Fault detection for a torque converter
AssigneeZF Friedrichshafen AG
InventorUlf Lang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monitoring device and a method for operating an idling automatic transmission of a motor vehicle having a torque converter which includes at least one pump wheel and a turbine wheel that are designed to transmit torque hydrodynamically from one to the other. The method includes at least the following steps of: determining a rotational speed of the turbine wheel; determining a load on the motor of the motor vehicle; and recognizing whether there is a blockage in the drive-train of the motor vehicle or whether the torque converter is running dry, as a function of the turbine rotational speed and the motor load detected.
Claims11
A method of operating an idling automatic transmission of a motor vehicle which has a monitoring device and a torque converter, wherein the torque converter comprises at least one pump wheel and a turbine wheel which are designed to transmit torque hydrodynamically from one to the other, the method comprises at least the following steps:
- determining, with the monitoring device, a rotation speed of the turbine wheel;
- determining, with the monitoring device, a load on a motor of the motor vehicle;
- and
- recognizing, with the monitoring device, whether there is a blockage in a drive-train of the motor vehicle or whether the torque converter is running dry, as a function of the turbine rotation speed and the motor load determined;
- and
- emitting a signal with the monitoring device to control a transmission of torque via at least one of the torque converter and the automatic transmission based on a recognition of the blockage in the drive-train, a recognition that the torque converter is running dry and a recognition of a normal condition of the drive-train.
A monitoring device for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle having a torque converter, wherein the torque converter comprises at least one pump wheel and a turbine wheel which are designed to transmit torque hydrodynamically from one to the other, and the transmission has a drive input, a drive output and at least one shifting element which is actuatable to engage and disengage the drive input and the drive output, wherein the monitoring device is designed, when the automatic transmission is idling, to:
- determine a rotation speed of the turbine wheel;
- determine a load on the motor of the motor vehicle;
- and
- as a function of the turbine rotation speed and the motor load determined, to recognize a blockage in a drive-train of the motor vehicle or the torque converter is running dry;
- the monitoring device is designed to emit a signal when the blockage in the drive-train is recognized, and emit another signal when the torque converter is running dry is recognized;
- the pump wheel and the turbine wheel are functionally connectable and disconnectable to control torque transmission therebetween, and the at least one shifting element is actuatable to engage and disengage the drive input and the drive output of the automatic transmission, based on the signal emitted by the monitoring device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.