US 11,628,817 B2Granted

Torque control system for a vehicle powerplant

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsJudhajit Roy, Maruthi Thiruninravur Ravichandran, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Yanan Zhao

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vehicle includes a drive wheel, an engine, an accelerator pedal, a torque converter, a clutch, and a controller. The drive wheel is configured to propel the vehicle. The engine is configured to generate power and to deliver power to the drive wheel to accelerate the vehicle. The accelerator pedal is configured to generate an acceleration request based on a pedal position. The torque converter is disposed between the engine and the drive wheel. The clutch is disposed between the engine and the drive wheel and is configured to bypass the torque converter. The controller is programmed to, in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to a position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at a desired magnitude, adjust the torque of the engine to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude, regardless of the state of the clutch.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising:

at least one drive wheel configured to propel the vehicle;
a torque converter having an impeller and a turbine;
a torque converter bypass clutch that is configured to transition between an opened stated, a closed state, and a slipping state, wherein rotation of the impeller and the turbine are synchronized when the torque converter bypass clutch is in the closed state, and wherein rotation of the impeller and the turbine are non-synchronized when the torque converter bypass clutch is in the opened state or the slipping state;
a powerplant configured to generate torque and to transfer torque to the torque converter and the torque converter bypass clutch;
a drivetrain configured to transfer power from the torque converter and the torque converter bypass clutch to the at least one drive wheel;
and
a controller programmed to,
in response to a request to accelerate the vehicle at a desired magnitude and the torque converter bypass clutch being in the opened state, adjust the torque of the powerplant to a first value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude,
in response to the request to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude and the torque converter bypass clutch being in the closed state, adjust the torque of the powerplant to a second value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude,
in response to the request to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude and the torque converter bypass clutch being in the slipping state, adjust the torque of the powerplant to a third value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude, and
in response to the request to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude and a change in a gradient of a surface that the vehicle is traveling on, adjust the torque of the powerplant to a fourth value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude.

8 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

a drive wheel configured to propel the vehicle;
an engine configured to generate power and to deliver power to the drive wheel to accelerate the vehicle;
an accelerator pedal configured to generate an acceleration request based on a pedal position;
a torque converter disposed between the engine and the drive wheel;
a clutch disposed between the engine and the drive wheel and configured to bypass the torque converter;
and
a controller programmed to,
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to a position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at a desired magnitude and the clutch being in an opened state, adjust the torque of the engine to a first value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude,
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to the position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at the desired magnitude and the clutch being in a closed state, adjust the torque of the engine to a second value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude, and
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to the position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at the desired magnitude and a change in a radius of the drive wheel, adjust the torque of the engine to a third value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude.

7 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

a drive wheel configured to propel the vehicle;
an engine configured to generate power and to deliver power to the drive wheel to accelerate the vehicle;
an accelerator pedal configured to generate an acceleration request based on a pedal position;
a torque converter disposed between the engine and the drive wheel;
a clutch disposed between the engine and the drive wheel and configured to bypass the torque converter;
and
a controller programmed to,
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to a position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at a desired magnitude and the clutch being in an opened state, adjust the torque of the engine to a first value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude,
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to the position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at the desired magnitude and the torque converter being in a slipping state, adjust the torque of the engine to a second value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude, and
in response to depressing the accelerator pedal to the position that corresponds with accelerating the vehicle at the desired magnitude and a change in a cargo load within the vehicle, adjust the torque of the engine to a third value to accelerate the vehicle at the desired magnitude.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/876,841Filed 18 May 2020
Published: US 2021/0354681 A118 Nov 2021
Granted: 18 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

B60W 10/024
Including control of driveline clutches: including control of torque converters
F16H 61/143
Control of torque converter lock-up clutches: using electric control means
B60K 23/06
Arrangement or mounting of control devices for vehicle transmissions, or parts thereof, not otherwise provided for: for freewheel devices
F16H 45/02
Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches: with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of…