Voith Patent Gmbh

Voith Turbo Gmbh Co. Kg

Man Truck & Bus Ag

Achim Menne

Dieter Laukemann

Werner Adams

Werner Klement

Martin Becke

Werner Koch

Heinz Holler

Reinhard Kernchen

Rolf Brockmann

Ravi Schade

Tilman Huth

Markus K Becker

Franz Brenner

Manfred Beck

Matthias Gottschall

Volker Zimmermann

Gregor Polifke

Manfred Mandlik

Heinz Hoeller

Philipp Müller

Mirco Wassermann

Dietmar Sturm

Philipp Mueller

Thomas Bauer

Alexander Schreiber

Philipp MÜLLER

Dieter Laukermann

A drive train has a hydrodynamic retarder including a rotating bladed rotor and bladed stator, forming a working chamber for hydrodynamic transmission of power from rotor to stator, a power input feeding drive power to the retarder, and a synchronized separating clutch connected between power input and rotor. The clutch has two clutch halves, friction elements contacting each other and mechanical blocking elements. The friction elements equalize rotational speed between clutch halves, and the blocking elements form-lockingly connect the clutch halves. The clutch has an actuator displaceable along a displacement travel, over a first distance bringing the friction elements into mutual contact, and a second distance adjoining the first distance to synchronize the friction elements and rotational speed for locking with the blocking elements. At least one displacement sensor directly or indirectly detects displacement travel by the actuator and/or position of the actuator on the displacement travel.

Drive train with a hydrodynamic retarder that can be decoupled and has a displacement sensor

A method for controlling a separating clutch in a power train of a vehicle having a drive motor and a retarder. The clutch is arranged such that a rotor of the retarder is switched into a drive connection with the motor and/or power train via the clutch and a working chamber of the retarder can be filled with an operating medium to build up a braking power such that braking torque is exerted by the retarder onto the power train and/or motor. A control system switches the clutch into a closed or an open position. The switching of the clutch into the closed position occurs depending on an input signal to the controller, and the clutch is switched back into the open position depending on essentially no medium being present in the working chamber of the retarder and that predetermined limits of an operating and/or environmental parameter are not exceeded.

Method for controlling a separating clutch

A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, whereby at least one of the rotational speed of a revolving bladed rotor and the speed of a motor vehicle is monitored and a disconnect clutch is engaged below at least one of a pre-specified rotational speed of the revolving bladed rotor and a pre-specified speed of the motor vehicle, regardless of a request made by a driver assist system or by operation of an input device by the operator of the motor vehicle to turn on the hydrodynamic retarder.

Method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder that can be mechanically disengaged by a disconnect clutch

A hydrodynamic machine comprising a housing, arranged within said housing: at least one shaft; a toroidal working chamber that can be filled with a working medium, the toroidal working chamber including a first housing with a first bladed wheel and a second housing with a second bladed wheel; a step-up gear arranged with the first bladed wheel about a common rotational axis and mounted such that they can rotate independently of one another; and a coupling device operable to transfer torque between the step-up gear and the first bladed wheel.

Hydrodynamic machine

A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, comprising a drive motor whose power output is controlled via an actuator such as a foot pedal or a lever; whereby in an overrun operation the acceleration of the motor vehicle is collected or detected and compared with a pre-specified acceleration value; and whereby in the non-braking mode the disconnect clutch is engaged, regardless of an initiation of a braking mode by an operator of the motor vehicle or a driver assist system and the working chamber is maintained drained when the acceleration exceeds an acceleration limit.

Method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarded that can be disengaged by a disconnect clutch

A cooling circuit for a motor vehicle having a cooling medium pump that circulates a cooling medium in the cooling circuit having a hydrodynamic retarder. The cooling circuit further includes a main circuit in which the cooling medium pump and a drive motor of the motor vehicle, as well as a heat exchanger are positioned. A secondary branch of the cooling circuit includes a feed that branches off from the main circuit at a branch-off point and ends in the hydrodynamic retarder, and a return which proceeds from the hydrodynamic retarder and ends at a junction location in the main circuit. The return ends upstream of the branch-off location of the feed as viewed in a flow direction of the cooling medium in the main circuit, however on the same side of the cooling medium pump or at the branch-off location of the feed in the main circuit.

Cooling circuit for a motor vehicle having a hydrodynamic retarder

The invention concerns a hydrodynamic retarder The invention is characterised in that the control device when closing the separating clutch detects the run-up behaviour of the secondary side of the separating clutch and/or of the rotor via at least one associated sensor or defines the run-up behaviour from at least one input value supplied thereto and according to the run-up behaviour initiates either the continuous closing of the separating clutch for slip bridging between the primary side and the secondary side for accelerating the rotor or the interruption of the closing process of the separating clutch.

Disconnectable hydrodynamic retarder and method for controlling same

A motor vehicle drive train including a hydrodynamic retarder () that comprises a revolving bladed impeller () and a stationary or counter-rotating bladed turbine () which jointly form a working chamber () that can be filled with a working medium to switch on the retarder () is disclosed. The hydrodynamic retarder () can be mechanically disengaged from the drive train by a disconnect clutch (). A fill level monitoring device () can detect the current fill level of the working medium in the working chamber (), while a disconnect clutch-blocking device () is effectively connected in a communicating or mechanical manner to the fill level monitoring device () and prevents the disconnect clutch () from engaging in accordance with the detected fill level.

Motor vehicle drive train comprising a hydrodynamic retarder that can be disengaged, and control method therefor

There is provided a method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder. The method includes determining a presence of a retarder switch-off request, and keeping a separating clutch closed, after the determining, for a preset time span and emptying a working chamber of the hydrodynamic retarder of a working medium by continuous actuation of a rotating bladed rotor and interruption of infeed of the working medium into the working chamber. The method further included varying the preset time span according to at least one of the following parameters or at least one parameter correlated with one of the following parameters: a rotational speed of the rotating bladed rotor, an output pressure, against which the working medium is emptied from the working chamber, a filling level of the working chamber with the working medium, a temperature of the working medium, and a braking torque of the hydrodynamic retarder.

Method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder which can be disengaged mechanically via a separating clutch

The invention relates to a starting unit comprising: an input, which can be coupled to a drive, and an output that can be coupled to a driven part; a starting element provided in the form of a hydrodynamic component, comprising at least one primary turbine wheel and one secondary turbine wheel that, together, form a working chamber which can be filled with operating material; an engaging and disengaging clutch comprising at least two clutch elements that can be brought into frictionally engaged active contact with one another in a direct or indirect manner via additional intermediate elements, the first clutch element being at least indirectly connected to the input in a rotationally fixed manner and the second clutch element being at least indirectly connected to the output in a rotational fixed manner; an adjusting device assigned thereto, and; a stationary or rotating housing that surrounds at least one of the turbine wheels while forming an adjoining chamber. The adjusting device of the engaging and disengaging clutch is situated in the adjacent chamber while forming a first operating material supply channel or space and can be subjected to the action of pressure prevailing therein. The operating material supply channel or space can be connected at least indirectly to an operating means supply source. The invention is characterized by the following features: means for influencing the transmission behavior of the hydrodynamic component, comprising at least one mechanical built-in part that acts at least indirectly upon the working circuit ensuing inside the working chamber; an adjusting device assigned to the mechanical built-in part, and means for subjecting the adjusting device to a differential pressure, which results from the pressure in the first operating means supply channel or space or in a channel or space coupled thereto or in the interior of the housing, and to a control pressure.

Starting unit

The invention relates to a starting unit () comprising a starting element in the form of a hydrodynamic component () and a housing () that is coupled with the primary impeller () in a static or rotationally fixed manner and that encloses at least one impeller () in the axial direction, thereby defining at least one working fluid guide channel or compartment (). The invention is characterized in that the unit is provided with means () for influencing the transmission behavior of the hydrodynamic component (). Said means comprise pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components () that have an at least indirect effect on the working cycle ensuing in the working compartment (). The pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components () are impinged upon by a pressure medium from the supply channel () or the first working medium guide channel or compartment (), the position of the pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components () relative to the working compartment () being a function of the differential pressure of the pressure medium branched off from the first supply channel () or the first working medium guide channel or compartment () and the pressure in the interior of the housing () in the area of the regulating device ().

A drive system for a motor vehicle is provided. The drive system has a drive assembly, at least one power transmission unit that is coupled with the drive assembly and an electrical machine coupled at least indirectly with the drive assembly. The power transmission unit has at least one starting element with a hydrodynamic clutch and a bridging clutch. A rotor or armature of the electrical machine is arranged coaxially to the hydrodynamic clutch and can be coupled with it in a torsionally rigid manner.

Hybrid drive system comprising a hydrodynamic clutch particularly for motor vehicles

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic clutch which comprises a primary impeller and a secondary impeller which together define a working chamber. The clutch also comprises means for influencing the transmission behavior of the hydrodynamic clutch, especially for influencing the circulation flow in the working chamber, said means comprising at least one baffle plate that extends at least partially into the working chamber. The inventive clutch is characterized in that the baffle plate can be displaced in the axial direction relative to the working chamber.

Hydrodynamic clutch and method for influencing the torque that can be picked up by the hydrodynamic clutch

The invention relates to a starter unit () comprising an input (E) which may be coupled to a drive input, an output (A) which may he coupled to a drive output, a starter element () in the form of a hydrodynamic coupling (), a switchable clutch (), comprising at least two clutch elements, which may be brought into frictional engagement, either directly or indirectly, by means of further transfer agents, being a first clutch element () and a second clutch element () each rotationally fixed to the input (E) and the output (A) respectively. The hydrodynamic coupling () and the switchable clutch () are arranged in a parallel fashion in two power branches () and may be activated individually or in common.

Growing community of inventors

Crailsheim, Germany

Achim Menne