Claims:We Claim:
1) A device to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle to a half-clutch position, said device comprising:

a switch (101) located on the dashboard of the vehicle;

a sensor (102) positioned along a line of movement of the clutch pedal (105) connected with the Electronic Control Unit (103), said sensor (102) connected with the switch (101) ;

an actuator (104) connected with the Electronic Control Unit (103) adapted to interact with the clutch pedal (105).

2) The device to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle to a half-clutch position as claimed in claim 1, where the switch (101) is connected to the Electronic Control Unit (103) of the Vehicle.

3) The device to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle to a half-clutch position as claimed in claim 1, where the actuator (104) can be at least one from a group of solenoid controlled pinion or a hydraulic cylinder spool.

4) A system to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a manual transmission vehicle to a half-clutch position comprising :
a device further comprising:
a switch (101) located on the dashboard of the vehicle;

a sensor (102) positioned along a line of movement of the clutch pedal (105) connected with the Electronic Control Unit (103), the said sensor (102) also connected with the switch (101);

an actuator (104) connected with the Electronic Control Unit (103) adapted to interact with the clutch pedal (105).

a clutch pedal (105) adapted to interact with the actuator (104).

5) The system to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a manual transmission vehicle to a half-clutch position as claimed in claim 4, where the clutch pedal (105) adapted to interact with the actuator (104) has a groove.

6) An Electronic Control Unit (103) adapted to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle to a half-clutch position, Wherein the Electronic Control Unit is capable of:

Receiving (201) an enabling signal from a switch (101) provided on the dashboard, when the switch (101) is pressed by a driver of the vehicle;

Receiving (202) a sensor (102) data from a sensor (102) positioned along the line of movement of the clutch pedal (105) when the driver presses the clutch pedal (105) to a half-clutch position;

Actuating (203) an actuator (104) to hold the clutch in a half clutch position on receiving both the enabling signal and the sensor (102) data.

7) The Electronic Control Unit adapted to hold a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle to a half-clutch position as claimed in claim 6, where the actuator (104) holds the clutch pedal (105) in a half clutch position by interacting with the clutch pedal (105).
, Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

Field of the invention
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device and a method for holding the clutch pedal of a vehicle in a half-clutch position.

Background of the invention
[0002] In manual transmission vehicles, half clutch driving technique is used to control vehicles in heavy traffic or to prevent the vehicle from rolling back in hilly condition. In this technique the driver engages the forward or reverse gear as per the need while keeping the brake pedal pressed. The clutch is released slowly to a point where the vehicle after releasing the brake paddle slowly the vehicle Engine starts shivering. However the Vehicle doesn’t move until the accelerator is pressed. Commuters find it very hard to keep the clutch exactly at this half clutch position in long traffic jams, uphill conditions. Especially in city conditions, where these situations are repetitive a mechanism to automatically hold the clutch at a half-clutch position is needed to improve the comfort of the driver.

[0003] Patent Application US2019078625 AA discloses a Control Device and Control Method for Dual Clutch Transmission comprising a creep control unit configured to perform a creep control that includes bringing one of a first clutch and a second clutch into a half-clutch state. One clutch that is maintained in the half-clutch state from the stop of the vehicle, switching the one clutch from the half-clutch state to the disengaged state and switching the other clutch from the disengaged state to the half-clutch state. Patent Application DE372885131A1 discloses a Desired Clutch Position Control System and relates to a control system for a desired clutch position at which the clutch position due to the throttle opening, the rotational speed of the engine and the input shaft revolution speed is determined. The invention also relates to an automatic clutch system, in particular a clutch control system in which the desired clutch position and the clutch speed can be controlled automatically.

Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0004] An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the following accompanying drawings:
[0005] Fig. 1 depicts a system for holding a clutch pedal of a vehicle in a half-clutch position in accordance with one embodiment of the invention ; and
[0006] Fig. 2 is a flow chart for holding the clutch pedal of a vehicle in a half-clutch position.

Detailed description of the drawings

[0007] Figure 1 depicts a system for holding a clutch pedal (105) of a vehicle in a half-clutch position. The system comprises a device and a clutch pedal (105). The device comprises a switch (101), a sensor (102) and an actuator (104). The switch (101) is located on the dashboard of the vehicle. The switch is connected to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU (103)) and to the sensor (102). The sensor (102) is positioned along the line of movement of the clutch pedal (105). The sensor (102) is connected to the ECU and the switch. The clutch pedal (105) is adapted to interact with the actuator (104). The actuator (104) is connected to the ECU (103).

[0008] In an embodiment the sensor (102) can comprise a group of ultraviolet or infrared transmitters and receivers. In an embodiment the actuator (104) can be at least one from a group of solenoid controlled pinion or a hydraulic cylinder spool. The clutch pedal (105) adapted to interact with the actuator (104) comprises a groove provided on the clutch pedal (105). The solenoid controlled pinion or the hydraulic cylinder spool is positioned perpendicular to the line of movement of the clutch pedal (105). In one embodiment the actuator (104) can be electromagnetic contacts positioned on the floor of the vehicle below the clutch pedal (105).

[0009] The switch (101) is pressed by the user to enable a half-clutch holding feature in the vehicle. When the switch is pressed an enabling signal is sent to the ECU (103). The sensor (102) is positioned along the line of movement of the clutch pedal (105) so as to detect the position of the clutch pedal when it’s in a half clutch position. The Ultraviolet or Infrared transmitters transmit a beam through the clutch pedal (105). A groove is provided on the clutch pedal (105). The transmitted beam passes through the groove provided on the clutch pedal (105), when the clutch pedal (105) is in a half-clutch position. It is received by the receiver and a data is sent to the ECU (103).The ECU (103) is configured to receive input signal from the switch (101) and the data from the sensor (102). On receiving the enabling signal and the data from sensor (102), the ECU (103) sends an actuating signal for actuator (104) to interact with the clutch pedal.

[0010] The interaction of the clutch pedal (105) with the actuator (104) can happen in many ways. In an embodiment either one of solenoid controlled pinion or a hydraulic cylinder spool moves inside the groove provided on the clutch pedal (105) to lock it in a half-clutch position. When the switch (101) present on the dashboard of the vehicle is pressed again or disengaged the enabling signal to the ECU (103) ceases and the sensor (102) is deactivated. The ECU (103) then processes these signals and the solenoid controlled pinion or the hydraulic cylinder spool goes back to its initial position and the clutch is released.

[0011] In another embodiment of the device in accordance with disclosure, as mentioned earlier the device comprises an actuation which is realized in the form of electromagnetic contact. During the working of the device, when the actuating signal is sent by the ECU (103) the electromagnetic contacts get activated and protrude out of the floor to hold the clutch in a half-clutch position. When the switch (101) on the dashboard is pressed again or disengaged the ECU (103) deactivates the electromagnetic contacts and the clutch is released for the user.

[0012] Figure 2 is a flow chart for holding the clutch pedal of a vehicle in a half-clutch position. In step 201 the ECU (103) receives an enabling signal from a switch (101) provided on the dashboard, when the switch (101) is pressed by a driver of the vehicle. When the driver of the vehicle presses the switch (101) on the dashboard an enabling signal is sent to the ECU (103) to enable the half-clutch feature. The ECU 103 activates the sensor (102) to detect the presence of a user pressed clutch in a half-clutch position.

[0013] In step 202 the ECU (103) receives a sensor data from a sensor (102) positioned along the line of movement of the clutch pedal (105) when the driver presses the clutch pedal (105) to a half-clutch position. The sensor (102) detects the presence of the clutch pedal (105) pressed by driver in a half clutch position and sends the data to the ECU (103).

[0014] In step (203) the ECU (103) actuates an actuator (104) to hold the clutch in a half clutch position on receiving both the enabling signal and the sensor (102) data. The ECU (103) processes the sensor (102) data and the enabling signal to send out an actuating signal. In a non-limiting feature of the invention the actuating signal is sent to the actuator (104) via a relay switch (101). The actuator (104) responds to the actuating signal and interacts with the clutch pedal (105).

[0015] This idea to develop device to hold the clutch pedal (105) to a half-clutch position makes driving comfortable for the driver in traffic jams and uphill conditions. Using this idea holding the clutch pedal in a half-clutch position can be automated and the drivers can rest their foot at ease. This device is simple, effective and can be retrofitted to the existing vehicles with minor modifications in the clutch pedal.

[0016] It must be understood that the embodiments explained in the above detailed description are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Any modification in the embodiments with regard to the holding the clutch pedal in a half clutch position are envisaged and form a part of this invention. The scope of this invention is limited only by the claims.