UTILITY VEHICLE USING BRAKE-STEER ASSISTED TURNING

• US 20060076828A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Brown, Gregory P., Offerle, Timothy, Rhode, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US11/164,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/02 Active Steering, Steer-by-Wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/08 using brakes or clutches as main steering-effecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/003 in order to control vehicle yaw movement, i.e. around a vertical axis B62D6/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/002 combined with means for differentially distributing power on the deflectable wheels during cornering

Abstract

A system and method of controlling an automotive vehicle includes selecting a brake-steer mode, selecting a transfer case so that the front wheels are driven and the rear wheel are not driven and applying brake-steer to the rear wheels to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels comprising:

selecting a brake-steer mode;

selecting a transfer case so that the front wheels are driven and the rear wheels are not driven; and

applying brake-steer to the rear wheels to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting the transfer case mode is performed by moving a switch.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the transfer case comprises a center differential.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein selecting a transfer case mode is performed in response to selecting a brake-steer mode.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein selecting the transfer case mode is performed by moving a switch.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying at least one brake at a first wheel to reduce the vehicle turning radius.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying brake-steer comprises applying a differential torque to the front wheels.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an all-terrain vehicle.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a quadracycle.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining a steering direction and wherein applying brake-steer to the rear wheels comprises applying brake-steer to the rear wheels in response to the steering direction.

11. A vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels comprising:

a transfer case having a four wheel drive mode and a front wheel drive mode;

a transfer case mode selector for selecting a front drive mode; and

a brake-steer actuator selecting a brake-steer mode for the vehicle; and

a brake controller coupled to the brake-steer actuator to reduce a turning radius of the vehicle during the front drive mode.

12. A vehicle as recited in claim 11 further comprising a steering angle sensor generating a steering direction signal, said controller applying brake-steer in response to the steering direction signal.

13. A vehicle as recited in claim 11 wherein the brake-steer is provided in addition to an amount of braking from the first brake actuator and the second brake actuator.

14. A vehicle as recited in claim 11 wherein the vehicle comprises an all-terrain vehicle.

15. A vehicle as recited in claim 11 wherein the vehicle comprises a quadracycle.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a steering actuator having a first side and a second side;

a first brake actuator on the first side;

a second brake actuator on the second side;

a steering angle sensor coupled to the steering actuator generating a steering direction signal;

a transfer case having a four wheel drive mode and a front wheel drive mode;

a brake-steer selector selecting brake-steer for the vehicle;

a brake controller coupled to the brake-steer actuator and the steering angle sensor, said brake controller controlling the brakes to reduce a turning radius of the vehicle during the front drive mode.

17. A vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein the brake-steer is provided in addition to an amount of braking from the first brake actuator and the second brake actuator.

18. A vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein the vehicle comprises an all-terrain vehicle.

19. A vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein the vehicle comprises a quadracycle.

20. A vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein the vehicle comprises a utility vehicle.

21. A vehicle as recited in claim 16 wherein the transfer case applies a differential torque to the front wheels.