# US 8,465,393 B2 · Method for accelerating the decoupling of a starting clutch, which releasable connects an electric machine to a transmission input, in a hybrid drive train of a vehicle

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- Number: US 8,465,393 B2
- Document ID: US8465393B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/299,756
- Filed: 2011-11-18
- Published: 2012-05-24
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-24
- Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
- Applicants: Thomas Lemp; Alexander Pfau
- Inventors: Thomas Lemp; Alexander Pfau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465393B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)}
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 30/20: Reducing vibrations in the driveline
- B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft}
- B60W 2710/025: Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- B60W 2710/105: Output torque
- Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method of accelerating decoupling of the starting clutch (5) that is able to connect the electric machine (2) to the transmission input in a hybrid drive-train of a motor vehicle, when a decoupling command is issued, at the same time as the regulation of the starting clutch begins for the purpose of decoupling the starting clutch (5) or a specified time after the regulation of the starting clutch begins. The electric machine is regulated in such manner that a torque is built up such that the transition to sliding friction, and thus decoupling and the onset of slip, are sped up while maintaining the nominal driving torque.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of accelerating decoupling of a starting clutch (5) that releasably connects an electric machine (2) to a transmission input in a hybrid drive-train of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
regulating the electric machine (2), when a decoupling command is issued, at the same time as regulation of the starting clutch begins for the purpose of decoupling the starting clutch (5) or a specified time after the regulation of the starting clutch begins, in such a manner that a torque is built up, whereby a transition to sliding friction, and thus the decoupling, are sped up while still maintaining a nominal driving torque.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of accelerating the decoupling of the starting clutch (5) that releasably connects the electric machine (2) to the transmission input in the hybrid drive-train of the motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
specifying, via a control system, a desired nominal speed for the electric machine (2), and
building up a torque, that corresponds to a desired nominal speed, with a speed regulator of the electric machine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of accelerating the decoupling of the starting clutch (5) that releasably connects the electric machine (2) to the transmission input in the hybrid drive-train of the motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising the step of specifying a desired nominal torque for the electric machine (2, via a control system, which is transmitted to the electric machine (2) as a pilot control torque.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of accelerating the decoupling of the starting clutch (5) that releasably connects the electric machine (2) to the transmission input in the hybrid drive-train of the motor vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising the step of specifying a value of either the desired nominal speed or a desired nominal torque, that depends on an operating point of the drive-train at a time, and storing the value in the control system as a characteristic curve.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of accelerating the decoupling of the starting clutch (5) that releasably connects the electric machine (2) to the transmission input in the hybrid drive-train of the motor vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising the step of, when no decoupling occurs within a specified time, reducing either the speed or a pilot control torque of the electric machine (2)to avoid any undesired acceleration of the vehicle due to additional torque of the electric machine (5).