Driveline Clutch Control for Hybrid Vehicle Drift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for inducing vehicle side slip in hybrid vehicles often require gear shifting, which can result in mismatched wheel torque and difficulty in maintaining desired side slip, and do not effectively manage torque distribution between different driveline components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a driveline disconnect clutch between the engine and electric machine, and a torque converter lock-up clutch between the electric machine and transmission, allowing for the induction of vehicle side slip without gear shifting by controlling the disconnect clutch and lock-up clutch to maintain desired wheel torque and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If gear shifting is performed to induce vehicle side slip, then wheel torque can be adjusted, but the wheel torque becomes mismatched and difficulty arises in maintaining desired side slip
Solution Approach 1:
The driveline is segmented into multiple independent torque sources (engine and electric machine) that can be controlled separately. The controller independently manages engine torque and electric machine torque to achieve precise wheel torque control without gear shifting, thereby maintaining desired side slip conditions reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of changing gear ratios to adjust wheel torque, the system changes the torque output parameters of the engine and electric machine directly. The controller modulates the torque contribution from each source to achieve the desired wheel torque while maintaining the current gear, ensuring consistent side slip maintenance.
2Power
If the driveline disconnect clutch is opened to raise engine speed, then engine torque capacity increases, but the engine becomes disconnected from driven wheels during the maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The driveline disconnect clutch is opened in advance to allow the engine speed to rise and build torque capacity before the actual drift maneuver is initiated. Once the engine is ready to deliver the required torque, the clutch is closed to connect the engine to the driven wheels, ensuring reliable torque delivery at the critical moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous torque delivery to the driven wheels by coordinating the clutch operation with electric machine torque provision. When the engine is disconnected, the electric machine compensates to maintain continuous torque, and when the engine reconnects, the transition is smooth to avoid interruption in useful action.
3Ease of operation
If clutch kick is performed manually for drift induction, then vehicle side slip can be initiated, but the technique is difficult to execute and requires precise driver coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the clutch kick operation automatically without requiring manual driver intervention. The controller autonomously controls the driveline disconnect clutch opening and closing sequences, eliminating the need for the driver to coordinate clutch and throttle operations manually, thereby simplifying the operation while maintaining the drift induction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical clutch kick operation is replaced with an electronically controlled clutch actuation system. The controller uses electronic signals to manage the clutch engagement and disengagement, replacing the manual mechanical coordination requirement with an automated electronic control system that achieves the same effect more reliably and easily.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for inducing vehicle side slip. In one example, a method includes opening a sole driveline disconnect clutch positioned between an engine and an electric machine upstream of a transmission, and closing the sole driveline disconnect clutch within a predetermined amount of time after opening the sole driveline disconnect without shifting gears of the transmission. In this way, vehicle drift may be reliable initiated in a hybrid electric vehicle with an automatic transmission, without shifting gears of the transmission.