JP2000337406A - Automatic clutch system for post-fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically perform clutch-in/off according to operating condition by connecting a hydraulic controller constituted of a hydraulic pump, a valve mechanism and the like to a clutch hydraulic control device, and controlling them by a computer processing input signals from sensors such as engine speed sensor. SOLUTION: A hydraulic pump can feed hydraulic oil to a clutch control device through a valve mechanism and the like, and when the hydraulic pump is operated, oil pressure is raised from a hydraulic oil tank toward a hydraulic controller. An engine is provided with an engine speed sensor, a computer reading out rise of engine speed operates the valve mechanism, oil pressure is gradually reduced, and an automobile is shifted from the stop condition to the running condition. During running, accelerator pedal information is input from the engine speed sensor and the like to the computer to change the speed of clutch-in/off. Hereby, the clutch-in/off can be automatically performed according to the operating condition, and this system can be post-fitted to an existing vehicle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic clutch system capable of automatically disconnecting and connecting a clutch pedal of an automobile according to driving conditions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an automatic clutch system capable of automatically disconnecting and connecting a clutch pedal of an automobile according to driving conditions, there is an automatic clutch system as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-269019, which is installed in a vehicle at the time of assembling the automobile. Clutch systems are known.

[0003]

However, the conventional automatic clutch system, which is mounted on a vehicle at the time of assembling the vehicle by an automobile manufacturer, has a problem in retrofitting to an existing vehicle due to the lack of versatility of the device. In addition, when the driver releases the automatic clutch system during traveling and selects manual operation, it is necessary to switch a switch, which involves a danger. Furthermore, in the conventional automatic clutch system with a built-in computer, the clutch is controlled based on a program that is set in advance in consideration of the driving situation, so that there is a problem that appropriate clutch control cannot be performed immediately in response to the driving situation with large individual differences. there were.

[0004] The present invention has been made by focusing on the problems existing in the prior art as described above. The aim is to provide an automatic clutch system that has the versatility of the device so that it can be retrofitted to an existing vehicle, and that can perform appropriate clutch control according to the driver's will without operating the switch even while driving. It is in.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic clutch system for retrofitting according to the first aspect of the present invention. By connecting a gearshift switch, an accelerator pedal switch, an engine rotation sensor, an axle rotation sensor, etc., and controlling the hydraulic controller with a computer that processes input signals from these sensors, This is an automatic clutch system for retrofitting that can automatically switch on and off the clutch in response.

The automatic clutch system for retrofitting according to the second aspect of the present invention operates the clutch control by the automatic clutch system according to the first aspect by operating an existing clutch pedal or an accelerator pedal having an accelerator switch mounted on the vehicle, This is an automatic clutch system for retrofit that can achieve both the clutch control by the driver's operation of the clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal as in the past.

Therefore, the automatic clutch system for retrofitting according to the first aspect of the present invention has versatility so that it can be retrofitted to an existing vehicle.

Further, the automatic clutch system for retrofit according to the second aspect of the present invention can perform appropriate clutch control in response to a driving situation in which there is a great difference between drivers.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail. The switch attached to the shift lever is an optical sensor type, a push button type,
One or more can be mounted at the same time from a rotary type or the like. The shift lever switch is set to have the highest priority over other signals. The switch mounted on the accelerator pedal can be a normal ON-OFF switch or a switch that outputs a signal corresponding to the opening degree. As the engine rotation sensor and the axle rotation sensor, a sensor that can transmit a pulse signal according to the rotation speed of the rotation shaft can be selected.

The hydraulic pump pumps hydraulic oil in a hydraulic oil tank,
It is connected between an existing oil distribution pipe and a master cylinder so that it can be sent to an existing clutch control device of a vehicle via a valve mechanism including three solenoid valves provided in the hydraulic controller. This valve mechanism is provided to adjust the pressurization from the hydraulic pump and to release the pressurized hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic oil tank.

The driver's seat is provided with a power switch of the automatic clutch system and a variable resistor for changing the set value of the computer. The driver can select a conventional manual operation or a newly equipped automatic clutch operation by a power switch and a changeover switch. In the present invention, a variable resistor for changing the set value of the computer can be provided in order to change the clutch connection speed of the automatic clutch system. Further, by making the computer adjust the strength of the output signal, it is possible to set an automatic clutch system according to the characteristics of the vehicle such as a low-speed type or a high-speed type such as a diesel vehicle.

First, when the power switch of the automatic clutch system is turned on, the hydraulic pump operates and the pressure is increased from the hydraulic oil tank toward the hydraulic controller. Since the hydraulic controller is provided with the preload tank, pressure fluctuation during operation can be suppressed. The internal pressure of the preload tank can be selected in the range of 40 to 130 kg / cm2 according to the load of the clutch pressure plate.

After shifting the shift lever to neutral,
Start the engine. Next, when the accelerator pedal is slightly depressed, the accelerator pedal switch attached to the accelerator pedal is immediately activated, and an electric signal is sent to the computer. With this electric signal, the valve in the hydraulic controller is opened and the hydraulic oil in the operation cylinder is pressurized, so that the clutch is disengaged and a standby state is established.

Next, when the accelerator is depressed, the rotation of the engine increases. The engine is equipped with an engine rotation sensor, and the computer that reads the increase in the engine speed activates the valve mechanism. When the valve mechanism operates, the hydraulic pressure gradually decreases, and the vehicle is shifted from a stopped state to a running state by re-engaging the clutch.

Further, during traveling, accelerator pedal operation information is constantly input to the computer from an accelerator pedal switch and an engine rotation sensor, and vehicle speed information is input from an axle rotation sensor installed on an axle.
The computer changes the speed of disengagement and connection of the clutch based on this information and a preset program. In addition, speed information of car is 15-20km
If the speed is less than / h, the clutch will be disconnected by the computer and the engine will not stop.

In the present system, even when the automatic clutch system is in operation, manual operation by the driver's will is possible. For example, by depressing the clutch pedal before the computer is activated, the clutch can be released earlier. On the other hand, even during the clutch connection operation by automatic operation, the driver can transmit information from the engine rotation sensor to the computer by depressing the accelerator pedal. The computer is programmed to accelerate the automatic connection operation by increasing the engine speed. By these two operations, the driver can immediately realize the clutch operation according to the driving situation even when the automatic clutch system is operating.

In the present invention, besides the hydraulic type in which the operation cylinder is operated by hydraulic pressure, a wire type in which the operation cylinder is operated by a wire can be selected. The wire type has an advantage that the response speed is fast because the clutch pedal and the shift lever are directly moved by the wire.

[0018]

The automatic clutch system for retrofitting according to the first aspect of the present invention connects an existing clutch hydraulic control device of the vehicle to a hydraulic controller including a hydraulic pump and a valve mechanism, and further includes a shift lever switch and an accelerator pedal switch. ,
Equipped with engine rotation sensor, axle rotation sensor, etc.
By controlling the hydraulic controller with a computer that processes the input signals from these sensors, it is an automatic clutch system for retrofit that can automatically switch on and off the clutch according to driving conditions. Can be retrofitted. The automatic clutch system for retrofitting according to claim 2, wherein the clutch control by the automatic clutch system described above is performed by operating an existing clutch pedal or an accelerator pedal equipped with an accelerator switch on the vehicle, and the clutch pedal of the driver as before. Alternatively, since the clutch control by the operation of the accelerator pedal can be made compatible, appropriate clutch control can be performed immediately in response to a driving situation in which there is a great difference between drivers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an automatic clutch system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 shift lever switch 2 accelerator pedal switch 3 engine rotation sensor 4 axle rotation sensor 5 computer 6 hydraulic oil tank 7 hydraulic pump 8 hydraulic controller 9 valve system (including solenoid valve) 10 preload tank 11 clutch 12 operation cylinder 13 clutch pedal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An existing clutch hydraulic control device for a vehicle includes:
A hydraulic controller consisting of a hydraulic pump and a valve mechanism is connected, and a shift lever switch, an accelerator pedal switch, an engine rotation sensor, an axle rotation sensor, etc. are installed, and hydraulic control is performed by a computer that processes input signals from these sensors. An automatic clutch system for retrofitting that can automatically switch on and off the clutch according to the driving situation by controlling the clutch. 2. A clutch control by the automatic clutch system according to claim 1 by operating an existing clutch pedal or an accelerator pedal having an accelerator switch mounted on the vehicle, and a driver's clutch pedal or accelerator pedal as before. The clutch control by operation
Automatic clutch system for retrofit that can be compatible.