IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,107,390
Granted Patent B2
US 10,107,390 · App. 15/258,541 · Granted Oct 23, 2018

Torque converter clutch engagement pressure

Inventors: Yanan Zhao (Ann Arbor, MI); Bernard D. Nefcy (Novi, MI); Ming Lang Kuang (Canton, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
F16H61/143B60K6/38B60L7/16B60W10/026B60W20/00B60Y2300/18125
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,107,390
App. No.
15/258,541
Granted
Oct 23, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle may include a controller configured to, in response to an accelerator pedal release and an expected regenerative braking event, increase an engagement pressure of a torque converter clutch prior to occurrence of the event to a threshold that is based on a regenerative braking torque estimate associated with the event such that during the event, the clutch transfers more torque than the converter.

Claims (24)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a controller configured to, in response to accelerator pedal release and an expected regenerative braking event, increase an engagement pressure of a torque converter clutch prior to occurrence of the event to a threshold that is based on a regenerative braking torque estimate associated with the event such that during the event, the clutch transfers more torque than the converter.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the regenerative braking torque estimate is based on a difference between an average road grade and a current road grade.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the regenerative braking torque estimate is based on a headway range and a rate of change thereof.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the regenerative braking torque estimate is based on a predicted deceleration rate.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein presence of the expected regenerative braking event arises from a difference between an average road grade and a current road grade.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein a duration associated with the average road grade begins with the accelerator pedal release.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein presence of the expected regenerative braking event arises from an adaptive cruise control headway range.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein presence of the expected regenerative braking event further arises from a rate of change of the adaptive cruise control headway range.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein presence of the expected regenerative braking event arises from a predicted deceleration rate.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein presence of the expected regenerative braking event further arises from a difference between the average deceleration rate and the predicted deceleration rate.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a torque converter having a bypass clutch; and

a controller configured to, in response to accelerator pedal release and a predicted regenerative braking event, increase an engagement pressure of a torque converter clutch prior to occurrence of the event to a threshold that is based on a regenerative braking torque prediction associated with the event such that during a portion of the event, the clutch transfers all torque associated with the event.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the regenerative braking torque prediction is based on a current velocity of the vehicle and a difference between an average road grade and a current road grade.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the regenerative braking torque prediction is based on a headway range and a rate of change thereof.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the regenerative braking torque prediction is based on a predicted deceleration rate.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein presence of the predicted regenerative braking event arises from a difference between an average road grade and a current road grade.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein a duration associated with the average road grade begins with the accelerator pedal release.

17. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein presence of the predicted regenerative braking event arises from an adaptive cruise control headway range.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein presence of the predicted regenerative braking event further arises from a rate of change of the adaptive cruise control headway range.

19. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein presence of the predicted regenerative braking event arises from a predicted deceleration rate.

20. A method comprising:

in response to an accelerator pedal release, increasing, by a controller, an engagement pressure of a torque converter clutch prior to occurrence of an expected regenerative braking event to a threshold that is based on a regenerative braking torque estimate associated with the event.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2016
From: ZHAO, YANAN; NEFCY, BERNARD D.; KUANG, MING LANG
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 039688/0345 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180066753A1 · Mar 8, 2018