Clutch actuation system ConAct for commercial vehicles with automated manual transmissions

Abstract

In addition to the classical manual and automatic transmissions, a striking amount of new concepts could be found on the market in the past few years. Examples for this development are continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), dual clutch transmissions (DCTs), and automated manual transmissions (AMTs). In the case of automatic manual transmissions, the good efficiency and cost-effective design of conventional manual transmissions is used; however, they are additionally equipped with automated actuator systems for the clutch and shift mechanism. However, when compared with the established automatic transmissions, featuring a torque converter as a starting element, there is an interruption in tractive force during shifting procedures. The dual clutch transmission [1], which is already manufactured in volume production, combines the benefits offered by the classical manual transmissions with those of an automatic transmission - thus ensuring that shifting procedures take place without noticeable interruptions in tractive force. In this article, ZF describes ConAct, a clutch actuation concept for automated manual transmissions. 1 Introduction