FR3047955B1 - COMPLEMENTARY SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE CLUTCH - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a complementary system (100) for controlling a clutch of a vehicle capable of automatically opening said clutch in the case of detection of an inclined roadway and a reduced speed of said vehicle lower than a threshold value. The main characteristic of a complementary system according to the invention is that it comprises a clutch actuator (101), an electronic control computer (102) and a mechanical concentric receiver (105), and in that said calculator (102) being able to activate said actuator (101) in the case of such detection to cause a disengaging phase via said receiver (105).

Description

The invention relates to a complementary system for controlling a vehicle clutch. This complementary system is usually referred to as "e-clutch" and is intended to replace a conventional clutch control as soon as certain driving conditions are detected by the vehicle. These conditions are that, on the one hand the roadway on which the vehicle rolls is, among others, inclined or sloping, and on the other hand, the speed of the vehicle is reduced and less than a threshold value of 20km / h, coasting function, or freewheeling. In this way, when these two conditions are met, the complementary clutch control system is automatically activated to ensure a disengagement phase and thus allow to cut the engine of the vehicle or keep it idling. When the speed is between 20 km / h (minimum threshold) and a maximum speed with the pedals raised (clutch and acceleration), the complementary clutch control system is then automatically activated to ensure a disengaging phase and thus allow shut off the engine of the vehicle or keep it idling, called the sailing function.

This arrangement thus makes it possible to reduce the use of the heat engine, limiting the fuel consumption and the emissions of polluting particles in the atmosphere. The term "automatically activated" means "without a voluntary intervention by the driver".

Such a complementary clutch control system is for example described in DE102013218786.

Currently, these complementary clutch control systems operate either with a CSC type hydraulic control or with a clutch fork control associated with an external hydraulic receiver. However, these different techniques involve a multiplicity of bulky parts having a significant weight and arranged in a complex manner.

The complementary clutch control systems according to the invention make it possible to overcome the disadvantages noted in the state of the art, bypassing in particular a number of parts inherent to existing systems, such as for example a circuit hydraulic, a pump, a complex position sensor. The subject of the invention is a complementary system for controlling a clutch of a vehicle capable of automatically opening said clutch in the case of detection of an inclined roadway and a reduced speed of said vehicle lower than a threshold value. .

The main characteristic of a complementary control system of a clutch according to the invention is that it comprises a clutch actuator, an electronic control computer and a mechanical concentric receiver (RCM), said computer being able to activate said actuator in the case of such detection to cause a disengagement phase via said receiver. In this way, thanks to the presence of a mechanical concentric receiver, a system according to the invention eliminates the use of a hydraulic circuit, a pump and a complex position sensor, which are cumbersome, heavy parts and whose electro-hydraulic arrangement remains difficult to develop. A concentric mechanical receiver has a compact geometry, and helps to increase the opening speed of the clutch. The term "complementary" means that the clutch control system according to the invention is mounted in parallel with a conventional clutch control system, and that it replaces it when certain driving conditions are detected. by the vehicle. A clutch control system according to the invention is automatically triggered as soon as said detection conditions are fulfilled, without any voluntary action of the driver. The objective of this automatic downhill declutching phase (or other condition described above) is to be able to cut or idle the engine of a vehicle, to limit fuel consumption and emissions of particulate pollutants in the atmosphere. For example, the reduced speed of the vehicle below a threshold value and the inclination of the roadway are translated by two specific electrical signals, which are transmitted to the electronic computer, equipped with an algorithm for activating the actuator. clutch, which will immediately act on the concentric mechanical receiver to ensure the disengagement phase. The actuator acts on the mechanical concentric receiver via a transmission element, which may for example be a rod or a cable.

Advantageously, a complementary control system according to the invention comprises a sensor for detecting an inclination of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling, said sensor being able to send an appropriate electrical signal to the computer in the case of such a detection. Advantageously, this sensor makes it possible to detect a "non-horizontality" of the roadway over a minimum period of time.

Preferably, the actuator is electric. In this way, it is compact and its energy source is already present in the vehicle, without the need to create it.

Preferably, the actuator acts on the concentric mechanical receiver via a cable.

Advantageously, the concentric mechanical receiver comprises a rotary cam hub provided with at least one ball and a translation cam hub, the rotation of the rotating cam hub causing the ball to be translated by the hub translation cam which then causes an inclination of diaphragm nozzles to ensure the disengagement. All these elements are compactly assembled to provide a reliable, accurate and safe disengaging function with a reduced reaction time. Another object of the invention is a method of controlling a clutch by means of a complementary system according to the invention, during a driving phase of the vehicle on a roadway.

The main technical feature of a system according to the invention is that it comprises the following steps: a step of detecting a slope of the roadway and a reduced speed of the vehicle below a threshold value, a step of automatic triggering of the actuator initiated by the electronic computer; a step of disengagement by said actuator acting at the level of the mechanical concentric receiver by means of a transmission element.

The control method according to the invention is automatically initiated, as soon as a slope of the roadway and a reduced speed of the vehicle are detected, without any action of the driver in this direction. Such a method aims to reduce the fuel consumption of the vehicle and therefore the emissions of pollutant particles into the atmosphere, by cutting the engine of the vehicle or keep it idling, as soon as said vehicle is downhill at a speed scaled down.

Advantageously, the transmission element is a cable.

Preferably, a control method according to the invention comprises a step of detecting a reduced vehicle speed of less than 20km / h. Generally, the threshold value below which the speed of the vehicle must be located to be able to start a process according to the invention is 20km / h. Another subject of the invention is a vehicle comprising a conventional clutch control system capable of being controlled by a driver by means of a pressure on a clutch pedal and a complementary clutch control system according to the invention. invention.

The main characteristic of a vehicle according to the invention is that said complementary system replaces said conventional system to ensure an automatic disengaging phase as soon as the detection conditions are met. Preferably, the two clutch control systems are mounted in parallel in the vehicle, without there being any interaction between the two. The common part between the two systems is represented by the actual clutch mechanism, including in particular the concentric mechanical receiver.

Advantageously, a vehicle according to the invention comprises a heat engine, said engine being cut during the disengaging phase.

According to another preferred embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention, the heat engine is kept idle during the disengaging phase.

A complementary clutch control system according to the invention has the advantage of being compact and lightweight, and to implement an operating mechanism that is simple and well controlled. It also has the advantage of being able to increase the speed of opening of the clutch, to ensure a disengaging phase with a low response time.

The following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a complementary clutch system according to the invention, with reference to the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a complementary clutch system according to the invention,

FIG. 2a is a schematic side view of a clutch control device with mechanical concentric receiver in engaged position,

Figure 2b is a schematic side view of a mechanical concentric receiver clutch control device in the disengaged position.

Referring to FIG. 1, a complementary clutch control system 100 of a vehicle according to the invention comprises an electric actuator 101, an electronic control computer 102, a gearbox 103 and a clutch device. 104 comprising a mechanical concentric receiver 105. Such a complementary system also comprises a first sensor for measuring the inclination of the roadway on which said vehicle is traveling and a second sensor for measuring the speed of the vehicle (the two sensors are not visible in the figures). The electronic computer 102 is provided with an algorithm for activating the electric actuator 101 according to the signals it receives from the first and second sensors. The electric actuator 101, once it is activated by the electronic control computer 102, is able to act directly on the mechanical concentric receiver 105 by means of a transmission element 106, to ensure a disengaging phase. This transmission element 106 comprises a first cable 107 partially enclosed in a sheath and a secondary cable 8, the first cable 107 connecting the electric actuator 101 to the secondary cable 8 and the secondary cable 8 being connected to the mechanical concentric receiver 105.

Referring to FIG. 2a, an example of a mechanical concentric receiver 105 suitable for use in a system 100 according to the invention has a rotating cam hub 2, a translation cam hub 3, a thrust bearing clutch 4, a guide tube 5, a clutch housing 6, clutch diaphragm nozzles 7, and the secondary clutch cable 8. The rotating cam hub 2 comprises either two or three balls 9 equitably distributed around said hub 2, said balls 9 being diametrically opposed if there are only two, or at 120 ° to each other if there are three. The displacement cam hub 3 has a curved surface 10 facing said balls 9, said balls 9 being in contact with said surface 10.

Referring to FIG. 2b, pulling the secondary cable 8 along the arrow 11 caused by the electric actuator 101 causes rotation of the rotating cam hub 2 and thus simultaneous rotation of the balls 9 which are integral therewith, balls 9 moving along the curved surface 10 of the translation cam hub 3 by remaining in contact therewith. Since the translation cam hub 3 has a degree of freedom in translation along its axis of rotation, it is therefore pushed by said balls 9 along this axis, creating with the rotating cam hub 2 a disengagement stroke 12. The clutch diaphragm nozzles 7 are then pushed by the translation cam hub 3 which has moved along its axis under the effect of rotation of the rotation cam hub 2.

The clutch control devices involving a mechanical concentric receiver have a number of advantageous features, including a compactness compatible with the restricted spaces available around the engine, as well as a simplicity of design allowing it to be coupled to different actuation systems.

A method of controlling a clutch by means of a complementary control system 100 according to the invention, during a driving phase of the vehicle on a roadway, comprises the following steps, a step of detecting an inclination of the roadway by means of the first sensor and a reduced vehicle speed below a threshold value by means of the second sensor. This threshold value of the speed may for example be 20km / h. These two parameters must be detected simultaneously during the driving phase of the vehicle, - a step of automatic activation of the electric actuator 101 initiated by the electronic computer 102. Indeed, the two sensors, once they have detected simultaneously the two above-mentioned parameters, send to the computer 102 electrical signals representative of the detected parameters, which immediately initiates said actuator 101. The sending of the operation command to the actuator 101 by the computer 102 is automatic, not requiring no specific action of the driver, - a disengaging step via the mechanical concentric receiver 105, which has been activated by the actuator 101 by means of the first cable and the secondary cable 8.

A vehicle according to the invention comprises a heat engine, a complementary clutch control system 100 according to the invention and a conventional clutch control system based on the actuation of a clutch pedal 108 by the driver.

In the event that the vehicle is found in a descent with a moderate speed of less than 20km / h, the complementary clutch control system 100 is automatically activated without the action of the driver, to operate a disengagement. The engine of the vehicle is then simultaneously cut or kept idle to limit fuel consumption and reduce emissions of particulate pollutants into the atmosphere.

Claims (9)

1. Complementary system (100) for controlling a clutch of a vehicle capable of automatically opening said clutch in the case of detection of an inclined roadway and a reduced speed of said vehicle lower than a threshold value, said system comprising a clutch actuator (101), an electronic control computer (102) and a mechanical concentric receiver (105), said computer (102) being able to activate said actuator (101) in the case of such a detection for causing a disengaging phase via said receiver (105), characterized in that the concentric mechanical receiver (105) comprises a rotating cam hub (2) having at least one ball (9) and a translation cam hub (2). (3), and in that the rotation of the rotating cam hub (2) drives through the ball (9) a translation of the translational calm hub (3) which then causes an inclination of beaks ( 7) diaphragm to ensure the d brayage. 2. Supplementary control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a sensor for detecting an inclination of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling, said sensor being able to send an electrical signal to the computer (102) in the case of such detection. 3. Supplementary control system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuator (101) is electric. 4. Supplementary control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the actuator (101) acts on the concentric mechanical receiver (101) via a cable (107, 8). 5. A method of controlling a clutch by means of a complementary system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 during a rolling phase of the vehicle on a roadway, characterized in that it comprises the following steps, - a step of detecting a slope of the roadway and a reduced speed of the vehicle below a threshold value, - an automatic triggering step of the actuator (101) initiated by the electronic computer (102). ), a step of disengagement by said actuator (101) acting at the concentric mechanical receiver (105) by means of a transmission element (107, 8). 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a step of detecting a reduced speed of the vehicle less than 20km / h. A vehicle comprising a conventional clutch control system drivable by a driver by means of a pressure on a clutch pedal (108) and an additional clutch control system (100) according to the invention. any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said complementary system (100) replaces said conventional system to provide an automatic disengage phase as soon as the detection conditions are met. 8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a heat engine, and in that said motor is cut during the disengagement phase. 9. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a heat engine, and in that said engine is kept idle during the disengagement phase.