Dual mode motor vehicle clutch control system

A control system for a motor vehicle of the type including a clutch, a clutch pedal, a manual gear box having a plurality of shift positions, and a gear shift assembly having a plurality of shift positions corresponding to the shift positions of the gear box, said system comprising:

• a master cylinder assembly including a cylinder housing defining an axially extending bore and a piston reciprocally movable in said bore to output pressure fluid from said bore;
• a slave cylinder assembly receiving the output of said master cylinder assembly and including an output member adapted to be connected to the clutch so as to be operative to engage and disengage the clutch in responsive to reciprocal movement of said piston in said bore;
• push rod means adapted to be connected at one end thereof to the clutch pedal and extending at its other end into said bore for driving engagement with said piston so as to move said piston in said bore in response to operation of the clutch pedal;
• power mode means operative when enabled to move said piston in said bore independently of the operation of the clutch pedal;
• and
• mode selector means movable by the vehicle operator between a first position in which said power mode means is enabled and a second position in which said power mode means is disenabled.

A control system for a motor vehicle of the type including a clutch, a clutch pedal, and a manual gear box having a plurality of shift positions, said system comprising:

• a gear shifter assembly having a plurality of shift positions corresponding to the shift positions of the gear box and operative in response to movement of the gear shifter assembly to its various shift positions to shift the gearbox into its respective shift positions without power assist;
• manual mode means operative in response to operation of the clutch pedal to actuate the clutch without power assist;
• and
• power mode means operative in response to initiation of a gear changing movement of the gear shifter assembly to disengage the clutch with power assist and operative in response to completion of the gear changing movement of the gear shifter assembly to reengage the clutch.

A master cylinder assembly for use with a control pedal of a motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:

• a cylinder defining a bore having a discharge port;
• a piston mounted in said bore, coacting with said bore to define a pressure chamber communicating with said discharge port, and operative in response to axial movement thereof in said bore to discharge pressurized fluid from said pressure chamber through said discharge port;
• an actuator member mounted for axial movement relative to said piston and operative in response to axial movement thereof to apply a force to said piston to move said piston in said bore to discharge pressurized fluid from said pressure chamber;
• power drive means operative when actuated to move said actuator member axially and thereby apply a force to said piston;
• and
• a pushrod adapted to be connected at one end thereof to a control pedal of the vehicle and operative in response to axial movement thereof upon movement of the control pedal to directly engage said piston and apply a force to said piston to move said piston in said bore to discharge pressurized fluid from said pressure chamber.

A control system for a motor vehicle of the type including a clutch, a clutch pedal, a manual gearbox having a plurality of shift positions, and a gear shift assembly having a plurality of shift positions corresponding to the shift positions of the gearbox, said system comprising:

• manual mode means operative in response to operation of the clutch pedal to actuate the clutch;
• power mode means operative when enabled to actuate the clutch in response to movement of the gear shift assembly;
• control means operative to sense the position of the gear shift assembly and operative when enabled to enable said power mode means;
• and
• mode selector means movable by a vehicle operator between a first position in which said control means is enabled and a second position in which said control means is disenabled;
• said manual mode means including a hydraulic cylinder assembly, including a cylinder housing defining an axially extending bore and a piston reciprocally movable in said bore in response to movement of the clutch pedal, and a slave cylinder assembly receiving the output of said master cylinder assembly and including an output member adapted to be connected to the clutch so as to be operative to engage and disengage the clutch in response to reciprocal movement of said piston in said bore;
• said power mode means including means for moving said piston reciprocally in said bore independently of the movement thereof in response to operation of the clutch pedal.