IP Library Granted Patent US 11,932,112
Granted Patent B1
US 11,932,112 · App. 18/312,007 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Vehicle and corresponding powertrain control system

Inventors: Corey James Blue (Belleville, MI); Samuel Melville Glauber (McLean, VA); Timothy Baxendale (Portales, NM); Bradley D Riedle (Northville, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60K6/387B60W20/40B60W2510/0275B60W2710/083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,932,112
App. No.
18/312,007
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a clutch, and a controller. The clutch is disposed between the engine and the electric machine. The controller is programmed to, in response to an engine start, close the clutch to transfer power from the electric machine to the engine to start the engine. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine start, control a torque capacity of the clutch during the engine start according to a model of a pressure applied to the clutch. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine start, control the torque of the electric machine based on an adjusted torque capacity of the clutch.

Claims (38)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a powertrain having an engine and an electric machine each configured to generate power to propel the vehicle;

a disconnect clutch (i) disposed between the engine and the electric machine, (ii) configured to open to disconnect the engine from a remainder of the powertrain, and (iii) configured to close to connect the engine to the remainder of the powertrain; and

a controller programmed to, in response to a command to start the engine,

close the disconnect clutch to transfer power from the electric machine to the engine to start the engine,

control a torque capacity of the disconnect clutch during the engine start according to a feedforward model of a pressure applied to the disconnect clutch, and

control a torque of the electric machine based on an adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch in response to (i) the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch decreasing according to a ramp down phase during the engine start, (ii) a difference between (a) the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch according to the feedforward model and (b) a measured pressure of the disconnect clutch increasing to greater than a first threshold, and (iii) a rate of change of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch decreasing to less than a second threshold, wherein the adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch is based on the feedforward model of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch and an offset value.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the difference between (i) the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch according to the feedforward model and (ii) the measured pressure of the disconnect decreasing to less than the first threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch is based on the feedforward model of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch and not the offset value.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the rate of change of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch increasing to greater than the second threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch is based on the feedforward model of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch and not the offset value.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch prior to the ramp down phase, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch is based on the feedforward model of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch and not the offset value.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the disconnect clutch entering a locked state, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the disconnect clutch is based on the feedforward model of the pressure applied to the disconnect clutch and not the offset value.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the offset value is negative.

7. A vehicle comprising:

an engine and an electric machine each configured to generate power to propel the vehicle;

a clutch disposed between the engine and the electric machine; and

a controller programmed to, in response to an engine start,

close the clutch to transfer power from the electric machine to the engine to start the engine,

control a torque capacity of the clutch during the engine start according to a model of a pressure applied to the clutch, and

control a torque of the electric machine based on an adjusted torque capacity of the clutch in response to (i) the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing according to a ramp down phase during the engine start and (ii) a difference between (a) the pressure applied to the clutch according to the model and (b) a measured pressure of the clutch increasing to greater than a threshold, wherein the adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and an offset value.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the difference between (i) the pressure applied to the clutch according to the model and (ii) the measured pressure of the clutch decreasing to less than the threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine start, control the torque of the electric machine based on the adjusted torque capacity of the clutch in response to (i) the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing according to the ramp down phase during the engine start and (ii) a rate of change of the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing to less than a second threshold.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the rate of change of the pressure applied to the clutch increasing to greater than the second threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

11. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch prior to the ramp down phase, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

12. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the clutch entering a locked state, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

13. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the offset value is negative.

14. A vehicle comprising:

an engine and an electric machine each configured to generate power to propel the vehicle;

a clutch disposed between the engine and the electric machine; and

a controller programmed to, in response to an engine start,

close the clutch to transfer power from the electric machine to the engine to start the engine,

control a torque capacity of the clutch during the engine start according to a model of a pressure applied to the clutch, and

control a torque of the electric machine based on an adjusted torque capacity of the clutch in response to (i) the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing according to a ramp down phase during the engine start and (ii) a rate of change of the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing to less than a threshold, wherein the adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and an offset value.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the rate of change of the pressure applied to the clutch increasing to greater than the threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine start, control the torque of the electric machine based on the adjusted torque capacity of the clutch in response to (i) the pressure applied to the clutch decreasing according to a ramp down phase during the engine start and (ii) a difference between (a) the pressure applied to the clutch according to the model and (b) a measured pressure of the clutch increasing to greater than a second threshold.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the difference between (i) the pressure applied to the clutch according to the model and (ii) the measured pressure of the clutch decreasing to less than the second threshold, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch prior to the ramp down phase, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

19. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the clutch entering a locked state, control the torque of the electric machine based on a non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch, wherein the non-adjusted torque capacity of the clutch is based on the model of the pressure applied to the clutch and not the offset value.

20. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the offset value is negative.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2023
From: BLUE, COREY JAMES; GLAUBER, SAMUEL MELVILLE; BAXENDALE, TIMOTHY; RIEDLE, BRADLEY D
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 063533/0395 →