US 12,208,679 B2Granted

Control apparatus for motive power transmission device, vehicle, and method of controlling motive power transmission device

AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsYosuke Akiyama, Akira Ijichi, Taichi Kobayashi, Koji Takaira, Akinori Homan, Yoshio Itou, Kunihiko Usui

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A control apparatus for a motive power transmission device equipped with a first input shaft, a second input shaft to which a motive power from a motor is input, a rear wheel-side output shaft from which a motive power is output to a first driving wheel, a front wheel-side output shaft from which a motive power is output to a second driving wheel, and a planetary gear device that has, as three rotating elements, a sun gear to which the second input shaft is coupled, a carrier to which the front wheel-side output shaft is coupled, and a ring gear to which the first input shaft and the rear wheel-side output shaft are coupled engages an engagement device when a torque of the rear wheel-side output shaft is equal to or smaller than a threshold with the motor outputting the motive power.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A control apparatus for a motive power transmission device equipped with a first input shaft to which a motive power from a first motive power source is input, a second input shaft to which a motive power from a second motive power source is input, a first output shaft from which a motive power is output to a first driving wheel, a second output shaft from which a motive power is output to a second driving wheel, and a differential device that has, as three rotating elements, a first rotating element to which the second input shaft is coupled, a second rotating element to which the second output shaft is coupled, and a third rotating element to which the first input shaft and the first output shaft are coupled,

the control apparatus restricting a differential effect of the differential device more when a torque of the first output shaft is equal to or smaller than a threshold than when the torque of the first output shaft is larger than the threshold, with the second motive power source outputting the motive power, wherein
the motive power transmission device is further equipped with an engagement device that selectively couples two of the three rotating elements to each other, the control apparatus engaging the engagement device when the torque of the first output shaft is equal to or smaller than the threshold with the differential device being capable of acting in a differential manner and with the second motive power source outputting the motive power,
the control apparatus calculating the torque of the first output shaft based on a torque that is input from the first input shaft to the first output shaft, a torque that is output by the second motive power source, a gear ratio between the second motive power source and the second input shaft, and a gear ratio of the differential device, and comparing the calculated torque of the first output shaft with the threshold.

A method of controlling a motive power transmission device equipped with a first input shaft to which a motive power from a first motive power source is input, a second input shaft to which a motive power from a second motive power source is input, a first output shaft from which a motive power is output to a first driving wheel, a second output shaft from which a motive power is output to a second driving wheel, and a differential device that has, as three rotating elements, a first rotating element to which the second input shaft is coupled, a second rotating element to which the second output shaft is coupled, and a third rotating element to which the first input shaft and the first output shaft are coupled, the method comprising:

a step of restricting a differential effect of the differential device more when a torque of the first output shaft is equal to or smaller than a threshold than when the torque of the first output shaft is larger than the threshold, with the second motive power source outputting the motive power, wherein
the motive power transmission device is further equipped with an engagement device that selectively couples two of the three rotating elements to each other, the method further comprising:
a step of engaging the engagement device when the torque of the first output shaft is equal to or smaller than the threshold with the differential device being capable of acting in a differential manner and with the second motive power source outputting the motive power;
a step of calculating the torque of the first output shaft based on a torque that is input from the first input shaft to the first output shaft, a torque that is output by the second motive power source, a gear ratio between the second motive power source and the second input shaft, and a gear ratio of the differential device;
and
a step of comparing the calculated torque of the first output shaft with the threshold.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/668,289Filed 9 Feb 2022
Priority: JP 2021-02104012 Feb 2021
Published: US 2022/0266688 A125 Aug 2022
Granted: 28 Jan 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

B60K 17/02
Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles: characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of clutch
B60K 23/0808
For changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles: for varying torque distribution between…
B60K 6/365
Characterised by the transmission gearings: with the gears having orbital motion
B60K 6/387
Characterised by the driveline clutches: actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means