A method of locking a planetary gearing when driving a vehicle

A computer program product for controlling a vehicle,

• wherein the vehicle comprises a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power to operate the vehicle, a planetary gear comprising three components in the form of a sun wheel, a ring gear and a planetary wheel carrier, wherein a first input shaft in the planetary gear is connected with a first of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such first of said components, wherein a second output shaft of the planetary gear, for transmission of torque for the propulsion of the vehicle, is connected with a second of said components in the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such second of said components, wherein the power unit configuration comprises a first electrical machine with a stator and a rotor, which is connected with a third of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of the rotor leads to a rotation of such third of said components, and wherein the drive system also comprises a first locking means, which may be moved between a locked position in which two of said components are locked together so that the three components rotate with the same speed, and a release position in which the components are allowed to rotate with different speeds, wherein the vehicle comprises said power unit configuration, which also comprises a second electrical machine with a stator and a rotor connected with said input shaft of the planetary gear, which is being controlled,
• wherein the computer program product is stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprises computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions configured to, when the vehicle is driven with the first locking means in a release position and said components of the planetary gear rotating with different speeds, move such locking means to the locked position, wherein the executable portion comprises computer code to cause an electronic processor to:
• a) control the first electrical machine throughout the course of the method in order to achieve the requested torque for transfer from the power unit configuration to the second output shaft of the planetary gear;
• b) control the speed of a part in the power unit configuration, acting on the first input shaft of the planetary gear, towards the rotational speed of said second output shaft of the planetary gear;
• and
• c) shift the first locking means to a locked position, when said first input and second output shaft has substantially the same, or the same, rotational speed.

An electronic control device for controlling a vehicle

• wherein the vehicle comprises a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power to operate the vehicle, a planetary gear comprising three components in the form of a sun wheel, a ring gear and a planetary wheel carrier, wherein a first input shaft in the planetary gear is connected with a first of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such first of said components, wherein a second output shaft of the planetary gear, for transmission of torque for the propulsion of the vehicle, is connected with a second of said components in the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such second of said components, wherein the power unit configuration comprises a first electrical machine with a stator and a rotor, which is connected with a third of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of the rotor leads to a rotation of such third of said components, and wherein the drive system also comprises a first locking means, which may be moved between a locked position in which two of said components are locked together so that the three components rotate with the same speed, and a release position in which the components are allowed to rotate with different speeds, wherein the vehicle comprises said power unit configuration, which also comprises a second electrical machine with a stator and a rotor connected with said input shaft of the planetary gear, which is being controlled,
• wherein said electronic device comprises:
• a storage device;
• an electronic processor operatively coupled to the storage device;
• and
• a computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium on the storage device and comprising computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions configured to, when the vehicle is driven with the first locking means in a release position and said components of the planetary gear rotating with different speeds, move such locking means to the locked position, wherein the executable portion comprises computer code to cause an electronic processor to:
• a) control the first electrical machine throughout the course of the method in order to achieve the requested torque for transfer from the power unit configuration to the second output shaft of the planetary gear;
• b) control the speed of a part in the power unit configuration, acting on the first input shaft of the planetary gear, towards the rotational speed of said second output shaft of the planetary gear;
• and
• c) shift the first locking means to a locked position, when said first input and second output shaft has substantially the same, or the same, rotational speed.