JPH06159397A - Control method of automobile clutch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operation feeling of an operator when braking is conducted at the time automobile low speed travel, by reducing load added to an engine by lowering a creep electric current in regard to an electromagnetic powder clutch, preventing the lowering of an engine rotation number. CONSTITUTION:In a state in which an automobile is made to travel at a low speed by putting an electromagnetic powder clutch 3 into a coupling or semi- coupling state, a foot brake or a side brake is started, and a brake signal from a foot brake switch 12 or a side brake switch 14 is inputted into a control circuit 4, and then, the control circuit 4 conducts control to prevent the lowering of an engine rotation number by lowering a creep electric current in regard to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 and reducing load added to the engine.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling an automobile clutch equipped with an electromagnetic powder clutch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electromagnetic powder clutch 3 as shown in FIG. 3, a coil yoke 32 and a rotor 33 are provided by supplying an exciting current to a coil 31.
The magnetic powder 34 existing between them is magnetized to fasten the clutch yoke 32 and the rotor 33, and in the non-energized state, the clutch yoke 32 and the rotor 33 are opened to increase or decrease the exciting current. Thus, as shown in the characteristic diagram of FIG. 4, the fastening force due to the magnetization of the magnetic powder 34 can be increased or decreased. In the conventional clutch control including the electromagnetic powder clutch 3, the shift position switch signal detects that the shift position is the forward or reverse position, and the accelerator switch signal indicates that the accelerator is not stepped on. When it is recognized that the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed, an exciting current, that is, a creep current, which allows low speed running, is supplied to the coil 31.

In the above-mentioned conventional vehicle clutch control provided with the electromagnetic powder clutch 3, even when the vehicle is stopped, the foot brake or the side brake is applied to maintain the stopped state. Since the creep current continues to flow to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3, there is a problem in that the engine is overloaded, the engine speed decreases, the stability of the engine deteriorates, and the driver feels uncomfortable.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above problem by reducing the creep current when the foot brake or the side brake is applied.

[0005]

The technical means for solving the above-mentioned problems is to provide an automobile equipped with an electromagnetic powder clutch capable of increasing or decreasing the engaging force by increasing or decreasing the exciting current value. In the state where the electromagnetic powder clutch is energized with an exciting current, the electromagnetic powder clutch is engaged or semi-engaged and the vehicle is running at a low speed, the exciting current energizing the electromagnetic powder clutch when the brake is operated. It is to control so as to decrease.

[0006]

According to the above clutch control method, the exciting current for energizing the electromagnetic powder clutch when the brake is actuated while the vehicle is traveling at a low speed with the electromagnetic powder clutch engaged or semi-engaged, that is, Since the creep current is reduced, the load on the engine is reduced, so that the stability of the engine is increased.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a vehicle clutch control device according to the present invention. In the figure, a control circuit 4 is an electronic control circuit configured by using a microcomputer, and is configured by a microchip computer, a semiconductor memory, an input / output circuit and the like.

The control circuit 4 includes an engine rotation speed sensor 5 for detecting the rotation speed of the engine 1, an accelerator switch 6 for detecting whether or not the accelerator is depressed, a throttle sensor 7 for detecting a throttle valve opening. Output signals of a vehicle speed sensor 8 for detecting a vehicle speed, a shift sensor 9 for detecting a shift position of the transmission 2, and a clutch output side rotation sensor 11 for detecting an output side rotation speed of the clutch 3 are input. Furthermore, the control circuit 4 includes
A foot brake switch 12 that outputs a foot brake signal when the driver is stepping on the brake and a side brake switch 14 that outputs a side brake signal when the side brake is pulled are connected.

The control circuit 4 also outputs a control signal to the exciting current drive circuit 10 for the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 used in the clutch mechanism of the transmission 2. Further, the control circuit 4 is also configured to output a control signal to the warning means 13 such as a display lamp. The transmission 2 is provided with an electromagnetic powder clutch 3 as shown in FIG. 3 in its clutch mechanism, and when an exciting current is supplied to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 from the exciting current drive circuit 10, the yoke of the clutch is engaged. The magnetic powder 34 enclosed between the rotor 32 and the rotor 33 is magnetically coupled to each other to engage the clutch to transmit power, and when the exciting current is stopped, the magnetic powder 34 is opened and the power transmission is stopped.

The exciting current drive circuit 10 includes a control circuit 4
When a signal for instructing the start of energization of the exciting current is input from the device, the exciting current is energized to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3, and is composed of a relay circuit and a switching element.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the contents of the control according to the present invention among the controls executed in the control circuit 4. Below, based on the flow chart shown in FIG.
The control of the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 will be described. Step S
In Step 1, it is determined that the shift position is in the forward or backward position based on the output signal of the shift position sensor 9, and in Step 2, it is determined that the accelerator switch 6 is OFF, that is, the accelerator is not depressed, and Step S3
In step S4, when it is determined that the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined value based on the signal from the vehicle speed sensor 8, or when it is determined that the foot brake is applied based on the signal from the foot brake switch 12, or In step S5, the side brake switch 1
When it is determined that the side brake is applied based on the signal from 4, the creep current to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 is reduced as shown in step S7.

On the other hand, if the foot brake and the side brake are not both applied when the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or less, a normal creep current is applied to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 as shown in step S6. When it is determined in step S2 that the accelerator pedal is depressed or when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined value in step S3, normal clutch control is performed as shown in step S8. When it is determined in step S1 that the shift position is the neutral position or the parking position, the exciting current is not supplied to the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 as shown in step S9.

As described above, when one of the foot brake and the side brake is applied while the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or less, the control for reducing the creep current for the electromagnetic powder clutch 3 and the load for the engine is performed. do.

[0014]

The method for controlling a vehicle clutch according to the present invention is a vehicle equipped with an electromagnetic powder clutch capable of increasing or decreasing the engaging force by increasing or decreasing the exciting current value.
When the brakes are applied during low-speed running, the creep current to the electromagnetic powder clutch can be reduced and the load on the engine can be reduced, which prevents the engine speed and engine stability from decreasing. There is an effect that a good driving feeling can be given to the vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle clutch control device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control contents.

FIG. 3 is a half sectional configuration diagram of an electromagnetic powder clutch.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing an example of electromagnetic powder clutch characteristics.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Engine 3 Electromagnetic Powder Clutch 4 Control Circuit 6 Accelerator Switch 8 Vehicle Speed Sensor 10 Excitation Current Drive Circuit 12 Foot Brake Switch 14 Side Brake Switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automobile provided with an electromagnetic powder clutch capable of increasing or decreasing a fastening force by increasing or decreasing an exciting current value, wherein an exciting current is passed through the electromagnetic powder clutch when a shift position is a forward or backward position to cause electromagnetic interference. An automobile characterized by controlling an exciting current to be applied to the electromagnetic powder clutch when the brake is operated while the vehicle is traveling at a low speed with the powder clutch engaged or semi-engaged. Clutch control method.