Vehicle traction and all-wheel drive control system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsPeter John GRUTTER, Andreas Evangelos PERAKES, Nicholas Edward MCCUBBIN, Paul MOUBARAK, Dan FRATILA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle includes a first axle, second axle, first clutch, second clutch, and controller. The first and second axles are coupled by a driveshaft. The first and second clutches are configured to isolate the driveshaft from loads transferred through the first and second axles, respectively, when open. The controller is programmed to, in response to a difference between output speeds of the first and second axles exceeding a first threshold, close the second clutch, reduce the difference such that it is below a second threshold, and close the first clutch.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- first and second axles coupled by a driveshaft;
- first and second clutches configured to isolate the driveshaft from loads transferred through the first and second axles, respectively, when open;
- and
- a controller programmed to, in response to a difference between output speeds of the first and second axles exceeding a first threshold, close the second clutch, reduce the difference such that it is below a second threshold, and close the first clutch.
A vehicle comprising:
- a first axle having a first differential and first clutch, the first differential including first and second output shafts each coupled to one of a pair of first wheels;
- a second axle having a second differential that includes third and fourth output shafts each coupled to one of a pair of second wheels, and a second clutch configured to decouple one of the pair of second wheels from the fourth output shaft when in an open position;
- a driveshaft selectively coupled to a carrier of the first differential by the first clutch and coupled to a carrier of the second differential via a fixed gearing arrangement;
- and
- a controller programmed to,
- in response to a difference between a speed of the first pair of wheels and a speed of the second pairs of wheels exceeding a first threshold while the first and second clutches are in opened positions, close the second clutch,
- in response to closing the second clutch, reduce the difference to a value that is less than a second threshold, and
- in response to reducing the difference to a value that is less than the second threshold, close the first clutch.
A method comprising:
- in response to a speed difference between output speeds of first and second axles of a vehicle exceeding a first threshold,
- closing a first clutch to couple a traction wheel to an output of the first axle,
- reducing the difference to a value that is less than a second threshold, and
- closing a second clutch to couple an input of the first axle to an output of the second axle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.