TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a clutch control device.

The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-145205 filed on Aug. 1, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent saddle-riding type vehicles, an automated clutch system for automatically performing connection and disconnection operations of a clutch device according to electrical control has been proposed. In this system, the application of a standby hydraulic pressure for performing ineffective stroke elimination at the time of the disconnection of a clutch to a hydraulically operated clutch device so that the vehicle quickly starts running is conceivable.

Technology for eliminating an ineffective stroke of the starting clutch in a short time by switching a hydraulic pressure command value to an ineffective stroke eliminating pressure higher than a creeping pressure when a hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic circuit rises has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

RELATED ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2001-032863

SUMMARY

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

Incidentally, the friction of each part when a clutch device is operated affects the responsiveness not only when a system is activated but also when the clutch device is operated. In particular, in an automated clutch system, when a manual operation on a clutch lever is possible, the operational responsiveness of the clutch device becomes an important issue. Also, when the system is adopted in a race vehicle, high operational responsiveness is required when the vehicle starts (when a clutch is connected).

An objective of the present invention is to improve operational responsiveness at the time of a clutch connection in a clutch control device that enables automated clutch control and a manual operation.

Means for Solving the Problem

As the solution to the above-described problems, aspects of the present invention have the following configurations.

(1) A clutch control device according to an aspect of the present invention, includes: an engine; a transmission; a clutch device configured to connect and disconnect motive power transmission between the engine and the transmission; a clutch actuator configured to drive the clutch device and change a clutch capacity; a clutch operating element configured to enable the clutch device to be manually operated; and a control unit configured to calculate a target value of a control parameter of the clutch capacity in accordance with an amount of operation on the clutch operating element, wherein, when the clutch device is operated on a connection side according to an operation on the clutch operating element, the control unit is configured to set the target value to a quick connection target value obtained by making a change to the connection side of the clutch device with respect to an operation correspondence target value according to the amount of operation on the clutch operating element if a speed of the operation on the clutch operating element is higher than or equal to a predetermined specified speed.

(2) In the clutch control device according to the above-described (1), a quick clutch connection mode in which the target value is set to the quick connection target value may continue for a predetermined specified time period.

(3) In the clutch control device according to the above-described (2), the specified time period may change with the speed of the operation on the clutch operating element.

(4) In the clutch control device according to the above-described (2) or (3), the quick clutch connection mode may be released when the specified time period has elapsed.

(5) In the clutch control device according to any one of the above-described (1) to (4), when a rotational speed of the engine is higher than or equal to a predetermined specified rotational speed, the target value may be set to the quick connection target value.

(6) In the clutch control device according to any one of the above-described (1) to (5), the quick connection target value may be the target value when the clutch actuator is driven at an upper limit.

Advantage of the Invention

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (1) of the present invention, when the speed of the operation on the clutch operating element is higher than or equal to a predetermined speed, a time period required for the connection preparation (ineffective stroke elimination) of the clutch device is limited by changing the control target value of the clutch capacity to the clutch connection side and making a shift to a quick clutch connection mode using a control target value regardless of the amount of operation on the clutch operating element. Thereby, the operability at the time of a quick connection of the clutch device such as the time of the start of racing can be improved.

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (2) of the present invention, it is possible to reliably perform the connection preparation (the ineffective stroke elimination) of the clutch device by causing the quick clutch connection mode in which the control target value of the clutch capacity is changed to the clutch connection side to be continued for a specified time period or longer.

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (3) of the present invention, a continuation time period of the quick clutch connection mode is increased or decreased in accordance with the speed of the operation on the clutch operating element, so that it is possible to adjust timings of the start and release of the quick clutch connection mode in accordance with the speed of the operation on the clutch operating element.

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (4) of the present invention, after the control target value of the clutch capacity is changed with the quick connection target value, it is possible to operate the clutch in consideration of the intention of a rider by returning to the normal control according to the amount of operation on the clutch operating element.

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (5) of the present invention, it is possible to reliably increase the control target value at the time of a quick clutch connection by predicting the rider's intention of the quick clutch connection using the engine rotational speed.

According to the clutch control device described in the above-described (6) of the present invention, it is possible to improve the responsiveness of the clutch as much as possible by increasing the quick connection target value at a maximum value in the performance of the clutch actuator.

