JPH0261652B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a clutch control device that allows a friction clutch to be operated in response to an external signal.

(Prior Art) Various clutch control devices have been proposed in which an actuator is coupled to a friction clutch and the actuator is used to automatically engage the clutch. In conventional devices of this type, a potentiometer detects the point where the friction clutch enters the half-clutch zone, and according to this detection result, the clutch is connected in accordance with the wear of the clutch plate, so that the clutch is always optimally engaged. The structure is such that the clutch can be automatically connected in the state of the clutch.

However, in a clutch control device with such a configuration, it is not possible to know the degree of wear on the clutch plate, so if the half-clutch zones are sequentially shifted as the clutch plate wears, the clutch plate will be completely worn out. In some cases, the clutch becomes unable to connect.

In order to solve these problems, a device has been proposed that uses a sensor to detect the position of the clutch plate when the friction clutch has a slip rate of zero, and uses this to check the degree of wear on the clutch. (See Publication No. 177333, 1983).

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, with this proposed device, the clutch position when the slip rate becomes zero changes depending on the load condition on the output side of the clutch, so it is difficult to accurately measure the degree of clutch wear. The problem is that it cannot be detected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clutch control device that can accurately detect the degree of wear of a friction clutch and issue a warning of clutch wear and improper installation of a clutch stroke sensor. It is in.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The features of the present invention for solving the above objects include an actuator connected to a friction clutch, and a drive signal for driving the actuator in response to an external signal. a first means for detecting a stroke amount of the friction clutch; A first one for detecting the rotational speed of an internal combustion engine connected to the input side of the friction clutch.
a detection means, a second detection means for detecting a gear shift position of a transmission connected to an output side of the friction clutch, and a stop of the internal combustion engine in response to each output from the first and second detection means. a second means for operating the drive means to fully engage the friction clutch when the transmission is in a neutral state and/or when the transmission is in a neutral state;
The present invention further comprises means for outputting an alarm when the stroke value of the friction clutch in the fully ON state deviates from a predetermined reference range in response to the output of the means and the output of the first means.

(Operation) When the first detection means detects that the internal combustion engine connected to the input side of the friction clutch is stopped, and/or the gear shift position of the transmission connected to the output side of the friction clutch is set to neutral. When the second detection means detects that the clutch is in the position, the second means activates the drive means to fully engage the friction clutch. At this time, the stroke amount of the friction clutch obtained by the first means is compared with a predetermined reference value, and if this stroke value deviates from the predetermined reference range, an alarm is output, and the wear of the clutch and/or the first It is possible to warn of maladjustment of the means.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to illustrated examples.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating the construction of a clutch control device for a vehicle according to the present invention. A clutch control device 1 is used to automatically connect and disconnect a friction clutch 5 provided between an internal combustion engine 3 and a transmission 4 for driving a wheel drive mechanism 2 of a vehicle (not shown). is a device,
It has an actuator 7 that operates in response to first and second control signals CS ₁ and CS ₂ output from the control unit 6.

The actuator 7 is connected to a release lever 8 of the friction clutch 5, and the actuator 7 operates the release lever 8 in response to the first and second control signals CS ₁ and CS ₂ to release the friction clutch 5.
The distance and pressure contact between the driving plate 9 and the passive plate 10 are adjusted, thereby connecting the friction clutch 5.
Detachment takes place.

Next, the structure of the actuator 7 will be described. The actuator 7 is made up of a cylinder tube 11 that houses a piston 13 that is biased by a spring 12.
Pressurized fluid can be supplied to the chamber 14 in the chamber 1 from a pressure source 17 via a first electromagnetic valve 15, and a second
The chamber 14 is configured to be open to atmospheric pressure via a solenoid valve 16. Therefore, when the first solenoid valve 15 is opened and the second solenoid valve 16 is closed, the chamber 1
The pressure in 4 increases and the piston 13 moves to the left in FIG. 1, allowing the friction clutch 5 to become disengaged. On the other hand, when the second solenoid valve 16 is opened, the pressure inside the chamber 14 decreases, and the piston 13 is pushed back toward the right in FIG. 1 by the spring 12.
The friction clutch 5 can be placed in the connected state.
The first and second solenoid valves 15 and 16 are controlled by the control unit 6.
Opening and closing are controlled by first and second control signals CS ₁ and CS ₂ from a drive control section 18 provided inside.

Passive plate 10 operated by actuator 7
A stroke sensor 19 is connected to the release lever 8 to detect the stroke amount.
The output signal _S1 from the stroke sensor 19 is input to the stroke amount detector 20, and the passive plate 10
A stroke amount signal ST indicating the current stroke amount is output from the stroke amount detector 20,
It is input to the control unit 6.

The clutch control device 1 further includes a speed detector 21 that outputs a speed signal N indicating the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine 3, and a gear position detector 2 that outputs a gear position signal SF indicating the current gear shift position of the transmission 4.
2. It is equipped with an accelerator sensor 23 that outputs an accelerator signal A indicating the operation amount of an accelerator pedal (not shown), and these signals N, SF, A and the above-mentioned stroke amount signal ST are sent to the drive control unit 18. It has been entered. In the drive control unit 18, in response to the command signal CM instructing the connection or disconnection of the friction clutch 5, control calculations for connecting or disconnecting the friction clutch 5 are performed based on these input signals.
According to the result of the control calculation, the first and second control signals CS ₁ and CS ₂ are output, and thereby the command signal
The friction clutch 5 is connected and disconnected according to the CM.

This clutch control device 1 is used to issue an alarm when the wear of the friction clutch 5 exceeds a predetermined amount or when the stroke sensor 19 is improperly installed.
has a function for checking the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 under predetermined conditions.
Therefore, in response to the speed signal N and gear position signal SF, the control unit 6 checks the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 when the input and output shafts of the friction clutch 5 are in a predetermined low load state. A signal generator 24 is provided for outputting a check drive signal CD for causing the friction clutch 5 to perform the necessary operations. Signal generator 24
responds to the speed signal N and gear position signal SF and detects this when the internal combustion engine 3 is stopped or when the gear position of the transmission 4 is in the neutral position and in a predetermined low load state, and outputs the detection signal DS. The low load detection section 25 outputs a signal for controlling the drive control section 18 so that the friction clutch 5 is completely connected by the actuator 7 in response to the detection signal DS as a check drive signal CD. and an output section 26 for outputting the output. The drive control unit 18 responds to the input of the check drive signal CD, opens the second solenoid valve 16 for a certain period of time with the second control signal _CS2 , and opens the first solenoid valve ₁ with the first control signal CS1.
5 is closed, thereby bringing the friction clutch 5 into a fully connected state.

In this way, when the friction clutch 5 is fully connected under low load, the first and second determination units 27 and 28 determine whether the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 is within the normal range. is provided. The first determination unit 27 includes a stroke amount signal ST
and a check drive signal CD, and compares the stroke amount θ of the friction clutch 5 when the friction clutch 5 is fully connected by the check drive signal CD with a predetermined first reference amount _R1. . 1st
The reference value R ₁ indicates the limit of the adjustment range of the actuator 7 and the stroke sensor 19, and θ
If ≧R ₁ , the first alarm signal K ₁ is output, and the first
The signal is input to the alarm section 29. The first alarm unit 29
It is activated in response to the alarm signal K ₁ and warns that the limits of its adjustment range have been exceeded. On the other hand, the second determination unit 28 responds to the stroke amount signal ST and the check drive signal CD, and determines the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 when the friction clutch 5 is fully connected by the check drive signal CD. θ is compared with a predetermined second reference value _R2 . The second reference value R ₂ is a value corresponding to the usable limit stroke of the friction clutch 5, and when θ≦R ₂ , a second alarm signal K ₂ is output from the second judgment section 28 and sent to the second alarm section 30. is input. The second alarm unit 30 is activated in response to the input of the second alarm signal K ₂ to notify that the wear of the friction clutch 5 has reached its limit. 1st and 2nd alarm part 2
The alarm output by the alarms 9 and 30 may be in any form, such as visual or acoustic, and any appropriate alarm means may be used. Further, in the case of giving an acoustic warning, the frequency, tone color, etc. of the warning sound may be made different so that the warning by the first warning unit 29 and the warning by the second warning unit 30 can be distinguished.

According to this configuration, while the vehicle is running,
The clutch control device 1 controls the engagement and disengagement of the friction clutch 5 in accordance with the command signal CM. On the other hand, if the internal combustion engine 3 is stopped or the transmission 4
When the gear position becomes the neutral position, the low load detection section 25 outputs a detection signal DS, and in response, the output section 26 outputs a check drive signal CD. The drive control section 18 generates a drive signal for checking.
In response to CD, a second control signal CS ₂ is output, and only the second solenoid valve 16 is opened for a predetermined period of time (for example, one second), thereby bringing the friction clutch 5 into a fully connected state.
The stroke amount θ of the friction clutch 5 when the friction clutch 5 is in the fully connected state is given to the first determination section 27 and the second determination section 28, and is determined by reference values R ₁ and R ₂ respectively.
The required warning is output according to the comparison result.

Here, since the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 is measured when the load between the input and output shafts of the friction clutch 5 is extremely small, the stroke amount of the friction clutch 5 in the fully connected state can be detected with extremely high accuracy. . Therefore, it becomes possible for the first and second alarm units 29 and 30 to output highly accurate alarms.

The functions of the control unit 6 shown in FIG. 1 can be realized by executing a required program using a microcomputer. Second
A flowchart illustrating an example of such a program is shown in the figure.

To explain this flowchart, after the start of execution of the program, it is determined in step 41 whether or not the rotation of the internal combustion engine 3 has stopped, based on the speed signal N. If the determination result is No, step 42 is performed. Flag F1 is cleared. After that, in step 43, it is determined whether the gear position is neutral or not based on the gear position signal SF, and if the result of this determination is No, the step
Flag F2 is cleared at step 44, and the process advances to step 45. At step 45, connection and disengagement control (normal control) of the friction clutch 5 is executed according to the accelerator signal A, the speed signal N, the stroke amount signal ST, the gear position signal SF and the command signal CM. , return to step 41.

If the result of the determination at step 41 is YES, the process advances to step 46, where it is determined whether the flag F1 is in the set state. If the flag F1 is in the reset state, the result of this determination is NO, the flag F1 is set in step 47, and the process proceeds to step 48.

In step 48, the second solenoid valve 16 is opened for one second, thereby bringing the friction clutch 5 into the fully on state.Then, in step 49, the current stroke amount signal ST when the friction clutch 5 is in the fully on state is calculated. Read the stroke amount θ. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 50, where the state in which the friction clutch 5 is fully connected (NO) is learned, and the process proceeds to step 51.

In step 51, it is determined whether θ≧R ₁ or not, and if θ≧R ₁ , the determination result in step 51 is
If the answer is YES, proceed to step 52, where the first
The alarm unit 29 outputs an alarm to notify that the value θ exceeds the limit of the adjustment range. If θ<R ₁ , the determination result at step 51 is NO, and the process proceeds to step 53, where it is determined whether θ≦R ₂ (here, R ₂ <R ₁ ). θ≦R ₂
In this case, the process proceeds to step 54, where the second alarm unit 30 outputs an alarm, informing that the value θ exceeds the wear limit of the friction clutch 5,
The program ends. If θ>R ₂ , then
The determination result in step 53 is NO, and the program returns to step 41 without outputting any alarm.

If the determination result in step 46 is YES, that is, NO point learning during engine stop has already been performed at least once, the process proceeds to step 43, where it is determined whether the gear position of the transmission 4 is in the neutral position. It is done. The determination result of step 43 is
If NO, steps 44 and 45 are executed as described above. If the determination result in step 43 is YES, the process advances to step 55, where it is determined whether flag F2 is set. If the flag F2 is in the reset state, the determination result at step 55 is NO, and after the flag F2 is set at step 56, the procedures from step 48 onwards are executed.

If the determination result in step 55 is YES, that is, NO point learning in gear position neutral has been executed at least once, the process advances to step 45, where normal clutch control is executed, ON point learning and subsequent stroke amount. No judgment will be made.

In this way, when the engine is stopped, or when the engine is rotating and the gear position is in the neutral position, the ON point of the clutch 5 is learned and the stroke amount is checked. It is possible to warn of improper installation.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, as described above, the stroke amount when the friction clutch is in a fully connected state is detected when the load between the input and output shafts of the friction clutch is extremely small. , the stroke amount can be detected with high accuracy, and a warning of the degree of wear of the clutch plate and the improper installation of the stroke sensor can be effectively performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a clutch control device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an example of a program for realizing functions similar to those of the control unit shown in FIG. 1 using a microcomputer. This is a flowchart. 1...Clutch control device, 4...Transmission, 5...
...Friction clutch, 6... Control unit, 7... Actuator, 20... Stroke amount detector, 21
... Speed detector, 22 ... Gear position detector, 24
...Signal generation section, 27...First determination section, 28...
Second determination section, 29...first alarm section, 30...second
Alarm department.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 an actuator coupled to a friction clutch;
and a drive means for outputting a drive signal for driving the actuator in response to an external signal, the clutch being configured such that connection and disengagement of the friction clutch is controlled by the drive signal. In the control device, a first means for detecting a stroke amount of the friction clutch, a first detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of an internal combustion engine connected to an input side of the friction clutch, and a first means connected to an output side of the friction clutch. a second detecting means for detecting a gear shift position of the transmission, and a second detecting means for detecting a gear shift position of the transmission when the internal combustion engine is stopped and/or the transmission is in a neutral state in response to each output from the first and second detecting means. second means for activating the drive means to fully engage the friction clutch when the friction clutch is in a fully engaged state;
It is characterized by comprising means for outputting an alarm in response to the output of the second means and the output of the first means, if the stroke value of the friction clutch in the fully ON state deviates from a predetermined reference range. Clutch control device.