A generator system for connection to a vehicle axle. The generator system includes: an electrically-actuated clutch having an engaged position and a disengaged position; a generator and a processor. The generator includes: a rotor configured to be selectively connected, via the clutch, to the vehicle axle; and a stator. In the engaged position, the rotor is connected to the vehicle axle via the clutch such that torque from the vehicle axle is transmitted to the rotor. In the disengaged position, torque from the vehicle axle is not transmitted to the rotor. The processor is configured to control the clutch to actuate between the engaged and disengaged positions, and the processor is configured to monitor an electrical output of the generator, wherein the processor is configured to command the clutch to move to the disengaged position if the electrical output moves outside a predetermined range.

Methods and systems for detecting and clearing battery power failure of an electric clutch actuator (ECA) include use of a capacitor connected to the ECA. The capacitor is connected to the ECA such that when the ECA and a battery configured to output a battery voltage are connected together a capacitor voltage matches the battery voltage and when the ECA and the battery are disconnected from one another the capacitor voltage differs from the battery voltage. A loss of battery connection is detected upon a difference between the capacitor voltage and the battery voltage exceeding a threshold.

A driving force transmission device includes an input rotation member and output rotation member, a multiple-disc clutch, a pressing mechanism, and a control device that includes a current supply circuit. The control device is configured to compute a torque command value based on a state of a vehicle, the torque command value being a driving force that needs to be transmitted by the multiple-disc clutch, to compute a current command value, to correct the current command value, and to control the current supply circuit such that an electric current depending on the current command value is supplied to the pressing mechanism. The control device is configured to perform the correction so as to increase or decrease the current command value by a correction amount depending on a change rate of the torque command value.

A coupling assembly has a second coupling member mounted for rotation and a first coupling member having a speed sensor to sense a speed of rotation of the second coupling member. The coupling assembly further has a forward and a reverse locking element movable between (i) a coupling position in which the locking elements engage the second coupling member to thereby prevent rotation of the second coupling member in opposite first and second directions and (ii) a non-coupling position. Upon the speed of rotation of the second coupling member decreasing to be lower than a hill-hold speed threshold, the reverse locking element is moved to the coupling position while the forward locking element is maintained in the non-coupling position. Irrespective of a Park command, the locking elements are maintained in the non-coupling position while the speed of rotation of the second coupling member is greater than a park speed threshold.

A driving force transmission device includes an input rotation member and output rotation member, a multiple-disc clutch, a pressing mechanism, and a control device that includes a current supply circuit. The control device is configured to compute a torque command value based on a state of a vehicle, the torque command value being a driving force that needs to be transmitted by the multiple-disc clutch, to compute a current command value, to correct the current command value, and to control the current supply circuit such that an electric current depending on the current command value is supplied to the pressing mechanism. The control device is configured to perform the correction so as to increase or decrease the current command value by a correction amount depending on a change rate of the torque command value.

A coupling assembly has a second coupling member mounted for rotation and a first coupling member having a speed sensor to sense a speed of rotation of the second coupling member. The coupling assembly further has a forward and a reverse locking element movable between (i) a coupling position in which the locking elements engage the second coupling member to thereby prevent rotation of the second coupling member in opposite first and second directions and (ii) a non-coupling position. Upon the speed of rotation of the second coupling member decreasing to be lower than a hill-hold speed threshold, the reverse locking element is moved to the coupling position while the forward locking element is maintained in the non-coupling position. Irrespective of a Park command, the locking elements are maintained in the non-coupling position while the speed of rotation of the second coupling member is greater than a park speed threshold.

In a speed change apparatus for a vehicle, a controller stores as a clutch-disengaging shift spindle angle 1 a position at which a clutch is disengaged when a shift spindle is rotated in a first direction. The controller controls the shift spindle by a first step W1 of rotating the shift spindle in the first direction until a disengaging-side target angle Ta1 is reached; a second step W2 of returning the shift spindle in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a third step W3 of rotating the shift spindle in the first direction up to the clutch-disengaging shift spindle angle 1 and thereafter rotating the shift spindle in the second direction to return the shift spindle, upon detection of an output from a drum angle sensor, the output corresponding to shallow engagement of dog teeth.

Methods and apparatus for predicting clutch local peak temperatures in real time and controlling engagement of a friction clutch are disclosed. The clutch local peak temperature prediction can take into account machine operating parameters such as clutch control current, clutch shaft speed and clutch load to determine clutch local peak temperatures at hot spots within the friction clutch. A thermal-mechanical finite element analysis model may be developed for the friction clutch and used to generate a surrogate model of the friction clutch that can be used by an electronic control module of the machine to predict the local peak temperature of the friction clutch in real time and control engagement and disengagement of the friction clutch to maintain the local peak temperature below a critical peak temperature above which damage to the components of the friction clutch may occur.

A control device and method are configured to actuate a clutch between a drive unit and at least one driven wheel of a motor vehicle, particularly a passenger car. The control device at least partially engages the clutch differently in dependence on a distance of the motor vehicle from an environment and/or a change of this distance.

The invention relates to a hybrid module including a clutch that includes a clutch actuator, also including an electric machine, an internal combustion engine end and a transmission end. The hybrid module is designed as a pre-assembled insertable module to be inserted into a transmission housing, and an actuator electronics module is already pre-mounted on the hybrid module. The invention further relates to a method for assembling a hybrid module, characterized in that the following step is carried out: pre-assembling the hybrid module as an insertable module, an actuator electronics module being pre-mounted on the hybrid module.