Control apparatus for a motor vehicle clutch

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC CLUTCH FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO DISENGAGE EITHER WHEN A GEAR RATION IS BEING SHIFTED BY A MANUAL SHIFT ELEMENT OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND WHICH COMPRISES: (A) INTERENGAGEABLE FRICTION ELEMENTS; (B) AN ACTUATOR MEMBER MOVABLE TO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE SAID FRICTION ELEMENTS; (1) A HOUSING FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER; (C) RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER TOWARDS A POSITION IN WHICH SAID FRICTION ELEMENTS ARE DISENGAGED; (D) MEANS FOR CONNECTING OIL UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE ENGINE OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE TO SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER; (E) A VALVE HAVING A VALVE MEMBER OPERATED TO CONTROL THE APPLICATION AND EXHAUST OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE RESPECTIVELY TO AND FROM SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER RESPECTIVELY TO MOVE SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER AGAINST SAID RESILIENT MEANS OR TO PERMIT SAID RESILIENT MEANS TO MOVE SAID MEMBER; (F) A VALVE CONTROL DEVICE, INCLUDING SOLENOID MEANS, RESPONSIVE TO ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, VEHICLE SPEED AND MOVEMENT OF SAID GEAR SHIFT ELEMENT AND OPERATIVE TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER SO THAT SAID RESILIENT MEANS MOVES SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER WHENEVER EITHER SAID SHIFT ELEMENT IS MOVED OR ENGINE SPEED AND VEHICLE SPEED ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY BELOW CERTAIN SPECTIVELY; AND (G) MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE AND OPERATIVE TO COUNTERACT CHANGES IN OIL VISCOSITY WHEREBY OIL PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER IS INDEPENDENT OF THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID OIL.