A drive force transmission apparatus is mountable on a four-wheel drive vehicle switchable between a four-wheel drive mode that transmits a drive force of an engine to front wheels and rear wheels, and a two-wheel drive mode that transmits the drive force to only the front wheels. The drive force transmission apparatus allows adjustment of the drive force to the rear wheels, and includes a multi-plate clutch, a piston for axially pressing the multi-plate clutch, an actuator for axially moving the piston, and a control unit for controlling the actuator. Upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition that indicates a high probability of the vehicle needing to be switched from the two-wheel drive mode to the four-wheel drive mode, the control unit causes the actuator to displace the piston by a predetermined amount with respect to an initial position of the piston toward the multi-plate clutch.

An apparatus (a controller), and systems and methods for management of inputs, determination of a calculated clutch temperature, and control of action related to the clutch of a transmission system, and notification improvements to a user associated therewith are disclosed.

A retrofittable control system for controlling an engine and a clutch of a frost fan may include a data processing system, a thermostat, a human machine interface, a throttle control module, and/or a clutch control module. The control system may be configured to automatically start the fan when the thermostat detects a temperature below a user defined turn-on temperature, and to automatically shut down and park the fan when the thermostat detects a temperature above a user defined turn-off temperature. In some examples, starting up the fan may include running a clutch engagement sequence that engages the clutch at different speeds for different durations.

A method for controlling a pneumatic actuator (1) of a transmission having at least one sealing element (6, 7) that is arranged between two elements (2, 3) of the actuator (1) that move relative to one another, and within a specifiable operating temperature range in which a leakproofness of the actuator (1) is ensured. The pneumatic actuator is acted upon with compressed air from an air supply system for actuating a transmission component. When a temperature of the actuator (1) is below a glass transition temperature of the at least one sealing element (6, 7), the actuator (1) is acted upon with pre-heated compressed air from the air supply system to warm up the at least one sealing element (6, 7) above the glass transition temperature.

A method of controlling a damper pulley clutch for selectively transmitting power of an engine to engine accessories, may include determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle is driven in a fuel-cut mode under deceleration of the vehicle and controlling the damper pulley clutch, by the controller, to be engaged upon determining that the vehicle is driven in the fuel-cut mode and to be disengaged upon determining that the vehicle is not driven in the fuel-cut mode.

A system and method for controlling a powertrain, comprising an internal combustion engine connected to a double clutch transmission having a first and a second partial transmission with at least one shiftable transmission stage. A first friction clutch is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the first partial transmission, and a second friction clutch is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the second partial transmission. An engine torque of the internal combustion engine is transmitted by the first and second friction clutches to the first or second partial transmissions to provide a drivetrain torque at the output of the double clutch transmission. The powertrain is monitored for an occurrence of juddering oscillations, wherein in response to juddering oscillations being detected a regeneration process of one of the first and second friction clutches is triggered, and a friction lining is removed in the regeneration process.

A method of controlling a damper pulley clutch for selectively transmitting power of an engine to engine accessories, may include determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle is driven in a fuel-cut mode under deceleration of the vehicle and controlling the damper pulley clutch, by the controller, to be engaged upon determining that the vehicle is driven in the fuel-cut mode and to be disengaged upon determining that the vehicle is not driven in the fuel-cut mode.

A method for controlling a pneumatic actuator (1) of a transmission having at least one sealing element (6, 7) that is arranged between two elements (2, 3) of the actuator (1) that move relative to one another, and within a specifiable operating temperature range in which a leakproofness of the actuator (1) is ensured. The pneumatic actuator is acted upon with compressed air from an air supply system for actuating a transmission component. When a temperature of the actuator (1) is below a glass transition temperature of the at least one sealing element (6, 7), the actuator (1) is acted upon with pre-heated compressed air from the air supply system to warm up the at least one sealing element (6, 7) above the glass transition temperature.

A control device of a vehicle, the vehicle includes an engine, a hydraulic clutch disposed on a power transmission path between the engine and driving wheels, a starter motor for use in startup of the engine, an electric oil pump device discharging hydraulic oil generating oil pressure supplied to the clutch, and a power supply device supplying electric power driving each of the starter motor and the electric oil pump device. The control device includes a startup control unit that performs starter startup control of starting discharge of the hydraulic oil by the electric oil pump device after determining that output voltage of the power supply device or input voltage of the electric oil pump device is higher than or equal to a fixed voltage after completion of cranking by the starter motor upon startup of the engine using the starter motor.

A retrofittable control system for controlling an engine and a clutch of a frost fan may include a data processing system, a thermostat, a human machine interface, a throttle control module, and/or a clutch control module. The control system may be configured to automatically start the fan when the thermostat detects a temperature below a user defined turn-on temperature, and to automatically shut down and park the fan when the thermostat detects a temperature above a user defined turn-off temperature. In some examples, starting up the fan may include running a clutch engagement sequence that engages the clutch at different speeds for different durations.