Interrelated power delivery controls – including engine control – Clutch control – Regulated clutch engagement
Patent
1998-08-12
2000-07-11
Ta, Khoi Q.
Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control
Clutch control
Regulated clutch engagement
477 74, 477 86, B60K 4102
Patent
active
060865148
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to clutch calibration and in particular to the determination of the so-called "Kiss-point" of a clutch when the clutch just begins to make frictional contact during its engagement.
It is known to provide clutch control systems in which the clutch is engaged and disengaged by an hydraulic actuator (or some other actuator such as an electric motor) under the control of an electronic control means which, for example, engages the clutch for vehicle start-up when the accelerator is depressed, disengages the clutch when the vehicle comes to a halt, and which disengages the clutch during ratio changes in an associated transmission when a gear selector lever is moved by the operator. Examples of such clutch control systems are disclosed in, for example, European patents 0038113, 0043660, 0059035, 0101220 and 0566595.
In order to ensure the continued accurate operation of such clutch control systems it is necessary for the electronic control means to know accurately the position of the clutch kiss-point. This therefore presents a problem since the kiss-point changes as the clutch and the associated actuating mechanism wears.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of determining the kiss-point of a clutch which can be regularly implemented during use of the associated vehicle with the minimal effect on the operation of the vehicle so that the determination is not perceived by the operator or passengers.
Thus according to the present invention there is provided a method of determining, during a clutch re-engagement process, the kiss-point of a vehicle clutch having a driven plate which drives a vehicle from an engine via a multi-ratio transmission, operation of the clutch being via a clutch actuating mechanism under the control of an electronic control means, said method comprising the steps of: in an engine overrun condition; the engine speed to a substantially constant level below the speed of the driven plate of the clutch; partially engaged condition; characteristics of the clutch the current kiss-point position;
The present invention also provides a method of determining the kiss-point of a vehicle clutch which drives a vehicle from an engine via a multi-ratio transmission, operation of the clutch being via a clutch actuating mechanism under the control of an electronic control means, said method comprising the steps of: transmission has been selected; the engine speed to a substantially constant level below the speed of the driven plate of the clutch; partially engaged condition; characteristics of the clutch the current kiss-point position;
In a preferred arrangement the electronic control means senses the engine speed and the speed of the driven plate of the clutch prior to re-engagement and then re-engages the clutch to drive the engine at a speed in a predetermined relationship to said sensed speeds.
The vehicle engine may conveniently be driven by the clutch at a speed halfway between the sensed engine and driven plate speeds.
During a given kiss-point determination a series of clutch actuating mechanism position measurements may be made and this series of measurements may be compared for consistency and if sufficiently consistent, indicating a steady state clutch engagement condition, are utilised for a kiss-point determination.
The electronic control means may set a time limit for making the position measurements of the clutch actuating mechanism to prevent prolonged clutch slippage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows in diagrammatic form the general layout of a clutch control system embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows in block diagram form the generation of the clutch take-up reference signal in the electronic control unit of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows the logic diagram for the kiss-point determination method of the present inven
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Jones Charles John
Martin Paul Grahame
Luk Leamington Limited
Ta Khoi Q.
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