US 11,834,015 B2
Drive train with a hydrodynamic retarder that can be decoupled and has a displacement sensor
Achim Menne, Crailsheim (DE); Philipp Mueller, Schwaeb. Gmuend (DE); Dieter Laukemann, Frankenhardt (DE); and Mirco Wassermann, Michelbach an der Bilz (DE)
Assigned to Voith Patent GmbH, Heidenheim (DE)
Appl. No. 17/611,663
Filed by Voith Patent GmbH, Heidenheim (DE)
PCT Filed May 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/063338
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/229542, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 112 832.3 (DE), filed on May 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194330 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B60T 1/087 (2006.01); B60T 10/02 (2006.01); F16H 47/06 (2006.01); F16H 61/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60T 1/087 (2013.01) [B60T 10/02 (2013.01); F16H 47/06 (2013.01); F16H 2061/0414 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drivetrain, comprising a hydrodynamic retarder including:
a bladed rotor rotating about an axis of rotation and a bladed stator, said stator and said rotor together forming a working chamber for a hydrodynamic transmission of power from said rotor to said stator;
a power input for supplying drive power to the hydrodynamic retarder;
a separating clutch in a drive connection between said power input and said rotor of the hydrodynamic retarder;
said separating clutch constructed as a synchronized clutch with two clutch halves, mechanical blocking elements and friction elements to be brought into contact with one another and with said mechanical blocking elements, said friction elements configured to equalize a rotational speed between said two clutch halves, and said blocking elements configured to form-lockingly connect said two clutch halves to one another;
said separating clutch including an actuator displaceable along a displacement travel, said actuator configured to be displaced over a first initial distance to bring said friction elements into mutual contact and to be displaced over a second distance, following said first distance, to synchronize a rotational speed of said two friction elements and of said two clutch halves and to lock said two clutch halves to one another by using said blocking elements;
at least one travel sensor directly or indirectly detecting at least one of said displacement travel covered by said actuator or a position of said actuator along said displacement travel; and
a control device displacing said actuator along said displacement travel with a varying actuation force, said control device varying said actuation force as a function of a current position of said actuator along said displacement travel based on a signal from said at least one travel sensor;
said control device being connected to said at least one travel sensor, said control device configured to compare at least one of said displacement travel detected by said travel sensor or said detected position with at least one of a predefined reference travel or a predefined reference position, and said control device, depending on the comparison, configured to at least one of output a warning message or trigger a situation in which said separating clutch is permanently held open or held closed.