Manual transmission with electric clutch
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMichael Glenn FODOR, Patrick J. CURRAN, Matthew John SHELTON, Peter Douglas KUECHLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes an powerplant, a manual transmission, and a clutch. A vehicle controller is programmed to automatically control operation of the clutch allowing the driver to shift gears by just operating the gear shifter. The vehicle also includes an input allowing the driver to override the controller and operate the clutch. The input is located on the gear shifter and is in electric communication with the controller. The controller is programmed to, inter alia, command the clutch to reduce clutch capacity responsive to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating grasping of the shifter.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- a powerplant;
- a manual transmission including a shifter having a sensor configured to sense grasping of the shifter;
- an electric clutch selectively coupling the powerplant and the transmission;
- and
- a controller programmed to, responsive to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating grasping of the shifter, command the clutch to reduce clutch capacity.
A vehicle comprising:
- a powerplant;
- a manual transmission including a shifter having a switch;
- an electric clutch selectively coupling the engine and the transmission;
- and
- a controller programmed to, responsive to (i) the switch being activated and (ii) the shifter being in gear, open the clutch to decouple the powerplant from the transmission.
A vehicle comprising:
- a powerplant;
- a manual transmission including a shifter having a sensor configured to sense grasping of the shifter;
- a clutch including a clutch disc selectively coupling the powerplant and the transmission and an electric actuator controllable to increase and decrease capacity of the clutch;
- and
- a controller programmed to, responsive to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating grasping of the shifter, command the electric actuator to reduce clutch capacity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.