Lubrication control apparatus for start clutch of automatic transmission

A lubrication control apparatus for a start clutch of an electromagnetic type, the start clutch being disposed between a power source and an automatic transmission to transmit the power of the power source to the automatic transmission, the start clutch lubrication apparatus comprising:

• oil supplying means for supplying lubricating oil to the start clutch, comprising supply quantity controlling means for supplying a necessary minimum supply quantity of the lubricating oil to the start clutch when the start clutch is put in a completely engaged state;
• oil returning means for returning the lubricating oil from the start clutch to the automatic transmission;
• and
• quantity varying means for varying a supply quantity of the lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch according to a slipping state of the start clutch.

A lubrication control apparatus for a start clutch of an electromagnetic type, the start clutch being disposed between a power source and an automatic transmission to transmit the power of the power source to the automatic transmission, the start clutch lubrication apparatus comprising:

• oil supplying means for supplying lubricating oil to the start clutch, comprising supply quantity controlling means for supplying a necessary minimum supply quantity of the lubricating oil to the start clutch when the start clutch is put in one of a completely engaged state and a disengaged state, the supply quantity controlling means comprising
• a supply quantity control valve for controlling the supply quantity of the lubricating oil to the start clutch;
• and
• operating condition controlling means for varying an operating condition of the supply quantity control valve according to a slipping connect state of the start clutch, the operating condition controlling means determining that the start clutch is put in a disengaged state from a de-energized state of the start clutch, that the start clutch is put in one of the slipping connect state and a completely engaged state from a relative rotation between input and output members of the start clutch, and varies the supply quantity of the lubrication oil supplied to the start clutch on the basis of a clutch heated condition obtained from a transmission torque of the start clutch and the relative rotation when the start clutch is put in the slipping connect state;
• oil returning means for returning the lubricating oil from the start clutch to the automatic transmission;
• and
• quantity varying means for varying the supply quantity of the lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch according to a slipping state of the start clutch.

A lubrication control apparatus for an electromagnetic start clutch disposed between an engine and an automatic transmission, the lubrication control apparatus comprising:

• a start clutch operating condition detector obtaining information of the relative rotation between input and output members of the start clutch, being indicative of an operating condition of the start clutch;
• an oil-quantity varying valve-unit varying a supply quantity of lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch;
• and
• a controller coupled to the start clutch operating condition detector and the lubricating oil quantity varying valve unit, the controller being arranged,
• to determine the operation condition of the start clutch on the basis of the information indicating the relative rotation between input and output members of the start clutch obtained by the start clutch operating condition detector,
• to determine a supply quantity of the lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch according to the operating condition of the start clutch, and
• to output a control signal to the oil-quantity varying valve-unit to control the supply quantity to the start clutch at the determined supply quantity.

A lubrication control apparatus for an electromagnetic start clutch disposed between an engine and an automatic transmission, the lubrication control apparatus comprising:

• a start clutch operating condition detector obtaining information indicative of an operating condition of the start clutch, comprising a detector for detecting a current quantity applied to an electromagnet of the start clutch;
• an oil-quantity varying valve-unit varying a supply quantity of lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch;
• and
• a controller coupled to the start clutch operating condition detector and the lubricating oil quantity varying valve unit, the controller being arranged,
• to determine the operation condition of the start clutch on the basis of the information obtained by the start clutch operating condition detector,
• to determine a supply quantity of the lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch according to the operating condition of the start clutch, and
• to output a control signal to the oil-quantity varying valve-unit to control the supply quantity to the start clutch at the determined supply quantity.

A method for controlling a lubricating oil quantity supplied to a start clutch of an electromagnetic type, the start clutch being disposed between an engine and an automatic transmission, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining information of the relative rotation between input and output members of the start clutch, being indicative of an operating condition of the start clutch;
• determining an operation condition of the start clutch on the basis of the information indicative of the operating condition of the start clutch;
• determining a supply quantity of the lubricating oil supplied to the start clutch according to the operating condition of the electromagnetic clutch, and
• controlling the lubricating oil quantity supplied to the start clutch at the determined supply quantity.