Method and apparatus for calibrating clutch fill rates

A clutch mechanism comprising:

• a fluid supply;
• a fluid clutch having a fill time extending from a first time at which the clutch is empty to a second time in which the clutch is fined with fluid from the fluid supply;
• a valve fluidly coupled to the clutch to control the flow of fluid to the clutch;
• a conduit fluidly coupled to the valve and the fluid supply to convey fluid from the fluid supply to the valve;
• a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the conduit to generate a first fluid pressure signal indicative of the second time;
• and
• a processor circuit operatively coupled to the valve to transmit a valve opening signal, and operatively coupled to the pressure transducer to receive the first fluid pressure signal and to generate a value indicative of the fill time therefrom.

The apparatus of calibrating a fill time of a fluid clutch filled with fluid from a fluid supply, the fill time extending from a first time at which the clutch is empty to a second time at which the clutch is filled, the apparatus comprising:

• flow control means adapted to be coupled to the clutch to control the flow of fluid to the clutch;
• fluid conveying means coupled to the flow control means and adapted to be coupled to the fluid supply to convey the fluid from the fluid supply to the flow control means;
• signal means coupled to the conduit for generating a first fluid pressure signal indicative of the second time;
• and
• processor means operatively coupled to the flow control means to transmit a flow signal upon the flow of fluid to the clutch, and operatively coupled to the signal means to receive the first fluid pressure signal and to generate a value indicative of the fill time therefrom.