Patent ID: 8849532
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: F16D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of managing clutch thermal loads in a multi-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) that is paired with an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, the method comprising: assessing via a controller whether the vehicle is being accelerated by the engine; identifying via the controller a clutch in the DCT that is being slipped during the acceleration; determining via the controller vehicle parameters indicative of a preset amount of time remaining until the clutch will cease to slip; accessing via the controller the preset amount of time remaining until the clutch will cease to slip that corresponds to the determined vehicle parameters; determining via the controller an actual amount of time remaining until the clutch being slipped reaches a threshold temperature; comparing via the controller the accessed preset amount of time remaining until the clutch will cease to slip with the determined actual amount of time remaining until the clutch being slipped reaches the threshold temperature to determine whether the clutch is predicted to cease slipping before the threshold temperature has been reached; and activating via the controller an indicator if the determined actual amount of time remaining until the clutch being slipped reaches the threshold temperature is less than the accessed preset of time remaining until the clutch will cease to slip.