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US 2014/0278018 A1Published application
Method and system for improving engine starting
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAlex O'Connor Gibson, Hong Jiang, Jeffrey Allen Doering, John Eric Rollinger, Felix Nedorezov
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Abstract
A method and a system for improving operation of an automatically started engine are described. In one example, slip of a disconnect clutch is adjusted to limit an amount of engine torque transferred to vehicle wheels. The method and system adjust disconnect clutch slip in response to transmission input shaft speed and/or engine combustion events.
Claims20
An engine starting method, comprising:
- starting an engine from stop via rotating the engine;
- and
- rotating a torque converter impeller speed from zero speed in response to a first predetermined number of engine combustion events since engine stop via engine torque and at least partially closing a torque converter disconnect clutch from an open state.
An engine starting method, comprising:
- starting an engine from stop via rotating the engine;
- and
- rotating a torque converter impeller from zero speed during starting the engine;
- and
- at least partially opening a closed disconnect clutch in response to torque converter impeller speed.
2 more elements
A vehicle system, comprising:
- an engine;
- a torque converter including a disconnect clutch, an impeller, and a turbine, the torque converter in mechanical communication with the engine;
- a transmission input shaft in mechanical communication with the torque converter;
- and
- a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory, the executable instructions providing for rotating the engine via engine combustion torque and adjusting opening and closing of the disconnect clutch to rotate the impeller via engine combustion torque during engine run-up from zero speed to a threshold speed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.