A method is provided for controlling a friction clutch for connecting first and second rotatable axles in a vehicle, where the clutch includes a first friction part which is connected to the first axle, a second friction part which is connected to the second axle, a spring element which is adapted to bias the second friction part into engagement with the first friction part to connect the first and second axles, and an actuator including a movable actuator part which is engageable with the spring element, and adapted to move, upon being subjected to an actuation force from an actuator control system, towards a disengagement position, thereby deforming the spring element to disengage the second friction part from the first friction part to disconnect the first and second axles. The method includes subjecting the movable actuator part to a test force urging the movable actuator part towards the disengagement position, the test force being smaller than the actuation force, and subsequently or simultaneously to subjecting the movable actuator part to the test force, determining a position of the movable actuator part.

A process of controlling an actuating assembly for a coupling in the driveline of a motor vehicle, wherein the actuating assembly comprises a drive for moving an actuating element for operating the coupling unit, sensing a position signal representing the position of the actuating element; sensing a force signal representing the operating force required for displacing the actuating element; controlling the drive by means of an electronic control unit as a function of the position signal and the force signal. Further an actuating assembly is used for carrying out the process, as well as a drive assembly having such an actuating assembly.

A method of predicting the health of and controlling a hydraulic pressure actuated torque converter lock-up clutch includes determining rotational input and output speeds of the torque converter. The method also includes determining a magnitude of the hydraulic pressure. The method additionally includes determining a level of performance of the clutch across multiple torque converter operating modes using the determined input and output torque converter speeds and the determined magnitude of the hydraulic pressure. The method also includes calculating a numeric state of health (SOH) coefficient of the clutch that quantifies a relative severity of degradation of a plurality of clutch characteristics across the multiple torque converter operating modes. Furthermore, the method includes executing a control action relative to the clutch when the calculated numeric SOH coefficient for specified torque converter operating mode(s) is less than a calibrated SOH threshold.

A method is provided for controlling a friction clutch for connecting first and second rotatable axles in a vehicle, where the clutch includes a first friction part which is connected to the first axle, a second friction part which is connected to the second axle, a spring element which is adapted to bias the second friction part into engagement with the first friction part to connect the first and second axles, and an actuator including a movable actuator part which is engageable with the spring element, and adapted to move, upon being subjected to an actuation force from an actuator control system, towards a disengagement position, thereby deforming the spring element to disengage the second friction part from the first friction part to disconnect the first and second axles. The method includes subjecting the movable actuator part to a test force urging the movable actuator part towards the disengagement position, the test force being smaller than the actuation force, and subsequently or simultaneously to subjecting the movable actuator part to the test force, determining a position of the movable actuator part.

A method for automatic detection of need for clutch calibration includes registering and storing in a data memory, before or in connection with engine shut down, a value of a clutch operating parameter, registering a corresponding value of the clutch operating parameter in connection with subsequent engine start up, and determining need for clutch calibration if the difference between the stored value of the clutch operating parameter and the corresponding value of the clutch operating parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A method for learning a touch point of an engine clutch of a hybrid electric vehicle including a motor connected to a transmission and an engine selectively connected to the motor through the engine clutch includes determining whether a learning condition of the touch point of the engine clutch is satisfied, releasing a transmission clutch and controlling a motor speed when the learning condition is satisfied, increasing a coupling pressure of the engine clutch when a change amount of the motor speed is less than a first predetermined value, comparing a change amount of a motor torque according to the increased coupling pressure of the engine clutch with a second predetermined value, and learning the touch point of the engine clutch when the change amount of the motor torque is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value.

A method of preventing a vehicle clutch from sticking includes a wear compensation actuation step of actuating a wear compensation device in conjunction with engagement actuation of a clutch actuator after an ignition is turned off when an actuation condition of the wear compensation device is satisfied, and a clutch control step of controlling a clutch position so that the clutch position returns to a disengaged state of the clutch actuator by reactuating the wear compensation device, when a clutch position based on an amount of variation in an actuation length of the actuation rod fails to return to the disengaged state of the clutch actuator during returning of the engaged clutch actuator.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a drivetrain having an internal combustion engine, a dual-clutch transmission, having a first and second sub-transmission having at least one shiftable gear ratio, a first friction clutch disposed between the internal combustion engine and the first sub-transmission and a second friction clutch disposed between the internal combustion engine and the second sub-transmission to provide a drivetrain torque at a transmission output of the dual-clutch transmission by transferring an engine torque adjusted thereto via the friction clutches. So as to be able to continue operating a friction clutch which may have a previously damaged friction lining, at a first clutch torque transferred via the first friction lining, depending on a friction coefficient and a current temperature of a second friction lining of the second friction clutch, the second friction clutch is engaged at a gear ratio selected in the second sub-transmission and the friction lining is heated to a specified temperature.

A process of controlling an actuating assembly for a coupling in the driveline of a motor vehicle, wherein the actuating assembly comprises a drive for moving an actuating element for operating the coupling unit, sensing a position signal representing the position of the actuating element; sensing a force signal representing the operating force required for displacing the actuating element; controlling the drive by means of an electronic control unit as a function of the position signal and the force signal. Further an actuating assembly is used for carrying out the process, as well as a drive assembly having such an actuating assembly.

An apparatus for controlling a clutch in an environmentally friendly vehicle includes: a clutch configured to transfer or block power generated in a power generator; a clutch actuator configured to measure a pressure of the clutch using a pressure sensor embedded therein; and a controller configured to compare the pressure measured through the pressure sensor with reference data and inspect whether or not abrasion occurs in the clutch depending on the comparison.