Powertrain for a vehicle and method for controlling a powertrain in a vehicle
11293501 · 2022-04-05
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
F16D2500/30415
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B60W10/08
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60W10/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16D2500/30421
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/10412
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/30406
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/3109
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D48/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/7061
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D48/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/5102
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/30426
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16D2500/3108
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F16D48/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B60W10/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
A powertrain for a vehicle is disclosed that includes an electromagnetic driving unit (10) and a transmission module (20) having a controllable clutch (21) the powertrain further includes a control system to control the electromagnetic driving unit and to control the clutch. The controller has a safety operational mode wherein it controls an engagement of the controllable clutch with a feedback loop in which a desired extent of engagement is positively correlated to a difference between an extent of slip as indicated by the slip indicator and a positive reference value for the extent of slip, wherein the slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and a desired driving torque sign.
Claims
1. A powertrain for a vehicle including a driving shaft configured to rotate with a first rotational speed while exerting a driving torque, said powertrain configured to transmit mechanical energy from the driving shaft to wheels of the vehicle, wherein a controllable clutch is configured to controllably couple an output shaft with the driving shaft, the powertrain further including a control system comprising a controller to control said rotational speed and said driving torque with a drive control signal, said driving torque having a desired driving torque sign, and to control the clutch with a clutch control signal specifying a desired extent of engagement to be provided by the clutch between the driving shaft and the output shaft, the control system comprising a clutch slip indicator to provide a signal indicative for an extent of slip between the driving shaft and the output shaft, wherein the controller has a safety operational mode wherein it controls an engagement of the controllable clutch with a feedback loop in which said desired extent of engagement as specified by the clutch control signal is positively correlated to a difference between said extent of slip as indicated by the slip indicator and a positive reference value for said extent of slip, wherein the slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the driving shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and the desired driving torque sign.
2. The powertrain according to claim 1, wherein the controller selectively assumes the safety operational mode upon compliance of at least one enablement condition.
3. The powertrain according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to a speed threshold value.
4. The powertrain according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle comprises an acceleration indicator to provide a signal indicative for a measured acceleration of the vehicle, wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication by the acceleration indicator that the acceleration is inverse a sign of the acceleration.
5. The powertrain according to claim 4, wherein the at least one enablement condition further includes a condition that the acceleration indicator indicates that a magnitude of the acceleration exceeds a threshold magnitude.
6. The powertrain according to claim 5, wherein the threshold magnitude is dependent on the sign of the acceleration as indicated by the acceleration indicator.
7. The powertrain according to claim 6, wherein the threshold magnitude for a positive sign of the acceleration is greater than the threshold magnitude for a negative sign of the acceleration.
8. The powertrain according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value.
9. The powertrain according to claim 1, wherein a further controller is provided that monitors whether a rotation direction of a electromotor corresponds to a rotation direction that is required to achieve a desired driving direction and that switches off the electromotor if it is determined that this condition is not complied with.
10. A method of operating a powertrain for a vehicle, the powertrain including a driving shaft configured to rotate with a first rotational speed while exerting a driving torque said powertrain configured to transmit mechanical energy from the driving shaft to wheels of the vehicle, wherein a controllable clutch is configured to controllably couple an output shaft with the driving shaft, the method including a safety operational mode, comprising: controlling said rotational speed and said driving torque with a drive control signal, said driving torque having a desired driving torque sign; controlling the clutch with a clutch control signal specifying a desired extent of engagement to be provided by the clutch between the driving shaft and the output shaft, providing a signal indicative for an extent of slip between the driving shaft and the output shaft, the extent of slip being indicated with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the driving shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and the desired driving torque sign; controlling an engagement of the controllable clutch with a feedback loop in which said desired extent of engagement as specified by the clutch control signal is positively correlated to a difference between said extent of slip and a positive reference value for said extent of slip.
11. The method according to claim 10, comprising selectively assuming the safety operational mode upon compliance of at least one enablement condition.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to a speed threshold value.
13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a signal indicative for a measured acceleration of the vehicle, wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication by the acceleration indicator that the acceleration is inverse to a sign of the acceleration.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one enablement condition further includes a condition that a magnitude of the acceleration exceeding a threshold magnitude is indicated.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program including instructions, which when executed by a programmable processor cause the programmable processor to carry out the method of claim 10.
16. The powertrain according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle comprises an acceleration indicator to provide a signal indicative for a measured acceleration of the vehicle, wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication by the acceleration indicator that the acceleration is inverse to a sign of the acceleration.
17. The powertrain according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value.
18. The powertrain according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value.
19. The powertrain according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value.
20. The powertrain according to claim 16, wherein the vehicle further comprises a speed indicator to provide a signal indicative for a speed of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one enablement condition is an indication from the speed indicator that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) These and other aspects are described in more detail with reference to the drawing. Therein:
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(8)
(9) The controller 30 is further provided to control the controllable clutch with a clutch control signal C.sub.CL. The clutch control signal specifies a desired extent of engagement to be provided by the clutch 21 between the driving shaft 11 and its output shaft 22. The transmission module 20 may comprise other transmission elements, like a gear, to define a transmission ratio in a stepwise or in a continuous manner, a torque converter, a fixed transmission and a differential. Also other motors may be included, for example a combustion engine in a hybrid arrangement and an auxiliary electromotor to start the combustion engine. In the embodiment shown, a clutch slip indicator 31a, 31b, 31c is to provide a signal S.sub.Δω indicative for an extent of slip between the driving shaft 11 and the output shaft 22 of the controllable clutch. The extent of slip as indicated by the signal S.sub.Δω may for example be a difference ω.sub.in−ω.sub.out between the first rotational speed ω.sub.in and a second rotational speed ω.sub.out with which the output shaft 22 rotates. Alternatively the extent of slip as indicated may be another function of the rotational speeds ω.sub.in−ω.sub.out of the driving shaft 11 and the output shaft 22, for example a ratio defined as ω.sub.in/ω.sub.out, or a logarithmic value of this ratio. In the embodiment shown, the clutch slip indicator includes a first rotational speed sensor 31a attached to the fixed world to measure the rotational speed ω.sub.in of the driving shaft 11, a second rotational speed sensor 31b, also attached to the fixed world to measure the rotational speed ω.sub.out of the output shaft 22, and a comparator 31c to compute a value of the extent of slip to be indicated by the signal S.sub.Δω. Alternatively, a single rotational speed detector may be provided that is attached to one of the shafts and that measures the rotational speed of the other one of the shafts relative to the rotational speed of the shaft to which it is attached. Such an alternative sensor may for example indicate the extent of slip as by a value proportional to the measured relative rotational speed or a logarithmic value thereof. In the embodiment shown, the slip indicator further includes a selective invertor element 31d that selectively inverts an output signal of the comparator 31c in response to a polarity control signal S.sub.pol from polarity indicator 31e. Therewith, the extent of slip is indicated with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and the desired driving torque sign;
(10) The controller 30 is arranged to assume a safety operational mode, wherein it controls an engagement of the controllable clutch 21 with a feedback loop in which a desired extent of engagement as specified by the clutch control signal C.sub.CL is positively correlated to a difference between an extent of slip as indicated S.sub.Δω by the slip indicator and a positive reference value for said extent of slip. Therein the slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and the desired driving torque sign. In the embodiment shown this is achieved in that the polarity indicator 31e determines the desired driving torque sign from the desired driving torque as specified by control signal C.sub.EM. Alternatively the controller 30 may provide an output signal that directly controls the selective invertor element 31d. Also one or more elements of the slip indicator may be integrated in the controller 30, This is schematically indicated in
a) The vehicle should accelerate its motion in the direction corresponding to the selected gear.
b) The vehicle should decelerate its motion in the direction corresponding to the selected gear.
(11) In case a) the driver may have selected a forward direction for example by selecting the setting “D” in a continuous transmission system, or a setting “1-6” for example in a stepwise controllable transmission system. Alternatively, the driver may have selected a backward direction for example by selecting the setting “R” in a continuous transmission system, or in a stepwise controllable transmission system. By pressing the speed pedal the driver indicates an intention to accelerate in the selected direction, which corresponds to a positive driving torque sign.
(12) With the clutch in a slipping operational mode, the first rotational speed ω.sub.in is greater than the second rotational speed ω.sub.out in a normal operating conditions of the electromagnetic driving unit 10. It is also conceivable that the driver intends to accelerate in the selected forward direction while the vehicle is (slowly) driving backwards. In that case the rotational speed ω.sub.out of the output shaft has a negative value, and the rotational speed ω.sub.in of the driving shaft 11 has a value which is preferably a positive value, but at least greater than or equal to said negative value. The slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a sign that is the product of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft and the desired driving torque sign. Hence, in any of these cases the slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a positive sign. In each of these cases, a tendency of the slip to increase above the reference value would be counteracted by an increased engagement of the controllable clutch, while a tendency of the slip to decrease below the reference value would be counteracted by an decreased engagement of the controllable clutch.
(13) Should it be the case that inadvertently an error occurs in the electromagnetic driving unit 10 that causes the electromagnetic driving unit 10 to exert a torque in a direction reverse to the torque that should be exerted in normal operation, this would have the effect that with the clutch in a slipping operational mode, the first rotational speed ω.sub.in is less than the second rotational speed ω.sub.out. In that case, the value of the slip is negative, i.e. the value of the slip is always lower than the reference value. As a result the controllable clutch is disengaged, resulting in an even more negative slip value. This process ends in a full disengagement of the controllable clutch therewith avoiding unexpected braking of the vehicle due to an inadvertent malfunctioning of the electromagnetic driving unit.
(14) The driver may indicate an intended deceleration by releasing the speed pedal and/or by pressing the break pedal. In that case the driving torque sign is negative. As a result, the slip indicator indicates the extent of slip with a sign that is the inverse of the sign of the difference between the rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft. With the clutch in a slipping operational mode, the first rotational speed ω.sub.in is less than the second rotational speed ω.sub.out in a normal operating conditions of the electromagnetic driving unit 10. As the slip indicator inverts the sign of the measured slip, the feedback loop active in the safety operational mode will tend to maintain a desired extent of engagement of the controllable clutch wherein the first rotational speed ω.sub.in is equal to the second rotational speed ω.sub.out minus the positive reference value.
(15) Should it be the case that inadvertently an error occurs in the electromagnetic driving unit 10 that causes the electromagnetic driving unit 10 to exert a torque in a direction reverse to the torque that should be exerted in normal operation, this would have the effect that with the clutch in a slipping operational mode, the first rotational speed ω.sub.in is greater than the second rotational speed ω.sub.out. In that case, the inverted value, as indicated by the slip indicator is negative, and therewith always lower than the reference value. As a result the controllable clutch is disengaged, resulting in an even more negative slip value. This process ends in a full disengagement of the controllable clutch therewith avoiding unexpected braking of the vehicle due to an inadvertent malfunctioning of the electromagnetic driving unit.
(16) An embodiment of a controller 30 is depicted in
(17) In order to enable a more efficient operation if the risk of occurrence of a malfunctioning electromagnetic driving unit is already with acceptable bounds, the controller 30 may be configured to selectively assume the safety operational mode upon compliance of at least one enablement condition. An embodiment of such a controller is shown in
(18) In a further embodiment, as shown in
(19) As a still further additional condition for entering the safety operational mode it may be required that the speed indicator 40 indicates that an absolute value of the speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a further speed threshold value. This condition is verified by a further threshold element 43. The further threshold element may indicate that this condition is complied with, for example if the measured speed as indicated by the signal SV exceeds the further threshold value, e.g. a value of 30 km/h or 50 km/h.
(20) In the embodiment of
(21)
(22) a) The measured speed of the vehicle as indicated by signal Sv is less than a lower threshold value, e.g. 10 km/h. This condition is verified by first threshold element 48 and signaled by signal S.sub.sth1 to the logic element 49.
(23) b)
(24) b1) The measured speed of the is greater than a higher threshold value, e.g. 30 km/h.
(25) AND
(26) b2) The sign of the measured acceleration is inverse to the sign of the intended acceleration.
(27) AND
b3) The magnitude of the acceleration exceeds a threshold value.
(28) In the embodiment of
(29) In operation a method of operating a powertrain for a vehicle is executed. The powertrain to be operated includes at least an electromagnetic driving unit 10 (
(30) It is noted that various computational elements are involved. As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, such elements, as listed in the apparatus claims and presented in the detailed description are meant to include any hardware (such as separate or integrated circuits or electronic elements) or software (such as programs or parts of programs) which reproduce in operation or are designed to reproduce a specified function, be it solely or in conjunction with other functions, be it in isolation or in co-operation with other elements. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. Alternatively, various elements presented in the application as mutually distinct may be provided by a single computational resource. A computational resource, for example a controller 30 may be a programmable resource, for example a dedicated signal processor or a general purpose processor, which retrieves instructions from a computer program product. A computer program product, is to be understood to mean a computer readable medium, e.g. a flash-memory, a hard-disk or other non-volatile medium on which a software product that causes the computational resource to carry out the claimed method steps. The software product may be downloadable on the computer readable medium via a network, such as the Internet, using a portable record carrier or marketable in any other manner.
(31) As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).
(32) Also, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the invention. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
(33) Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.