Centrifugal clutch assembly with dedicated maneuvering mode

US7338409B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Meritor Transmission Corporation · US

Inventors

• Ludger Ronge · Eriskirch, DE
• Charles E. Allen, Jr. · Rochester Hills, US
• Winfried Sturmer · Euerbach, DE
• Karl-Fritz Heinzelmann · Meckenbeuren, DE
• James DeVore · Laurinburg, US
• Loren Christopher Dreier · Southern Pines, US
• Robert Sayman · Eriskirch, DE
• Ronald Muetzel · Southern Pines, US
• Muneer AbuSamra · Southern Pines, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 11, 2005
• Grant date: Mar 4, 2008
• Expiry date: Oct 6, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60W2710/0616
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A vehicle power train system includes an engine, a transmission, and a centrifugal clutch assembly that selectively couples an engine output shaft to a transmission input shaft in response to an operator input. An operator selects a desired vehicle-operating mode by actuating a shift lever or shift switch from a gear selection device. The gear selection device indicates many different operating modes and includes a low-speed maneuvering mode that is selected for low-speed operations such as coupling a truck to a trailer, or positioning a truck and/or trailer in relation to a loading dock area. Once the low-speed maneuvering mode is selected, a control unit controls at least one of engine speed and engine torque to indirectly effect clutch slippage, which results in improved vehicle speed control at low-speed operations.