Apparatus and method for controlling a torque transmitting system

A method of regulating the transmission of torque by an adjustable automated torque transmitting system in the power train of an acceleratable motor vehicle wherein an energy consuming prime mover is arranged to furnish a variable prime mover torque and has a variable-RPM output element and a transmission shiftable into a plurality of different gears, wherein one of said system and said transmission is arranged to transmit torque to the other of said system and said transmission, wherein a control unit is arranged to receive and process a plurality of signals and has an output for processed signals, and wherein at least one actuator is responsive to signals processed by the control unit to automatically regulate the transmission of torque by said system, comprising the steps of:

• generating and automatically transmitting to the control unit signals denoting the condition of the vehicle including generating signals denoting the acceleration of the vehicle and the rate of energy consumption by the vehicle;
• and
• regulating said system to assume a plurality of conditions when the acceleration of the vehicle at a predetermined energy consumption by the prime mover is below a predetermined value, said conditions including
• a first condition in which the magnitude of the torque being transmitted by said system decreases at least slightly with attendant rise of the RPM of the output element, and
• a second condition in which the torque being transmitted by said system increases with attendant increase of the prime mover torque.

An apparatus for regulating an amount of transmittable torque that can be transmitted from an input side to an output side of an adjustable automated torque-transmitting system in the power train of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an engine generating an engine torque through an output element rotating at a variable engine rpm-rate and a transmission shiftable into a plurality of different gears, said apparatus comprising:

• a control unit arranged to receive and process a plurality of input signals and having an output for control signals;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a first input signal indicating an acceleration of the motor vehicle;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a second input signal indicating a pedal position of an accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle;
• and
• at least one actuator that regulates said amount of transmittable torque in response to one of said control signals;
• wherein
• A) if said first input signal indicates an acceleration that is too low in relation to said pedal position, the control unit causes the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, where in a first phase One of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly lowered, causing the engine rpm-rate to increase;
• and in a first phase Two of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is raised to be higher than before the automatic change, so that a larger amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle;
• and
• B) if said first input signal indicates an acceleration that is too high in relation to said pedal position, the control unit causes the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, where in a second phase One of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly raised;
• and in a second phase Two of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is decreased to be lower than before the automatic change, so that a lesser amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle.

A method of regulating an amount of transmittable torque that can be transmitted from an input side to an output side of an adjustable automated torque-transmitting system in the power train of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising an engine generating an engine torque through an output element rotating at a variable engine rpm-rate, a transmission shiftable into a plurality of different gears, and a control unit arranged to receive and process a plurality of data sets that include a first input signal indicating an acceleration of the motor vehicle, a second input signal indicating a pedal position of an accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle, and a third input signal indicating an operating state of the motor vehicle selected from the operating states of take-off and acceleration;

• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) determining the operating state from the third input signal;
• b) determining from the first and second input signals if the acceleration is within a prescribed range in relation to said pedal position;
• and
• c1) if the acceleration is too low, issuing a first control signal that will cause the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, in such a manner that in a first phase One of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly lowered, causing the engine rpm-rate to increase;
• and in a first phase Two of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is raised to be higher than before the automatic change, so that a larger amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle;
• c2) if the acceleration is too high, issuing a second control signal that will cause the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, in such a manner that in a second phase One of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly increased;
• and in a second phase Two of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is decreased to be lower than before the automatic change, so that a lesser amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle.

An apparatus for regulating an amount of transmittable torque that can be transmitted from an input side to an output side of an adjustable automated torque-transmitting system in the power train of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an engine generating an engine torque through an output element rotating at a variable engine rpm-rate and a transmission shiftable into a plurality of different gears, said apparatus comprising:

• a control unit arranged to receive and process a plurality of input signals and having an output for control signals;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a first input signal indicating an acceleration of the motor vehicle;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a second input signal indicating a pedal position of an accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle;
• and
• at least one actuator that regulates said amount of transmittable torque in response to one of said control signals;
• wherein if said first input signal indicates an acceleration that is too low in relation to said pedal position, the control unit causes the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, where in a first phase of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly lowered, causing the engine rpm-rate to increase;
• and in a second phase of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is raised to be higher than before the automatic change, so that a larger amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle.

An apparatus for regulating an amount of transmittable torque that can be transmitted from an input side to an output side of an adjustable automated torque-transmitting system in the power train of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an engine generating an engine torque through an output element rotating at a variable engine rpm-rate and a transmission shiftable into a plurality of different gears, said apparatus comprising:

• a control unit arranged to receive and process a plurality of input signals and having an output for control signals;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a first input signal indicating an acceleration of the motor vehicle;
• means for transmitting to said control unit a second input signal indicating a pedal position of an accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle;
• and
• at least one actuator that regulates said amount of transmittable torque in response to one of said control signals;
• wherein if said first input signal indicates an acceleration that is too high in relation to said pedal position, the control unit causes the actuator to perform an automatic change between degrees of actuation that correspond to different amounts of transmittable torque, where in a first phase of said automatic change, the amount of transmittable torque is at least slightly raised;
• and in a second phase of said automatic change, the transmittable torque is decreased to be lower than before the automatic change, so that a lesser amount of engine torque is made available to accelerate the motor vehicle.