stopping engine clutch anti-disengagement control or the control for forcibly disengaging the engine clutch is performed, control for increasing an inclination of engine torque and an inclination of hydraulic pressure for disengaging the engine clutch is performed by the controller to disengage the engine clutch.