Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

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Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

8th pictures

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda

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Honda’s invention addresses the technical compromise of the anti-hopping clutch and adds a semi-automatic system to the system.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda

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The clutch work is only initiated by the clutch lever, the electronics take care of the rest.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda

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The conventionally designed gearbox with a continuous coupling rod for the hydraulics is still switched by the foot, but the coupling is controlled hydraulically.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda

4/8
Honda thinks of adding a pure manual clutch mode to the convenience of the automatic clutch. The main focus of the invention, however, is to separate the braking torque of the motor from the rear wheel.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda Motors

5/8
In addition to the new clutch control, Honda has also rethought the operation of the clutch lever: Clutch-by-Wire.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda Motors

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The new valve works without hydraulic fluid and without a reservoir. Perhaps a maintenance-free hydraulic cylinder should provide the familiar clutch feeling on the lever.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda Motors

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The advantages of the system are the freedom from maintenance, less installation space and also: no more toxic chemicals in a hydraulic system.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire
Honda Motors

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The cooperation of all active driving systems also benefits from an electronic control of the clutch, so the shift pauses can be kept shorter or the traction control can be regulated much more finely if the clutch disengages slightly before the injection is throttled.

counselor

technology & future

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

Honda engages electrically
Clutch-by-wire and semi-automatic

Honda has an invention protected that combines a new type of slipper clutch with the advantages of semi-automatic and clutch-by-wire in one system.


Jens Kratschmar

06/09/2021

Due to its design, a motorcycle is a physically unstable unit and tends to tip over. It cannot just stand on both wheels, the front wheel tends to climb when accelerating hard, and the dynamic wheel load distribution with conventional chassis means that the rear wheel is light, jumping or floating when braking hard. The side stand is proven against falling over and electronic measures keep the front wheel on the ground if necessary. There are anti-hopping clutches that work well against the light rear wheel and the unrest in the chassis, when the wheel has full grip again and transfers the engine braking torque, but they only compensate for the effects. They do not address the cause of the effective engine braking torque. And the manual hydraulic actuation of the clutch, which is still today, has potential for improvement.

Honda disengages

Honda is committed to tackling the root causes patent an invention. It is supposed to recognize the relieved rear wheel via wheel speeds and accelerations and to separate the clutch electronically controlled. In this way, the engine braking torque is not even transmitted, and even minimal impulses are not fed into the chassis. Accordingly, the clutch can become mechanically lighter again and can do without the known back torque limiters in the form of different cam mechanisms.

Honda engages electrically

An interesting side effect of the invention is that the entire clutch can work automatically by means of the electronic control of the hydraulic system for the braking torque. A clutch lever is still available and operates the system conventionally, but without hydraulics on the master cylinder. The signal for the clutch is electronically sent to the slave cylinder, where it is converted into hydraulic power. With the appropriate modes, however, the entire work of the clutch can also be carried out automatically. Starting or stopping is then also subject to the controlled modes. The driver still does the shifting process by foot himself, whereby an automatic shifting system is obvious here too. A Rekluse or centrifugal clutch is not used.

Clutch-by-wire in a motorcycle

The advantages are apparent. On the one hand, the system is very low-maintenance thanks to the hydraulic system, which also saves a lot of environmentally harmful fluids. On the other hand, such a system allows a much better interface between the active driving system, such as a stability control, since the torque of the motor could be minimally absorbed via the clutch before hard intervention. Effects such as unintentional stalling or starting with a lot of slip on the clutch are also prevented. But it probably doesn’t work entirely without hydraulics on the lever: A corresponding cylinder is built into the housing to give the familiar feeling on the clutch lever. By the way: Honda has given the entire system a fail-safe mechanism: if the switch arm valve fails, the clutch remains closed anyway, as the actual clutch actuation works via a secondary or slave circuit. Conversely, the frictional connection is interrupted if the driver is no longer able to do so due to a fall.

Honda patent new sports clutch: Clutch-by-Wire

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Electric motor with gear

In its invention, Honda does not limit itself to the internal combustion engine as we know it, but also explicitly mentions the possible use of the system in an electric motor with a gearbox. There is no direct reference to such a drive in development, but Honda is at least thinking in this electrified direction.

Conclusion

A functioning clutch-by-wire system would replace the mechanical compromise of the anti-hopping clutch and would also reassess the electronic engine brakes attached to it today. The semi-automatic switching function should also be of interest to many. Modern quickshifters are very close, but unfortunately always with the drawback that the mixture preparation is permanently interfered with and a real, wear-inhibiting power separation does not take place. So this Honda patent is very interesting, especially when it comes to upcoming emissions standards.

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