Presented are clutch-type engine disconnect devices, methods for making/using such disconnect devices, and motor vehicles equipped with such disconnect devices. An engine disconnect device includes a notch plate, which has multiple notches and attaches to a torque converter, and a pocket plate, which has multiple pockets and attaches to an engine's crankshaft. A pawl is movably mounted within each notch; these pawls selectively engage the notches with the pockets. A notch plate insert is nested within each notch, supporting thereon one of the pawls. A selector plate interposed between the pocket and notch plates moves from a first position, to shift the pawls out of engagement with the pockets, and a second position, to move the notch plate inserts within the notches and allow the pawls to engage the notches with the pockets to thereby lock the notch plate to the pocket plate to rotate in unison with each other.

A control device of a vehicle including an engine, an auxiliary machine driven by rotation of the engine, and an engagement device selectively connecting and disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and drive wheels comprises: a coasting control portion for selectively providing a first coasting control for allowing the vehicle to coast with the engine brought into a drive state while the power transmission path is disconnected by release of the engagement device, and a second coasting control for allowing the vehicle to coast with the engine brought into a stop state while the power transmission path is connected. If a load of the auxiliary machine is equal to or greater than a predetermined load and a vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle speed when a predetermined coasting start condition is satisfied, the coasting control portion provides the first coasting control.

Presented are vehicle powertrains and control logic for provisioning intelligent fast-torque output, methods for making/using such systems, and electric-drive vehicles with dynamically allocated fast-torque production. A method of controlling torque output of a vehicle powertrain includes a vehicle controller receiving sensor data and determining therefrom maximum and minimum motor torque capacities of a traction motor. The controller calculates the traction motor's maximum and minimum effective motor capacities based on a previous motor torque command and the maximum and minimum torque capacities, respectively. The controller then determines if a negative of the crankshaft torque reserve is: (1) greater than the minimum effective motor capacity; and (2) less than the maximum effective motor capacity. If (1) or (2) is true, an engine spark torque command is set equal to an air torque spark value, and the controller commands an engine assembly to modulate its torque output based on the spark torque command.

The disclosure relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder and a piston, which runs in the cylinder, together delimiting a working chamber. The working chamber is supplied with fresh air from a intake section via an inlet valve and is connected to an exhaust manifold via exhaust valves. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuation system for the actuation of the inlet valves, controlling the opening time and/or the closing time and/or the lift. A strategy for shutting down the internal combustion engine includes controlling the inlet valves of individual or all working chambers in such a way that the transfer of fresh air from the intake section to the exhaust manifold is reduced or avoided and that the drag torque of the internal combustion engine is reduced.

A braking force controller includes: a target jerk calculation unit; a first estimation unit configured to estimate an increment of braking force when a prescribed factor that increases braking force to be generated by the first actuator unit currently occurs; a second estimation unit configured to estimate the increment of the braking force when the prescribed factor occurs within a prescribed period; and a control unit configured to determine a negative jerk generated when the second actuator unit generates the braking force such that a sum of the negative jerk and the jerk generated by the first actuator unit without the prescribed factor becomes the target jerk. When the increment of the braking force due to the prescribed factor is larger than a prescribed value, the control unit corrects the determined negative jerk such that an absolute value of the negative jerk becomes smaller.

Presented are clutch-type engine disconnect devices, methods for making/using such disconnect devices, and motor vehicles equipped with such disconnect devices. An engine disconnect device includes a notch plate, which has multiple notches and attaches to a torque converter, and a pocket plate, which has multiple pockets and attaches to an engine's crankshaft. A pawl is movably mounted within each notch; these pawls selectively engage the notches with the pockets. A notch plate insert is nested within each notch, supporting thereon one of the pawls. A selector plate interposed between the pocket and notch plates moves from a first position, to shift the pawls out of engagement with the pockets, and a second position, to move the notch plate inserts within the notches and allow the pawls to engage the notches with the pockets to thereby lock the notch plate to the pocket plate to rotate in unison with each other.

A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine includes an electric generator, a throttle valve, an electric generator control unit, and a throttle control unit. The electric generator is configured to be coupled to the engine. The throttle valve is configured to control an amount of intake air of the engine. The electric generator control unit is configured to allow the electric generator to perform regenerative power-generation on decelerated travel of the vehicle. The throttle control unit is configured to control the throttle valve openwise on the decelerated travel. The electric generator control unit is configured to cause an increase in power-generation torque of the electric generator, upon a switchover of the engine from a fuel cut state to a fuel injection state on the decelerated travel.

The disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle that includes a drive unit, an output unit, and a clutch arranged between the drive unit and the output unit and configured to transmit a torque. A detection unit detects an operating state of the drive unit. When the operating state of the drive unit is in an overrun mode, a control unit controls a clutch slip, which results in adjustment of the torque that can be transmitted as a function of a speed of the motor vehicle. The disclosure further relates to a device for operating a motor vehicle, and to a motor vehicle that includes such a device.

A system for a vehicle including a controller structured to communicate with a transmission and an engine of a vehicle, and additionally structured to: receive at least one of vehicle operation data, route data, or dynamic data during operation of the vehicle; determine that the vehicle is in a coasting state based on the at least one of the vehicle operation data, the route data, or the dynamic data; provide a command to at least one of the engine and the transmission to maintain the coasting state for the vehicle; and determine an end of the coasting state based on the at least one of the vehicle operation data, the route data, or the dynamic data.

The disclosure relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine configured with a belt starter generator or an electric machine of a hybrid powertrain. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder and a piston, which together delimit a working chamber. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuation system for actuation of inlet valves of the working chambers, controlling the opening time and/or the closing time and/or the lift. A strategy for operating the internal combustion engine with a negative drive torque or when shutting down or when starting up the internal combustion includes controlling the inlet valves of individual or all working chambers in such a way that the transfer of fresh air from an intake section to an exhaust manifold is controlled and that the drag torque of the internal combustion is reduced.