Abstract:
A method of controlling a hydraulic actuator of a friction coupling that includes a pump, which is driven by an electric motor, a pressure line, which contains a non-return valve and which runs from the pump to an actuator cylinder with an actuator piston that acts on the friction coupling. A rapid drain valve has a flow connection to the actuator cylinder and contains a slide that responds to the pressure prevailing on the side of the pump that faces the slide. To optimize the dynamic and static control behavior of the actuator, a control variable is determined for the electric motor from the target pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder. At least two different control algorithms are executed, depending on whether the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure is positive or negative.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/AT2005/000444, filed Nov. 8, 2005, and which claims the benefit of Austrian Utility Model Application No. GM 805/2004, filed Nov. 8, 2004. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a method for controlling a hydraulic actuator of a friction clutch which comprises a pump driven by an electric motor controlled by a control system, a pressure line including a check valve and running to an actuator cylinder having an actuator piston, with the pressure in the actuator cylinder having to be controlled or feedback controlled, and a fast drain valve including a slider responsive to the pressure prevailing at the side of the pump facing it. In this connection, in particular the actuator of a multiple-disk clutch in the drivetrain of a motor vehicle is being thought of, on which particular demands are made due to the special characteristics of such clutches and to the special demands in motor vehicles with driving dynamic systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    The special demands on the controllability of friction clutches are present both with respect to the precision of the setting of a specific torque and with respect to the speed of the control. The latter in particular on the release of the clutch, for instance on an ABS intervention or an ESP intervention. Furthermore, the electric motor should use as little energy as possible over all, that is it should also only run when necessary. There is also the demand for intrinsic safety. This means that the most secure state (usually that is the released clutch) should be adopted automatically in the event of system failure. 
         [0005]    These demands also require an embodiment of the actuator in accordance with the preamble of the first claim, such as is, for example, the subject matter of WO 2004/040158 A2 of the applicant. Further details can be seen from this. An actuator of this type is cost-effective because the control valves required with conventional actuators can be dispensed with. The control of the electric motor for the actuation of the actuator is, however, demanding from a technical control viewpoint and is the subject of the present invention, which can be used independently of the specific construction and of the control of the electric motor itself. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The object underlying the invention is thus to teach a method and a control system that permits the precise setting of a specific pressure, the very fast lowering of the pressure and the maintaining of the pressure using a minimum of electrical energy and is moreover intrinsically safe. The latter means that the pressure reliably falls on a failure of the control. 
         [0007]    This is achieved in accordance with the invention in that a control variable for the electric motor is determined from the desired pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder, with at least two different control algorithms being carried out in dependence on the sign of the difference of the desired pressure and actual pressure. The control variable for the electric motor depends on its specific construction and control. It can be a permanently excited direct current motor with control of the current strength or voltage or any other controllable electric motor. The sign of the difference is to be understood as the sign preceding it. It is positive when the desired pressure is larger than the actual pressure and negative in the reverse case. It is zero when the pressure difference is smaller than a predetermined tolerance, with this also being able to be preset by a higher level system (for example a driving dynamics controller). The different control algorithms first permit a precise setting of a specific pressure with a positive sign and an extremely fast lowering of the pressure with a negative sign, and also additional measures to maintain the respective pressure in as energy saving a manner as possible. This takes the fact into account that the control path in the two operating states has a different structure and behaves differently due to the interaction of the check valve and the fast drain valve. 
         [0008]    To build up the pressure with a positive sign, the control algorithm compares the desired pressure in the actuator cylinder with the actual pressure and forms a control variable for the electric motor. The control parameters are adapted in dependence on operating parameters, in particular in dependence on the pressure in the actuator cylinder. The control algorithm is preferably that of a PID control; however, it can also be that of a state control or fuzzy logic. The control parameters of the controller are to be selected accordingly to match the properties of the control path comprising, on the build of pressure, electric motor, pump, check valve, pressure cylinder and friction clutch. The adaptation takes the fact into account that the package stiffness of the whole clutch (in other words: the spring characteristic) is highly non-linear over the closing path of the clutch. It breaks down into three part regions having greatly differing gradients. 
         [0009]    In a further development of the control algorithm on the build up of pressure (positive sign), it is that of a cascade controller, with a desired speed of the electric motor being determined in a first controller from the difference of the desired pressure and actual pressure in the actuator cylinder, a desired electrical parameter being determined in a second controller from the difference of the desired speed of rotation and the actual speed of rotation of the electric motor, and a control variable with which the electric motor is controlled being determined in a third controller from the difference of the desired electrical parameter and the actual electrical parameter. 
         [0010]    The cascading has the following advantages: more favorable dynamics because the time constants of the individual controllers can be adapted to the respective time constants of the control path; better control elimination of variable disturbance due to the internal feedback; protection of the electric motor from overloading. A further improvement is achieved with the cascading in that the control parameters of the first controller are adapted in dependence on operating parameters, in particular on the pressure in the actuator cylinder. Instead of the adaptation, a plurality of controllers with different control parameters and a subsequent selection can also be used. 
         [0011]    For the pressure reduction (negative sign), the control algorithm forms, in a first variant, a control variable for the electric motor by a comparison of the desired position of the slider of the fast drain valve with its actual position, with the desired position of the slider primarily being formed from the values of the desired pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder. In this connection, the actual position of the slider is determined from one or more operating parameters of the actuator, for instance from a parameter corresponding to the angle of rotation of the electric motor. The position of the fast drain valve can, however, also be measured. 
         [0012]    For the pressure reduction (negative sign), the control algorithm forms, in a second variant, a control variable for the electric motor by a comparison of the desired gradient with the actual gradient of the pressure in the actuator cylinder, with the desired gradient being formed as a function of the desired pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder by a time derivation of the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder. 
         [0013]    In a further development of the control algorithm on the reduction of pressure (negative sign), it is that of a cascade controller, with a desired speed of the electric motor being determined in a first controller from the difference of the desired position and the actual position of the electric motor, a desired electrical parameter being determined in a second controller from the difference of the desired speed of rotation and the actual speed of rotation of the electric motor, and a control variable with which the electric motor is controlled being determined in a third controller from the difference of the desired electrical parameter and the actual electrical parameter. The aforesaid advantages of a cascade control are also utilized again here. 
         [0014]    In a further development of the method in accordance with the invention, special measures are also to be provided for the maintenance of the pressure in the actuator cylinder (when the sign of the difference of the desired pressure and actual pressure is within a predetermined tolerance). In a first variant, the control algorithm then monitors the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder and forms, with a defined pressure drop, a control variable for the electric motor which accelerates it from a reduced speed or sets it in motion when at a standstill. In a second variant, the control algorithm monitors the position of the slider and forms a control variable for the electric motor on a defined deviation occurring. In this connection, the control variable for the electric motor is the motor current. If the pressure in the actuator cylinder should be maintained, only the fast drain valve has to be kept closed. The pressure required for this is determined by the force of the spring acting on the slider and a specific motor current corresponds to this pressure. 
         [0015]    The invention also relates to a system for the control of a hydraulic actuator of a friction clutch, said hydraulic actuator including the components listed in the preamble of the first claim, with the system containing a processor and a driver stage for the control of the electric motor. It is characterized in that the processor forms at least two controllers with different control behaviors and contains a selection logic which selects the output signal of the one or the other controller in dependence on whether the pressure in the actuator cylinder should be raised or lowered. This takes the fact into account that the control path in the two operating states has a different structure and behaves differently due to the interaction of the check valve and the fast drain valve. A specific pressure can thus both be set precisely and be lowered very fast again with an overall minimal consumption of electrical energy. 
         [0016]    In a further development of the system in accordance with the invention, the one and/or the other controller is made as a cascade controller, with, in the cascade, a first controller comparing the respective control parameters with one another and forming a desired speed for the electric motor, a second controller comparing the desired speed with the actual speed of the electric motor and forming a desired electrical parameter, and a third controller comparing the desired electrical parameter with an actual electrical parameter and determining a control variable with which the electric motor is controlled. The advantages of the cascade control listed further above are thus achieved, with the increased effort on the implementation in a processor only consisting of additional measurement devices for the operating parameters fed back in the internal loops or with the measurement devices anyway being present. 
         [0017]    The invention also relates to a friction clutch for the drivetrain of a motor vehicle comprising an actuator and which has a control system with the torque transmissible by the friction clutch being substantially proportional to the pressure in the actuator cylinder. 
         [0018]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a scheme of the actuator in accordance with the invention with a friction clutch; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the control system in accordance with the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates a scheme of the control for a positive sign; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates a variant of the controller of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates a scheme of the controller for a negative sign in a first embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates a variant of the controller of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates a scheme of the controller for a negative sign in a second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 1 , a cylinder in piston unit is designated in summary by  1 , a valve unit by  2  and an electric motor and pump unit by  3 . A pressure space  4  is present in the cylinder in piston unit  1  and is in communication via a line  6  with the valve unit  2 , with the pressure fluid contained in the pressure space  4  acting on a piston  5 . This piston  5  is part of a friction clutch  7  or is directly in communication therewith. The friction clutch  7  is only indicated since it is of the usual construction with disks and a spring. In the friction clutch  7 , the pressure exerted by the piston  5  acts against the force of this spring and of the clutch disks. As the pressure increases, the torque transmissible by the clutch increases approximately proportionally with the pressure. 
         [0029]    The valve unit  2  contains a fast drain valve  8  and a check valve  9 . The latter has a ball  9 ′ pressed toward a seat by a spring  9 ″. The fast drain valve  8  is formed by a socket  10  having at least one opening  11 , which opening is in communication with the pressure space  4  via the line  6 , and by a piston  12  displaceable in the socket  10 . The piston  12  separates a first space  13  containing a compression spring  14  from a second space  17 . The first space  13  is in communication via a drain line  15  with a sump  16  from which the electric motor and pump unit  3  sucks in fluid and into which it pumps fluid. A pressure line  18  is connected to the second space  17  and in turn establishes the connection between the electric motor and pump unit  3  and to the pressure space  4  via the check valve  9 . 
         [0030]    The electric motor and pump unit  3  comprises a pump for the pressure fluid and a motor  20  which is controlled by a control system  21 . In the embodiment described, a permanently excited DC motor is used. As the input signal, the control system  21  receives actual values determined by sensors  22  (only a pressure sensor is indicated here) and, via a line  23 , a desired value of a pressure in the actuator cylinder which generates the contact pressure acting on the disks of the clutch  7  and corresponds to the maximum torque to be transmitted by the clutch. The previously described elements form the actuator of the clutch  7 . 
         [0031]    The manner of operation of the described arrangement is as follows: In the position shown in  FIG. 1 , the electric motor and pump unit  3  either does not pump at all or at a pressure which is not sufficient to open the check valve  9  or to close the fast drain valve  8 . No pressure is present in the pressure space  4 ; the clutch, which is not shown, is thus not acted on, that is does not transmit any torque. If the pressure of the pressure medium in the line  18  delivered by the pump  19  now increases, this acts in the second space  17  on the lower side of the slider  12  made as a piston against the force of the spring  14 . At a specific pressure, the slider  12  starts to move upwardly, with it closing the opening  11  and thus the outflow from the pressure space  4 . Only when the opening  11  is fully closed does the check valve  9  open and can pressure fluid flow into the pressure space  4  and control the clutch accordingly. 
         [0032]    If the pump  19  is now stopped, the pressure acting on the slider  12  drops; the check valve  9  closes at the same time. The slider  12  is slowly pressed downwardly by the spring  14  (depending on the leakage of the pump), whereby the openings  11  become free again after a specific time and the pressure fluid can escape from the pressure space  4  into the sump  16 . If the electric motor and pump unit  3  is now switched over such that the pumping direction also reverses, that is the pump  19  pumps out of the pressure line  18  into the sump  16 , an underpressure arises under the slider  12  and substantially accelerates its downward movement. Then, on switching over of the motor  20 , the clutch is fully opened for a moment as is required, for example, in the case of ABS braking. 
         [0033]    If the pressure space  4  is under pressure and the electric motor and pump unit  3  maintains the fast drain valve closed, the pressure continues to be maintained for a while with a good seal. This means that, in steady state operation with an engaged clutch, the electric motor and pump unit  3  only has to maintain the pressure for the slider to remain closed. The output amount is almost zero since leakage mainly takes place in the interior of the pump. A substantial saving in energy is thus achieved. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 2 , the total control system  21  is shown as part of a feedback control circuit which it forms with an actuator and its control path which are here indicated together and designated by  28 . Various sensors are attached to the actuator and to the control path and generate signals  22 , and indeed:
     22   a:  actual pressure (p act ) in the actuator cylinder  4 ;     22   b:  actual current strength (I act ) of the current supplied to the electric motor  20 ;     22   c:  actual voltage (U act ) of the current supplied to the motor  20 ;     22   d:  actual angle of rotation of the motor  20 ;     22   e:  actual speed of the motor  20 ,     22   f:  the actual position (X act ) of the slider  12 ;     22   g:  the position of the actuator piston  5 ;     22   h:  a signal corresponding to the pressure signal (for example, determined from other signals, for instance from a torque signal or rotational speed signal).   
 
         [0043]    The actual pressure signal  22   a  or  22   h  in any case and individual ones of the further signals  22   b  to  22   g  are available to the control system  21 , in the same way as a signal  23  which is emitted by a higher level control system, which indicates the desired pressure (p des ) in the actuator cylinder  4  and which is substantially proportional to the maximum torque to be transmitted by the clutch. 
         [0044]    The control system  21  comprises in general terms an analog/digital converter  25  which makes the signals  22  and  23  available to a computing unit  26  in digital form. The latter&#39;s output signal  36  is a control variable for the motor  20  which is supplied to a driver stage  27  which controls electrical current supplied to the electric motor with respect to voltage and/or current strength. The input signal  23  can already be present in digital form and also additionally contain the width of the tolerance range. 
         [0045]    Three controllers  30 ,  31 ,  32  and a selection logic  33  are provided in the computing unit  26 . All three are arranged in parallel, they receive, as input parameters, the desired pressure  23  (p des ) and the measured signals  22 , but at least the actual pressure  22   a  or  22   h , and all three controllers provide, as the output signal, a control variable  34   a ,  34   b ,  34   c  for the electric motor  20 , from which the selection logic  33  selects a signal  36 , likewise in dependence on the desired pressure  23  (p des ) and the measured signals  22 , but at least on that of the actual pressure  22   a  or  22   h  (p act ). The three controllers  30 ,  31 ,  32  connected in parallel come into effect, only one in each case, in different control situations. The first controller  30 , when the desired pressure  23  (P des ) is larger than the actual pressure  22   a  or  22   h  (p act ), that is when the pressure should increase in the actuator cylinder (and the clutch should be engaged). The sign of the pressure difference designates its preceding sign, which is positive in this case. The second controller  31  acts when the pressure difference, and thus the sign, is negative, which corresponds to a dropping pressure in the actuator cylinder (and a disengagement of the clutch). Finally, a third controller can be provided to maintain the pressure. It acts when the desired pressure and the actual pressure are within the preset tolerance. It is also called a maintaining controller. The control variable  36  for the motor  20  selected by the selection logic  33  is forwarded to the driver stage  27 . 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 3 , the first controller  30  comprises the actual controller  37  and a computer  38  for the calculation of the control parameters on the basis of individual input signals  22 , in particular, but not exclusively, of the actual pressure signal  22   a  or  22   h . The control parameters calculated by it (with a PID controller, that is the factors determining the P, I and D functions) are provided to the actual controller  37  for adaptation. The controller  30  is thus adaptive overall. This takes into account the fact that the relationship between the pressure to be overcome by the actuator piston ( 5 ) (comprising the force of the clutch springs and the contact pressure of the clutch disks required for the transmission of a specific torque) and its path is strongly non-linear. Without the adaptation function, the positioning procedure in the range of low force would take much too long. The factors describing the controller (P, I, and D factors) are therefore set in accordance with the input signals  22  and  23 , in particular in accordance with the actual pressure  22   a ,  22   h , such that the adjustment of the piston  5  corresponds to the demands on the dynamics in all ranges. The parameters determined by the computer  38  are forwarded to the actual controller  37  via the connection  39 . 
         [0047]    When a controller, a connection or a loop are spoken of in the total description, a program module is meant, when a processor is used, which carries out the corresponding control algorithm. 
         [0048]    In the variant of  FIG. 4 , the controller  30 ′ is made as a cascade controller which comprises three sub-controllers  40 ,  43 ,  45  which are connected in cascade. The first sub-controller  40  is divided into three regions  40 ′,  40 ″,  40 ″′ with different control parameters, as an alternative solution to the adaptive controller  30  of  FIG. 3 . It is followed by a selection logic  41  which, like the input of the controller  40 , receives the actual pressure signal (p act ) via the “line”  42 ; it ( 42 ) forms an outer return loop of the cascade. The output signal of the first sub-controller controller  40  is a desired speed of the motor (n des ). The second sub-controller  43  of the cascade is a speed controller to which the desired speed signal (n des ) of the first sub-controller  40  and, via a middle return loop  44 , an actual speed of rotation (n act ) of the motor is supplied. The output signal is a desired current signal (I des ) for the motor. It is compared in the third sub-controller  45  with the actual current (I act ) of the motor and generates a control variable  34   a  for the motor  20 . The actuator and the control path  28  are indicated. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  shows the second controller  31  for a negative sign (pressure drop) in a first embodiment. An actual value  22   f  (x act ) corresponding to the actual position of the slider  12  and a desired value of the position of the slider  12  (x des ) are supplied to the actual controller  50 . Said desired value is primarily calculated from the desired pressure  23  (p des ) in the actuator cylinder and from the actual pressure signal  22   a  or  22   h  (Pact). Further measured signals  22  can be supplied to the controller via the loop  52 . The output signal  34  of the actual controller  50  is in turn a control variable  34   b  for the electric motor. 
         [0050]    In the variant of  FIG. 6 , the controller  31  for a negative sign is again made as a cascade controller. The computing unit  60  determines the desired position of the slider  12  (x des ) from the actual pressure  22   a  or  22   h  (p act ) and the desired pressure  23  (p des ) in the actuator cylinder  4 , with the desired value (x des ) of the position of the slider  12  being a function of the throughflow cross-section of the opening  11 . In a first sub-controller  63 , a desired speed of the motor (n des ) is determined from the desired value (x des ) of the position of the slider  12  and from its actual value (x act ), which is determined in a computing unit  61  from the signals  22 , preferably from the actual angle of rotation  22   d , actual speed of rotation (n act ) of the motor. The actual position (x act ) of the slider  12  is supplied to the first sub-controller  63  (a position controller) via an external return loop  62 . In a second sub-controller  65  (a speed controller), a desired current (I des ) for the motor is calculated from the desired speed of rotation (n des ) of the motor and an actual speed of rotation (n act ) of the motor communicated via a middle return loop  64 . This desired current (I des ) is in turn compared with the actual current (I act ) supplied via an internal return loop  66  and a control variable  34   b  for the electric motor is determined from this in a third sub-controller  67  (a current controller). 
         [0051]      FIG. 7  shows a second embodiment of the second controller  31  (negative sign) which differs from that of  FIG. 5  in that, instead of the desired position (X des ) of the slider  12 , the pressure gradient (dp/dt) is used as the input parameter. The actual controller  70  compares a desired value (dp/dt des ) of the pressure gradient with an actual value (dp/dt act ) of the pressure gradient. The first is calculated in a computing unit  71  from the desired pressure  23  (p des ) and the actual pressure  22   a  or  22   h  (p act ) in the actuator cylinder  4 . The second is determined in a unit  72  from the actual pressure signal  22   a  or  22   h  (p act ). The output value is again the control variable  34   b  for the electric motor. 
         [0052]    The description is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.