Method and apparatus to control operation of a hydraulic control circuit for an electro-mechanical transmission
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsJy-Jen F. Sah, Ali Naqvi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided a control system for electro-mechanical transmission that is selectively operative in a plurality of fixed gear modes and continuously variable modes comprising first and second electrical machines and four hydraulically-actuated clutches in fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit comprising first, second and third pressure control devices and first and second flow management valves. The control system is operative to selectively actuate the pressure control devices and the flow management valves based upon a demand for torque, presence of a fault, and temperatures of the electric machines.
Claims27
Control system for electro-mechanical transmission selectively configured to operate in a plurality of fixed gear modes and continuously variable modes comprising first and second electrical machines and four hydraulically-actuated clutches in fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit comprising first, second and third pressure control devices and first and second flow management valves;
- the control system configured to selectively actuate the pressure control devices and the flow management valves based upon a demand for torque, presence of a fault, and temperatures of the electric machines, wherein fluid output from each of the first, second and third pressure control devices is selectively mapped to one of the four hydraulically-actuated clutches and stator cooling systems for the first and second electrical machines based upon commanded positions of the first and second flow management valves.
Method for controlling an electro-mechanical transmission configured to selectively operate in one of a plurality of fixed gear modes and continuously variable modes and comprising first and second electrical machines and four hydraulically-actuated clutches in fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit comprising first, second and third pressure control devices and first and second flow management valves;
- the method comprising:
- selectively actuating the pressure control devices and the flow management valves based upon a demand for torque, presence of a fault, and temperatures of the electric machines, and
- selectively mapping fluid output from each of the first, second and third pressure control devices to one of the four hydraulically-actuated clutches and stator cooling systems for the first and second electrical machines based upon commanded positions of the first and second flow management valves.
Transmission, comprising:
- an electro-mechanical device configured to transmit torque, comprising:
- first and second electrical machines;
- a plurality of planetary gears and four hydraulically actuated torque-transfer devices selectively actuatable using a hydraulic circuit;
- the hydraulic circuit comprising first, second and third pressure control devices and first and second flow management valves and pressure monitoring devices;
- a control system:
- adapted to monitor the pressure monitoring devices to identify presence of a fault;
- adapted to determine a demand for torque and temperatures of the electrical machines;
- adapted to execute a computer program to selectively actuate the four torque-transfer devices by selectively actuating the plurality of pressure control devices and flow management valves based upon the demand for torque, the presence of the fault, and the temperatures of the electrical machines.
Control system for hydraulic circuit for an electro-mechanical transmission comprising a plurality of planetary gears, a pair of electric machines and a plurality of torque-transfer devices and configured to selectively operate in one of a plurality of fixed gear modes and continuously variable modes, comprising:
- the hydraulic circuit configured to selectively control flow of pressurized fluid to the plurality of torque-transfer clutches and cooling circuits for the pair of electric machines;
- the hydraulic circuit comprising a hydraulic pump in fluid communication with three selectively actuatable pressure control solenoids in fluid communication with two selectively controllable flow control valves in fluid communication with the plurality of torque-transfer clutches and the cooling circuits for the pair of electric machines;
- the control system configured to selectively actuate the pressure control solenoids and the flow control valves based upon a demand for torque output, presence of a fault, and temperature of the electric machine;
- wherein fluid output from the three selectively actuatable pressure control solenoids is selectively mapped to one of the plurality of torque-transfer devices and the cooling circuits for the pair of electric machines based upon commanded positions of the first and second flow control valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.