Abstract: A drive train has a hydrodynamic retarder including a rotating bladed rotor and bladed stator, forming a working chamber for hydrodynamic transmission of power from rotor to stator, a power input feeding drive power to the retarder, and a synchronized separating clutch connected between power input and rotor. The clutch has two clutch halves, friction elements contacting each other and mechanical blocking elements. The friction elements equalize rotational speed between clutch halves, and the blocking elements form-lockingly connect the clutch halves. The clutch has an actuator displaceable along a displacement travel, over a first distance bringing the friction elements into mutual contact, and a second distance adjoining the first distance to synchronize the friction elements and rotational speed for locking with the blocking elements. At least one displacement sensor directly or indirectly detects displacement travel by the actuator and/or position of the actuator on the displacement travel.

Abstract: A drive train has a hydrodynamic retarder including a rotating bladed rotor and bladed stator, forming a working chamber for hydrodynamic transmission of power from rotor to stator, a power input feeding drive power to the retarder, and a synchronized separating clutch connected between power input and rotor. The clutch has two clutch halves, friction elements contacting each other and mechanical blocking elements. The friction elements equalize rotational speed between clutch halves, and the blocking elements form-lockingly connect the clutch halves. The clutch has an actuator displaceable along a displacement travel, over a first distance bringing the friction elements into mutual contact, and a second distance adjoining the first distance to synchronize the friction elements and rotational speed for locking with the blocking elements. At least one displacement sensor directly or indirectly detects displacement travel by the actuator and/or position of the actuator on the displacement travel.

Abstract: A method for controlling a separating clutch in a power train of a vehicle having a drive motor and a retarder. The clutch is arranged such that a rotor of the retarder is switched into a drive connection with the motor and/or power train via the clutch and a working chamber of the retarder can be filled with an operating medium to build up a braking power such that braking torque is exerted by the retarder onto the power train and/or motor. A control system switches the clutch into a closed or an open position. The switching of the clutch into the closed position occurs depending on an input signal to the controller, and the clutch is switched back into the open position depending on essentially no medium being present in the working chamber of the retarder and that predetermined limits of an operating and/or environmental parameter are not exceeded.

Abstract: A method for controlling a separating clutch in a power train of a vehicle having a drive motor and a retarder. The clutch is arranged such that a rotor of the retarder is switched into a drive connection with the motor and/or power train via the clutch and a working chamber of the retarder can be filled with an operating medium to build up a braking power such that braking torque is exerted by the retarder onto the power train and/or motor. A control system switches the clutch into a closed or an open position. The switching of the clutch into the closed position occurs depending on an input signal to the controller, and the clutch is switched back into the open position depending on essentially no medium being present in the working chamber of the retarder and that predetermined limits of an operating and/or environmental parameter are not exceeded.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, whereby at least one of the rotational speed of a revolving bladed rotor and the speed of a motor vehicle is monitored and a disconnect clutch is engaged below at least one of a pre-specified rotational speed of the revolving bladed rotor and a pre-specified speed of the motor vehicle, regardless of a request made by a driver assist system or by operation of an input device by the operator of the motor vehicle to turn on the hydrodynamic retarder.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic machine comprising a housing, arranged within said housing: at least one shaft; a toroidal working chamber that can be filled with a working medium, the toroidal working chamber including a first housing with a first bladed wheel and a second housing with a second bladed wheel; a step-up gear arranged with the first bladed wheel about a common rotational axis and mounted such that they can rotate independently of one another; and a coupling device operable to transfer torque between the step-up gear and the first bladed wheel.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, comprising a drive motor whose power output is controlled via an actuator such as a foot pedal or a lever; whereby in an overrun operation the acceleration of the motor vehicle is collected or detected and compared with a pre-specified acceleration value; and whereby in the non-braking mode the disconnect clutch is engaged, regardless of an initiation of a braking mode by an operator of the motor vehicle or a driver assist system and the working chamber is maintained drained when the acceleration exceeds an acceleration limit.

Abstract: A cooling circuit for a motor vehicle having a cooling medium pump that circulates a cooling medium in the cooling circuit having a hydrodynamic retarder. The cooling circuit further includes a main circuit in which the cooling medium pump and a drive motor of the motor vehicle, as well as a heat exchanger are positioned. A secondary branch of the cooling circuit includes a feed that branches off from the main circuit at a branch-off point and ends in the hydrodynamic retarder, and a return which proceeds from the hydrodynamic retarder and ends at a junction location in the main circuit. The return ends upstream of the branch-off location of the feed as viewed in a flow direction of the cooling medium in the main circuit, however on the same side of the cooling medium pump or at the branch-off location of the feed in the main circuit.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic machine comprising a housing, arranged within said housing: at least one shaft; a toroidal working chamber that can be filled with a working medium, the toroidal working chamber including a first housing with a first bladed wheel and a second housing with a second bladed wheel; a step-up gear arranged with the first bladed wheel about a common rotational axis and mounted such that they can rotate independently of one another; and a coupling device operable to transfer torque between the step-up gear and the first bladed wheel.

Abstract: The invention concerns a hydrodynamic retarder having a rotor which can be brought into rotation via a drive unit and a fixed stator or a stator rotating in opposite direction to the rotor, whereas the rotor and the stator comprise bladed wheels, which form together a working chamber which can be filled with working medium; the drive unit is provided with a separating clutch, by means of which the rotor can be disconnected for its immobilisation, comprising a driven primary side and a secondary side associated with the rotor; having a control device which controls the opening and closing of the separating clutch for switching the retarder (17).

Abstract: A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, whereby at least one of the rotational speed of a revolving bladed rotor and the speed of a motor vehicle is monitored and a disconnect clutch is engaged below at least one of a pre-specified rotational speed of the revolving bladed rotor and a pre-specified speed of the motor vehicle, regardless of a request made by a driver assist system or by operation of an input device by the operator of the motor vehicle to turn on the hydrodynamic retarder.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder in a motor vehicle that can be mechanically disengaged via a disconnect clutch, comprising a drive motor whose power output is controlled via an actuator such as a foot pedal or a lever; whereby in an overrun operation the acceleration of the motor vehicle is collected or detected and compared with a pre-specified acceleration value; and whereby in the non-braking mode the disconnect clutch is engaged, regardless of an initiation of a braking mode by an operator of the motor vehicle or a driver assist system and the working chamber is maintained drained when the acceleration exceeds an acceleration limit.

Abstract: A motor vehicle drive train including a hydrodynamic retarder (1) that comprises a revolving bladed impeller (10) and a stationary or counter-rotating bladed turbine (11) which jointly form a working chamber (12) that can be filled with a working medium to switch on the retarder (1) is disclosed. The hydrodynamic retarder (1) can be mechanically disengaged from the drive train by a disconnect clutch (2). A fill level monitoring device (14) can detect the current fill level of the working medium in the working chamber (12), while a disconnect clutch-blocking device (9) is effectively connected in a communicating or mechanical manner to the fill level monitoring device (14) and prevents the disconnect clutch (2) from engaging in accordance with the detected fill level.

Abstract: A cooling circuit for a motor vehicle having a cooling medium pump that circulates a cooling medium in the cooling circuit having a hydrodynamic retarder. The cooling circuit further includes a main circuit in which the cooling medium pump and a drive motor of the motor vehicle, as well as a heat exchanger are positioned. A secondary branch of the cooling circuit includes a feed that branches off from the main circuit at a branch-off point and ends in the hydrodynamic retarder, and a return which proceeds from the hydrodynamic retarder and ends at a junction location in the main circuit. The return ends upstream of the branch-off location of the feed as viewed in a flow direction of the cooling medium in the main circuit, however on the same side of the cooling medium pump or at the branch-off location of the feed in the main circuit.

Abstract: The invention concerns a motor vehicle drive train, having a drive motor and drive wheels, whereas the drive wheels are driven by the drive motor via a main branch; having a hydrodynamic retarder, comprising a rotating rotor and a stator or a rotating rotor and a counter-rotor rotating in opposite direction to the rotor, which together form a working chamber which is filled or can be filled with a working medium; having a separating clutch, by means of which the rotor of the hydrodynamic retarder can be disengaged from a driving power flow in the drive train.

Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder. The method includes determining a presence of a retarder switch-off request, and keeping a separating clutch closed, after the determining, for a preset time span and emptying a working chamber of the hydrodynamic retarder of a working medium by continuous actuation of a rotating bladed rotor and interruption of infeed of the working medium into the working chamber. The method further included varying the preset time span according to at least one of the following parameters or at least one parameter correlated with one of the following parameters: a rotational speed of the rotating bladed rotor, an output pressure, against which the working medium is emptied from the working chamber, a filling level of the working chamber with the working medium, a temperature of the working medium, and a braking torque of the hydrodynamic retarder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle drive train including a hydrodynamic retarder that comprises a revolving bladed impeller and a stationary or counter-rotating bladed turbine which jointly form a working chamber that can be filled with a working medium to switch on the retarder. The hydrodynamic retarder can be mechanically disengaged from the drive train by a disconnect clutch. The invention is characterized in that a fill level monitoring device detects the current fill level of the working medium in the working chamber, while a disconnect clutch-blocking device is effectively connected in a communicating or mechanical manner to the fill level monitoring device and prevents the disconnect clutch from engaging in accordance with the detected fill level.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic retarder comprising a rotor that revolves in a decelerating mode and a counter-rotating twin rotor or a stationary stator which jointly from a working chamber that is or can be filled with a working medium. The rotor can be driven using driving power via a drive train in order to decelerate the drive train. The invention is characterized in that an energy storage device is associated with or integrated into the retarder, said energy storage device comprising a mechanical energy store, pressure accumulator or kinetic energy store as well as an acceleration mechanism that is connected to the rotor, said acceleration mechanism being linked to the energy store and the rotor or being integrated into the rotor in order to convert energy stored in the energy store into an angular acceleration of the rotor.

Abstract: The invention concerns a hydrodynamic retarder having a rotor which can be brought into rotation via a drive unit and a fixed stator or a stator rotating in opposite direction to the rotor, whereas the rotor and the stator comprise bladed wheels, which form together a working chamber which can be filled with working medium; the drive unit is provided with a separating clutch, by means of which the rotor can be disconnected for its immobilisation, comprising a driven primary side and a secondary side associated with the rotor; having a control device which controls the opening and closing of the separating clutch for switching the retarder (17).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling a hydrodynamic retarder which can be disengaged mechanically via a separating clutch in a motor vehicle, which comprises a rotating bladed rotor and a bladed stator or a rotating bladed rotor and a bladed counter-rotor rotating in opposite direction thereto, which together form a working chamber filled with working medium in braking operation and emptied of working medium in non-braking operation, wherein the rotor is driven in braking operation via a drive train with a closed separating clutch and the working chamber is emptied when passing from the braking operation to the non-braking operation, wherein the transition from the braking operation to the non-braking operation is initiated via a retarder switch-off request of a driver assistance system or via actuation of an input device by the vehicle driver.