Patent ID: 6533092
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: B60W,F16D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of detecting an operating state of a friction clutch, the friction clutch being axially engageable and disengageable and, over a relatively long time period substantially limited by its lifetime, being subjected to a large number of actuations, the actuations including a disengagement operation and a subsequent engagement operation, the method comprising the steps of:(a) in accordance with an actuation, determining an engagement point from a clutch engagement travel, at least one of associated clutch torque and associated clutch rotational speed and storing an associated engagement travel; (b) independent of an actuation, defining and storing a permissible maximum value of the engagement travel; (c) in accordance with an actuation, comparing the engagement travel of the engagement point with the permissible maximum engagement travel; (d) displaying a signal in accordance with the comparing the engagement travel step (c) if the engagement travel of the engagement point is greater than the permissible maximum engagement travel; and (e) if the engagement travel of the engagement point is less than the permissible maximum engagement travel, during subsequent actuations, cyclically repeating the determining step (a), comparing the engagement travel step (c) and displaying a signal (d) until an actuation that results in the signal being displayed.