IP Library Granted Patent US 10,451,124
Granted Patent B2
US 10,451,124 · App. 15/426,748 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Clutch control system for a work vehicle

Inventor: Garth Harvey Bulgrien (Ephrata, PA)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
F16D48/06F16H61/684B60Y2200/221F16D2500/10412F16D2500/1107F16D2500/30412F16D2500/30421F16D2500/30806F16D2500/31413F16D2500/50287F16D2500/70252F16H2059/147F16H2312/022F16H2312/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,451,124
App. No.
15/426,748
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clutch control system for a work vehicle includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position, to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position, and to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch. The controller is also configured to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position, and to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch. The controller is also configured to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque, and to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

Claims (39)

1. A clutch control system for a work vehicle, comprising:

a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position, to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position, to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch, to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position, to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch, to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque, and to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

2. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on a lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

3. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the input torque based on a lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

4. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the inching torque by dividing the output torque by the first gear ratio.

5. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the launch torque by multiplying the input torque by the second gear ratio.

6. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein determining the clutch control torque comprises selecting the higher value of the inching torque and the launch torque.

7. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on an inching lookup table and the clutch pedal position, and to determine the input torque based on a launch lookup table and the clutch pedal position.

8. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the control clutch is a dedicated inching and/or launch clutch that is not associated with a gear pair.

9. The clutch control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position, and to determine the input torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

10. A method for controlling a control clutch of a work vehicle, comprising:

receiving a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position;

determining an output torque based on the clutch pedal position;

determining an inching torque for the control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch;

determining an input torque based on the clutch pedal position;

determining a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch;

determining a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque; and

outputting a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the output torque comprises using a lookup table to determine the output torque based on the clutch pedal position.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the input torque comprises using a lookup table to determine the input torque based on the clutch pedal position.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the inching torque comprises dividing the output torque by the first gear ratio.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the launch torque comprises multiplying the input torque by the second gear ratio.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the clutch control torque comprises of selecting the higher value of the inching torque and the launch torque.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the output torque comprises determining the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position; and

determining the input torque comprises determining the output torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

17. An apparatus comprising at least one non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a first signal indicative of a clutch pedal position;

instructions to determine an output torque based on the clutch pedal position;

instructions to determine an inching torque for a control clutch based on the output torque and a first gear ratio downstream from the control clutch;

instructions to determine an input torque based on the clutch pedal position;

instructions to determine a launch torque for the control clutch based on the input torque and a second gear ratio upstream of the control clutch;

instructions to determine a clutch control torque for the control clutch based on the inching torque and the launch torque; and

instructions to output a second signal indicative of the clutch control torque to the control clutch.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the output torque comprise instructions to use an inching lookup table to determine the output torque based on the clutch pedal position; and

the instructions to determine the input torque comprise instructions to use a launch lookup table to determine the input torque based on the clutch pedal position.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the inching torque comprises instructions to divide the output torque by the first gear ratio; and

the instructions to determine the launch torque comprises instructions to multiply the input torque by the second gear ratio.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to determine the output torque comprise instructions to determine the output torque based on an inching relationship and the clutch pedal position; and

the instructions to determine input torque comprise instructions to determine the input torque based on a launch relationship and the clutch pedal position.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2020
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: BLUE LEAF I.P., INC.
Reel/Frame 052048/0914 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2017
From: BULGRIEN, GARTH HARVEY
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 041206/0505 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180223918A1 · Aug 9, 2018
Cited By (1)
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