Control for transmission system utilizing a centrifugal clutch
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorDaniel V. Gochenour
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system/method for controlling a vehicle drive-train system including an internal combustion engine, a transmission and a centrifugal clutch for drivingly coupling an engine output to a transmission input shaft. A system controller issues command output signals for controlling engine speed in order to prevent damage and/or overheating of the clutch during periods of prolonged operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
Claims33
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing at least one vehicle operating condition;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state;
- and
- (c) commanding the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease a predetermined amount during operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
A control system for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the control system characterized by the control unit having logic rules effective for:
- (a) sensing at least one vehicle operating condition;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state;
- and
- (c) commanding the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease a predetermined amount during operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
A signaling device for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, and a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, the signaling device comprising:
- an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed;
- and
- a control unit having an input for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the command output signals instructing the engine controller to generate at least a first signal having a predetermined amplitude and frequency that causes the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease when the control unit determines that the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state for an excessive period of time.
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing at least one vehicle operating condition;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state;
- and
- (c) issuing a warning that the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state.
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing the temperature of the clutch;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state by comparing the sensed clutch temperature to a predetermined reference temperature;
- and
- (c) commanding the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease a predetermined amount during operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing at least one vehicle operating condition;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state by estimating a clutch temperature from the at least one sensed vehicle operating condition and comparing the estimated clutch temperature to a reference clutch temperature;
- and
- (c) commanding the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease a predetermined amount during operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
A method for controlling a vehicular automated transmission system comprising an internal combustion engine having an engine flywheel, an engine controller having at least one mode of operation for controlling engine fueling to control at least the engine speed, a multiple speed transmission having an input shaft, a centrifugal friction clutch for drivingly connecting the engine flywheel to the input shaft, a throttle for requesting a degree of engine fueling, and a control unit for receiving input signals and processing the signals according to logic rules to issue command output signals to system actuators including at least the engine controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing at least one vehicle operating condition;
- (b) determining if the clutch is being operated in a partially engaged state by determining a difference between energy input into the clutch and energy dissipated by the clutch and comparing the difference to a predetermined reference value;
- and
- (c) commanding the engine speed to repetitively increase and decrease a predetermined amount during operation of the clutch in a partially engaged state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.