The utilization of torque limiting clutches to protect interengaged engines and driven equipment is now well known. However, such torque limiting clutches and associated control systems have typically been of a nature as to be specifically tailored to both the engine and the driven equipment and without adaptation to change parameters during operation as a consequence of operational characteristics actually sensed during operation. Indeed, prior art systems have not been given to change at all once the system is configured, rendering such systems substantially inflexible to adapting to varying operational conditions. Further, the prior art has not sought to integrate the torque limiting clutch and control system with the system as a whole, such that the torque setting of the clutch may be set automatically to match the torque capability of the engine or the drive system. Indeed, the prior art has not seen the wisdom of interconnecting the torque limiting clutch and its control system to the SAE J1939 CAN Bus Network of the equipment, so that the clutch and its control system are an integral part thereof and can be adjusted as a function of the system as a whole.
The prior art is further devoid of a structure or a technique for monitoring the operating temperature of the torque limiting clutch friction pack such that the energy absorption can be monitored during operation and clutch disengagement can be entertained at a time sufficient to prevent premature failure.
Prior art torque limiting clutch control systems have not been given to maximizing the effective operation of the clutch to prevent overload conditions by providing a constant monitoring of the operating conditions of the clutch to determine the amount of energy absorbed thereby and to immediately disengage the clutch when a predetermined energy threshold is exceeded. Clutch failures with associated cost and downtime have typically been incident to power transmission devices in the past because of the absence of this capability.
The prior art specifically appears devoid of an adaptive system in which change in clutch pressure, with a consequent change in the clutch torque setting, can be effected on the fly, when it is determined that the clutch slippage is not appropriate and efficient torque protection is not being obtained. Moreover, known systems do not allow for increases or decreases in clutch pressure to alter clutch operation, as needed, to ensure the effective operation of the system when anomalies in operation are encountered.
Another shortcoming of existing torque limiting clutch control systems is the absence of ancillary sensors that can anticipate operational problems and force the disengagement of the clutch or shutdown of the equipment prior to the occurrence of an otherwise damaging event. There simply is a void in the art of a fully adaptive torque limiting clutch control system configured for implementation between an engine and a piece of driven equipment, that ensures the effective operation of that equipment while simultaneously ensuring the protection thereof.