# US 2013/0153354 A1 · Pressure controlled driveline mechanical coupling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153354 A1 - Document ID: US20130153354A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/329,785 - Filed: 2011-12-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Daniel Scott Colvin; Bernard D. Nefcy; Marvin Paul Kraska; Walter Joseph Ortmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153354A1 ## CPC - F16D 48/066: {Control of fluid pressure, e.g. using an accumulator (F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence)} - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60L 15/2054: {by controlling transmissions or clutches} - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} - F16D 48/08: Regulating clutch take-up on starting - F16H 61/0031: {using auxiliary pumps, e.g. pump driven by a different power source than the engine} - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60W 2510/0275: Clutch torque - B60W 2710/023: Clutch engagement rate - B60Y 2400/406: Hydraulic actuators - F16D 2500/1066: Hybrid - F16D 2500/3024: Pressure - F16D 2500/501: Relating the actuator - F16D 2500/50224: Drive-off - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y10S 903/914: Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means - Y10S 903/946: Characterized by control of driveline clutch - 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 - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - 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 - F16H: GEARING - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A vehicle includes a motive power source, a transmission, and a clutch system. The vehicle further includes a controller that causes the clutch system to generate a generally constant clutch pressure to mechanically couple the motive power source and transmission as a line pressure associated with the transmission varies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: an electric machine; a transmission; a clutch system configured to (i) receive a current having a magnitude that depends on a line pressure associated with the transmission and (ii) control a clutch pressure to mechanically couple the electric machine and transmission based on the magnitude; and a controller configured to alter the magnitude based on the clutch pressure such that the clutch pressure remains generally equal to a target as the line pressure varies. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical oil pump and electric oil pump each arranged to provide oil to the transmission to generate the line pressure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the line pressure varies due to activation of the mechanical oil pump while the electric oil pump is on. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the controller and configured to sense the clutch pressure. ### Claim 5 A vehicle comprising: a motive power source; a transmission; a mechanical oil pump and electric oil pump each arranged to generate at least a portion of a line pressure associated with the transmission; a clutch system; and a controller configured to cause the clutch system to generate a generally constant clutch pressure to mechanically couple the motive power source and transmission as the line pressure varies due to activation of the mechanical oil pump while the electric oil pump is on. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5 wherein causing the clutch system to generate a generally constant clutch pressure to mechanically couple the motive power source and transmission as the line pressure varies due to activation of the mechanical oil pump while the electric oil pump is on includes causing a non-constant current to be output to the clutch system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6 wherein a magnitude of the current is based on the clutch pressure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5 further comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the controller and configured to sense the clutch pressure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the motive power source is an electric machine or internal combustion engine. ### Claim 10 A method for controlling a clutch system comprising: providing a current to the clutch system to mechanically couple an electric machine and transmission based on a target clutch pressure and a line pressure associated with the transmission; receiving data about an actual clutch pressure; and altering the current based on the data to keep the actual clutch pressure substantially equal to the target clutch pressure as the line pressure varies. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the line pressure varies due to activation of a mechanical oil pump while an electric oil pump is on. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising selecting the target clutch pressure based on the line pressure.