A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus including a dog clutch that is operated by an actuator to selectively connect and disconnect a drive-force transmitting path. In process of switching of the dog clutch from released state to engaged state, the control apparatus determines whether a rotational speed difference of the dog clutch is equal to or larger than a given difference value when a sleeve of the dog clutch is positioned on an engaging side of a synchronizing position for placing the dog clutch into the engaged state, and stops the switching of the dog clutch to the engaged state and causes the actuator to place the dog clutch back into the released state, when determining that the rotational speed difference is equal to or larger than the given difference value with the sleeve being positioned on the engaging side of the synchronizing position.

A vehicle control device applicable to a vehicle including an engine includes an electric motor coupled to the engine, a hydraulic clutch, a solenoid control valve, a first travel control unit, a second travel control unit, and a fail-safe control unit. The hydraulic clutch is engaged when hydraulic oil is supplied and disengaged when the hydraulic oil is discharged. The solenoid control valve includes a solenoid. The solenoid control valve supplies the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic clutch when the solenoid is in a non-energized state, and discharges the hydraulic oil when the solenoid is in the energized state. The first travel control unit executes an engine traveling mode, and the second travel control unit executes an inertial traveling mode. The fail-safe control unit drives the electric motor when the solenoid is switched from the energized state to the non-energized state while the inertial traveling mode is executed.

A work machine comprises an engine, a work unit configured to be driven by the engine, a clutch provided between an output shaft of the engine and a power shaft of the work unit, and configured to transmit or cut off power from the output shaft of the engine to the power shaft, a sensor configured to detect an engine speed of the engine; and a control unit configured to control the engine and the clutch based on the engine speed of the engine. The control unit predicts, based on the engine speed of the engine detected by the sensor, whether or not the work unit will become locked by a load, and control the clutch to switch over from a transmission state to a cut-off state upon predicting that the work unit will become locked.

A work machine comprises an engine, a work unit configured to be driven by the engine, a clutch provided between an output shaft of the engine and a power shaft of the work unit, and configured to transmit or cut off power from the output shaft of the engine to the power shaft, a sensor configured to detect an engine speed of the engine; and a control unit configured to control the engine and the clutch based on the engine speed of the engine. The control unit predicts, based on the engine speed of the engine detected by the sensor, whether or not the work unit will become locked by a load, and control the clutch to switch over from a transmission state to a cut-off state upon predicting that the work unit will become locked.

A rotational system can include a shaft assembly rotationally coupling a first rotor, a second rotor, and a fluid pump. A fluid circuit can include the fluid pump that can be configured to motivate a working fluid through the fluid circuit. A pressurizing valve can be disposed downstream of the fluid pump wherein the rotational system can be configured to rotationally decouple the first rotor from the second rotor by closing the pressurizing valve. The pressurizing valve can be actuated by a controller. A method can include raising a pressure differential across a fluid pump driven by a shaft assembly thereby applying an increased braking torque to the shaft assembly. The pressure differential can be raised by actuating a valve in hydraulic communication with the fluid pump. The shaft assembly can rotationally couple a first rotor with a second rotor, and increasing the braking torque can decouple the rotors.

A clutch controller provides protective disengagement of a clutch between an engine and driven machinery to prevent engine failure due to rapid onset overload. Sensor signals of measured parameters are used by the controller to determine potential engine failure. Multiple, successive sensor signals and elapsed times are assessed during which the current sensor signal value and the scaled rate of change in signal values is compared against a predefined amount. The clutch controller sends a clutch disengagement signal if a calculation result is indicative of imminent failure.

A rotational system can include a shaft assembly rotationally coupling a first rotor, a second rotor, and a fluid pump. A fluid circuit can include the fluid pump that can be configured to motivate a working fluid through the fluid circuit. A pressurizing valve can be disposed downstream of the fluid pump wherein the rotational system can be configured to rotationally decouple the first rotor from the second rotor by closing the pressurizing valve. The pressurizing valve can be actuated by a controller. A method can include raising a pressure differential across a fluid pump driven by a shaft assembly thereby applying an increased braking torque to the shaft assembly. The pressure differential can be raised by actuating a valve in hydraulic communication with the fluid pump. The shaft assembly can rotationally couple a first rotor with a second rotor, and increasing the braking torque can decouple the rotors.

Disclosed are systems and methods for protecting an escrow clutch of a self-service terminal. The systems and methods may include actuating a motor of the self-service terminal to cause an escrow clutch of the self-service terminal to spin at a rate. As the clutch spins, a determination as to when a clutch slippage exceeds a preset slippage rate may be made. When the clutch slippage exceeds the preset slippage rate, the motor may be actuated to cause the escrow clutch to spin at a second rate. The second rate may less than the first rate.

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 system and method of diagnosing a clutch pedal position sensor of a vehicle includes determining if a speed of the vehicle speed is less than a first predetermined speed, recording a maximum clutch pedal voltage, determining if a vehicle launch event is in progress, recording a minimum clutch pedal voltage, determining a voltage difference between the maximum clutch pedal voltage and the minimum clutch pedal voltage, and declaring a clutch pedal position sensor fault based on a comparison between the voltage difference and a threshold voltage.