Drive control device with traction control function for right-left independent drive vehicle

• US 10,029,678 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Mogi, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US15/370,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/266 Slip values between left and right wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Traction control unit interposed between torque allocation unit and torque control unit for left and right wheels and each configured to inhibit a slip of the drive wheel during acceleration or deceleration are provided. A longitudinal force estimation unit for estimating longitudinal forces acting on the respective left and right wheels and longitudinal force coincidence control unit are provided. The longitudinal force coincidence control unit compares absolute values of the longitudinal forces on the left and right wheels estimated by the longitudinal force estimation unit, and provides a driving torque command that generates a longitudinal force equal to the longitudinal force whose absolute value is smaller, to the torque control unit for the drive wheel at which the absolute value is larger.

Claims

1. A drive control device with a traction control function for a right-left independent drive vehicle, the right-left independent drive vehicle including a left drive wheel driven by a drive source for the left drive wheel, a right drive wheel driven by a drive source for the right drive wheel, an electronic control unit (ECU) that performs general integrated control and cooperative control of the right-left independent drive vehicle, the ECU having a torque allocation unit configured to provide torque commands for each of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel, the drive control device comprising:

a torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the left drive wheel in accordance with the torque commands provided from the torque allocation unit;

a torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the right drive wheel in accordance with the torque commands provided from the torque allocation unit;

a traction control unit for the left drive wheel configured to perform traction control for inhibiting a slip of the left drive wheel during acceleration or deceleration and to provide a driving torque command that is a result of the control, to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the left drive wheel,

a traction control unit for the right drive wheel configured to perform traction control for inhibiting a slip of the right drive wheel during acceleration or deceleration and to provide a driving torque command that is a result of the control, to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the right drive wheel;

a longitudinal force estimation unit for the left drive wheel configured to estimate longitudinal forces acting on the left drive wheel;

a longitudinal force estimation unit for the right drive wheel configured to estimate longitudinal forces acting on the right drive wheel; and

a longitudinal force coincidence control unit configured to compare absolute values of the longitudinal forces estimated by the longitudinal force estimation unit for the left drive wheel and the longitudinal force estimation unit for the right drive wheel, and to provide a driving torque command that generates a longitudinal force equal to the longitudinal force whose absolute value is smaller, to the one of the torque control units for the left drive wheel and right drive wheel at which the absolute value is larger,

wherein the driving torque command provided by the longitudinal force coincidence control unit replaces the driving torque command from the traction unit.

2. The drive control device with the traction control function for the right-left independent drive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive source for the left drive wheel is an electric motor for the left drive wheel, and

the drive source for the right drive wheel is an electric motor for the right drive wheel.

3. The drive control device with the traction control function for the right-left independent drive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traction control unit for the left drive wheel is configured to calculate a torque under an assumption of no slip from a rotation angular velocity of the left drive wheel, to perform feedback of a difference between the calculated torque and the driving torque to thereby decrease the torque command, and output a driving torque to be actually provided to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the left drive wheel, and

the traction control unit for the right drive wheel is configured to calculate a torque under an assumption of no slip from a rotation angular velocity of the right drive wheel, to perform feedback of a difference between the calculated torque and the driving torque to thereby decrease the torque command, and output a driving torque to be actually provided to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the right drive wheel.

4. The drive control device with the traction control function for the right-left independent drive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traction control unit for the left drive wheel is configured to set a target slip ratio for the left drive wheel, to thereby output a driving torque to be actually provided to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the left drive wheel from a difference between the set target slip ratio and an actual slip ratio, and

the traction control unit for the right drive wheel is configured to set a target slip ratio for the right drive wheel, to thereby output a driving torque to be actually provided to the torque control unit configured to control the drive source for the right drive wheel from a difference between the set target slip ratio and an actual slip ratio.

5. The drive control device with the traction control function for the right-left independent drive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive source for the left drive wheel is an electric motor that is a component part of an in-wheel motor drive device for the left drive wheel, and

the drive source for the right drive wheel is an electric motor that is a component part of an in-wheel motor drive device for the right drive wheel.