IP Library Granted Patent US 8,370,037
Granted Patent B2
US 8,370,037 · App. 11/166,321 · Granted Feb 5, 2013

Method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,370,037
App. No.
11/166,321
Granted
Feb 5, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload, comprising the steps of determining a driving situation of the vehicle, continuously determining the energy input in the clutch, and, preventing or reducing an overload state via targeted intervention in vehicle management as a function of the determined driving situation and the input energy.

Claims (17)

1. A method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload, comprising:

determining a driving situation of the vehicle;

continuously determining the energy input in the clutch; and,

preventing or reducing an overload state via targeted intervention in vehicle management as a function of the determined driving situation and the input energy, wherein various targeted interventions in the vehicle management are made as a function of prescribed threshold values of the energy input in the clutch or of the expected energy input, it being possible to calculate the threshold values as a function of the current temperature of the clutch.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the driving comprises making a distinction between at least the following situations: creeping, starting off and driving.

3. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein the determination is carried out continuously.

4. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein the determination is carried out intermittently.

5. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein in the driving situation of starting off, a distinction is made between starting off when the vehicle is stationary and starting off when the vehicle is not stationary, and in this context the engaged drive position is detected.

6. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the energy input in the clutch is determined as the integral of the friction introduced in the clutch at any instant over time, according to the formula

E Friction =∫P Friction (t)dt, wherein P Friction , at any given time is a product of the current slip speed ω Slip at the clutch and the current friction moment M Friction at the clutch, such that P Friction =M Friction ω Slip =M Friction 2πn Slip .

7. The method as described in claim 6 , to determine the energy input in the clutch, the friction moment is measured or calculated on the basis of clutch characteristic curves or is determined on the basis of the engine speed, the engine torque and a mass moment of inertia value.

8. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the interventions in the vehicle management are carried out as a function of prescribed threshold values of an expected period of a slip state of the vehicle clutch.

9. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the interventions in the vehicle management are carried out as a function of prescribed threshold values of the speed of the vehicle.

10. The method as described in claim 9 , wherein an optic signal is output before the intervention in the vehicle management is carried out.

11. The method as described in claim 9 , wherein an acoustic signal is output before the intervention in the vehicle management is carried out.

12. The method as described in claim 9 , wherein a haptic signal is output before the intervention in the vehicle management is carried out.

13. The method as described in claim 10 , wherein, before carrying out the intervention in the vehicle management, a prescribable waiting period is set during which the presence of the condition for the intervention continues to be checked.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037732 FRAME 0347. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE APP. NO. 14/553248 SHOULD BE APP. NO. 14/553258. Recorded Oct 11, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 040404/0530 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG; SCHAEFFLER VERWALTUNGS 5 GMBH
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0228 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0347 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 25, 2012
From: LUK LAMELLEN UND KUPPLUNGSBAU BETEILIGUNGS KG
To: LUK VERMOEGENSVERWALTUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH
Reel/Frame 028106/0668 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2012
From: LUK VERMOEGENSVERWALTUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 028106/0935 →