IP Library Granted Patent US 8,527,170
Granted Patent B2
US 8,527,170 · App. 13/626,281 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Method for operating a double clutch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,527,170
App. No.
13/626,281
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of operating a double clutch that is actuated by a hydrostatic actuating system having two clutch actuators assigned to two individual clutches and each clutch actuator including a pressure sensor for sensing the operating pressure of the respective clutch actuator, the method having the step of limiting a total actuating force of the double clutch in the event of a fault using the pressure values sensed by the pressure sensors.

Claims (11)

1. A method of operating a double clutch ( 4 ) that is actuated by a hydrostatic actuating system ( 8 ) that comprises two clutch actuators ( 5 , 6 ) assigned to two individual clutches ( 1 , 2 ) where each said actuator comprises a pressure sensor ( 11 , 12 ) for sensing the operating pressure of the respective clutch actuator ( 5 , 6 ), the method comprising the step of limiting a total actuating force of the double clutch ( 4 ) in the event of a fault using the pressure values sensed by the pressure sensors ( 11 , 12 ).

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein in the event of a fault, the total actuating force is limited in such a way that the double clutch ( 4 ) can be operated with only one individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) without the other individual clutch ( 2 , 1 ).

3. The method recited in claim 2 , wherein once a defect has been detected in one of the individual clutches ( 1 , 2 ), in one of the clutch actuators ( 5 , 6 ), or in the hydrostatic actuating system ( 8 ), a gear that is engaged in the affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) is disengaged in a superordinate control ( 20 ).

4. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein once a defect has been detected in one of the individual clutches ( 1 , 2 ), in one of the clutch actuators ( 5 , 6 ), or in the hydrostatic actuating system ( 8 ), a gear that is engaged in the affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) is disengaged in a superordinate control ( 20 ).

5. The method recited in claim 4 , wherein the operating pressure of the affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) at a switch-off instant is detected and the detected pressure value is stored in a memory ( 21 , 22 ) of the superordinate control ( 20 ).

6. The method recited in claim 5 , wherein a pressure increase potentially occurring after the switch-off instant is determined and taken into consideration in the stored pressure value.

7. The method recited in claim 5 , wherein an actuating force that the hydrostatic actuating system ( 8 ) applies to the affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) is calculated with the aid of the stored pressure value.

8. The method recited in claim 7 , wherein the total actuating force of the double clutch ( 4 ) is determined from the calculated actuating force of the affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) and the operating pressure of the non-affected individual clutch ( 2 , 1 ).

9. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the operating pressure of the non-affected individual clutch ( 1 , 2 ) is limited to an acceptable value of the total actuating force.

10. The method recited in claim 8 , comprising the step of calculating a maximum acceptable clutch torque with which the maximum acceptable total actuating force is reached.

11. The method recited in claim 10 , comprising the step of forwarding the maximum acceptable clutch torque to an engine control ( 30 ) that limits a motor torque to the maximum acceptable clutch torque.

Assignments (3)
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 →