Automatic axle disconnect
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorsJohn R. Buszek, Brian Ginther, Earl David Ray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of regulating an axle disconnect device that is operable in an axle assembly of a vehicle drivetrain includes monitoring a plurality of parameters, determining whether an occurrence of at least one of a traction event and a stability event is imminent based on at least one of the parameters, the stability event being determined based on a first set parameters, and the traction event being determined based on a second set of parameters that includes less parameters than the first set of parameters, and regulating the axle disconnect device to an engaged position if the occurrence of the at least one of the traction event and the stability event is imminent.
Claims30
A method of regulating an axle disconnect device that is operable in an axle assembly of a vehicle drivetrain, comprising:
- monitoring a plurality of parameters;
- determining whether an occurrence of at least one of a traction event and a stability event is imminent, such that the at least one of the traction event and the stability event will occur if no pre-emptive action is taken, based on at least one of the parameters, the stability event being determined based on a first set parameters, and the traction event being determined based on a second set of parameters that includes less parameters than the first set of parameters;
- and
- regulating, as a pre-emptive action, the axle disconnect device to an engaged position if the occurrence of the at least one of the traction event and the stability event is imminent.
A vehicle drivetrain, comprising:
- a control module that has instructions stored therein which, when executed by the control module, induces operations comprising:
- monitoring a plurality of parameters;
- determining whether an occurrence of at least one of a traction event and a stability event is imminent, such that the at least one of the traction event and the stability event will occur if no pre-emptive action is taken, based on at least one of the parameters, the stability event being determined based on a first set parameters, and the traction event being determined based on a second set of parameters that includes less parameters than the first set of parameters;
- and
- regulating, as a pre-emptive action, an axle disconnect device to an engaged position if the occurrence of the at least one of the traction event and the stability event is imminent.
A method of regulating an axle disconnect device that is operable in an axle assembly of a vehicle drivetrain, comprising:
- monitoring a plurality of parameters;
- determining whether an occurrence of at least one of a traction event and a stability event is imminent, such that the at least one of the traction event and the stability event will occur if no pre-emptive action is taken, based on at least one of the parameters;
- regulating the axle disconnect device to an engaged position if the occurrence of the at least one of the fraction event and the stability event is imminent;
- determining whether the vehicle drivetrain is operating in at least one of a trailer tow condition, and an incline condition based on the parameters;
- and
- regulating the axle disconnect device to the engaged position if the vehicle drivetrain is operating in at least one of the trailer tow condition, and the incline condition;
- determining whether the vehicle drivetrain is operating in a neutral tow condition;
- and
- regulating, as a pre-emptive action, the axle disconnect device to a disengaged position if the vehicle drivetrain is operating in the neutral tow condition, regardless of other conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.