Patent ID: 6086509
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: E02F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A clutch modulation system for a vehicle comprising:a frame;at least one drive wheel connected to said frame and operable to propel said vehicle in at least one direction of travel;a transmission mounted on said frame and coupled to said at least one drive wheel and operable to transmit torque to said at least one drive wheel;a prime mover mounted on said frame;a transmission coupled to the prime mover and the transmission having a clutch;a weight-lifting component movably mounted on said frame and adaptable to carry a payload, means coupling said weight-lifting component with respect to said frame including a hydraulic cylinder, a pressure in said hydraulic cylinder varying with the weight of the payload;a sensor coupled to said hydraulic cylinder to sense the pressure experienced thereby, the sensor outputting a load signal in response to the sensed pressure;a shifter operable by a vehicle operator, the shifter coupled to the transmission by the clutch to engage the engine to the drive wheels; anda controller coupled to the clutch, a memory coupled to the controller and adaptable to store a plurality of clutch modulation curves, each curve relating clutch pressure over time and each of the curves having a first segment with a first slope and a second segment having a second slope greater than the first slope, the second segment following the first segment in time;the controller coupled to the sensor for receiving the load signal, the controller selecting one of the plurality of clutch modulation curves in response to the value of the load signal, the controller modulating operation of the clutch according to the selected clutch modulation curve.