Remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential

• US 20070142155A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Darren A. Schumacher
• Inventors: Schumacher, Darren
• Application Number:
  US11/311,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20070142155A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/04 for differential gearing

Abstract

A remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system is disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronically actuated vehicle differential is selectively controlled via a remote control unit. The remote control unit generates differential activation and deactivation signals that are received by a wireless receiver unit disposed within a vehicle. An electronically actuated differential is operatively coupled to receive input signals from the wireless receiver unit. The operational status (i.e., engagement or disengagement of a traction modifying differential gear mechanism) of the electronically actuated differential is controlled by the input signals received from the wireless receiver. In one embodiment, the electronically actuated differential comprises an electronically actuated locking differential. In this embodiment, the electronically actuated locking differential fully locks the differential when the locking differential activation signals are received by the wireless receiver unit. The electronically actuated locking differential unlocks the differential when the locking differential deactivation signals are received by the wireless receiver unit.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system, the vehicle differential system selectively locking and unlocking a vehicle differential, comprising:

(a) a remote control unit generating locking differential activation and deactivation signals responsive to control by a user;

(b) a wireless receiver unit disposed within the vehicle, wherein the wireless receiver unit is adapted to receive the locking differential activation and deactivation signals from the remote control unit; and

(c) an electronically actuated locking differential, operatively coupled to the wireless receiver unit, wherein the locking differential fully locks when the locking differential activation signal is received by the wireless receiver unit, and wherein the locking differential unlocks when the locking differential deactivation signal is received by the wireless receiver unit

2. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit communicates with the wireless receiver unit via a wireless communication link.

3. The remotely controlled electronically actuated locking differential system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication link comprises a radio frequency (RF) link.

4. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication link comprises an optical data communication link.

5. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication link comprises an acoustical data link.

6. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit is disposed within an interior compartment of the vehicle.

7. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit is disposed within a key FOB.

8. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver unit comprises a wireless receiver and a relay device, and wherein the wireless receiver receives the locking differential activation and deactivation signals from the remote control unit and controls operation of the relay device responsive to the received activation and deactivation signals thereby applying actuation and de-actuation electrical input signals to the electronically actuated locking differential.

9. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 8, wherein the electronically actuated locking differential includes an electromagnetic coil adapted to receive the actuation and de-actuation electrical input signals, and wherein the electromagnetic coil is energized when the actuation input signal is applied and de-energized when the de-actuation input signal is applied, and wherein the locking differential fully locks when the electromagnetic coil is energized and unlocks when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized.

10. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 8, wherein the wireless receiver comprises an antenna and a receiver control block, and wherein the antenna is adapted to receive the locking differential activation and deactivation signals from the remote control unit, and wherein the receiver control block controls operation of the relay device responsive to the received activation and deactivation signals.

11. The remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system of claim 10, wherein the remote control unit communicates with the wireless receiver unit via a radio frequency (RF) link, and wherein the antenna comprises an RF antenna.

12. A remotely controlled electronically actuated vehicle differential system, the vehicle differential system selectively locking and unlocking a vehicle differential, comprising:

(a) means for remotely generating locking differential activation and deactivation signals;

(b) means, responsive to the signal generating means, for receiving the locking differential activation and deactivation signals, wherein the activation and deactivation signals are transmitted from the signal generating means to the signal receiving means via a wireless communication link; and

(c) means, responsive to the signal receiving means, for locking and unlocking the vehicle differential, wherein the differential locking and unlocking means locks the vehicle differential when the locking differential activation signal is received by the signal receiving means, and wherein the differential locking and unlocking means unlocks the vehicle differential when the locking differential deactivation signal is received by the signal receiving means.

13. A remotely controlled differential locking system adapted to toggle actuation of a traction modifying locking differential in a vehicle, comprising:

(a) a control unit generating first and second control signals, wherein the first control signal controls engagement of the traction modifying locking differential, and wherein the second control signal controls disengagement of the traction modifying locking differential;

(b) a transmitter wirelessly transmitting the first and second control signals;

(c) a receiver, disposed within the vehicle, adapted to receive the first and second control signals; and

(d) an electronically actuated locking differential mechanism, operatively coupled to the receiver, wherein the locking differential mechanism engages the traction modifying locking differential when the first control signal is received by the receiver, and wherein the locking differential mechanism disengages the traction modifying locking differential when the second control signal is received by the receiver.

14. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 13, wherein the control unit comprises a hand-held wireless remote control device.

15. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 13, wherein the control unit comprises a wireless remote control device installed in an interior occupant compartment of the vehicle.

16. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 14, wherein the hand-held wireless remote control device comprises a key FOB.

17. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 13, wherein the first control signal comprises a locking differential activation signal, and wherein the second control signal comprises a locking differential deactivation signal.

18. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 15, wherein the remote control device includes a switching mechanism, and wherein a vehicle occupant controls engagement and disengagement of the traction modifying locking differential using the switching mechanism.

19. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 18, wherein the switching mechanism comprises a push-button switch.

20. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 18, wherein the switching mechanism comprises a toggle switch.

21. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 18, wherein the switching mechanism comprises a capacitive switch.

22. The remotely controlled differential locking system of claim 17, wherein the locking differential mechanism includes an electromagnetic coil, and wherein the electromagnetic coil is energized when the locking differential activation signal is received by the receiver, and wherein the electromagnetic coil is de-energized when the locking differential deactivation signal is received by the receiver, and wherein the locking differential mechanism engages the traction modifying locking differential when the electromagnetic coil is energized and disengages the traction modifying locking differential when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized.

23. A remotely controlled vehicle differential system adapted to toggle actuation of a traction modifying differential in a vehicle, comprising:

(a) a control unit generating first and second control signals, wherein the first control signal controls engagement of the traction modifying differential, and wherein the second control signal controls disengagement of the traction modifying differential;

(b) a transmitter wirelessly transmitting the first and second control signals;

(c) a receiver, disposed within the vehicle, adapted to receive the first and second control signals; and

(d) an electronically actuated differential mechanism, operatively coupled to the receiver, wherein the differential mechanism engages the traction modifying differential when the first control signal is received by the receiver, and wherein the differential mechanism disengages the traction modifying differential when the second control signal is received by the receiver.

24. A remotely controlled variable torque vehicle differential system adapted to control actuation of a traction modifying differential in a vehicle, comprising:

(a) a control unit generating a plurality of differential control signals wherein the control signals responsive to user input;

(b) a transmitter wirelessly transmitting the plurality of control signals;

(c) a receiver, disposed within the vehicle, adapted to receive the plurality of control signals; and

(d) an electronically actuated variable torque vehicle differential mechanism, wherein the variable torque differential mechanism transmits a variable coupling torque responsive to the plurality of control signals.

25. The remotely controlled variable torque vehicle differential system of claim 24, wherein the electronically actuated variable torque vehicle differential mechanism includes a clutch pack and an electromagnetic coil disposed therein, and wherein the coupling torque transmitted by the electronically actuated variable torque vehicle differential mechanism is determined by current applied to the electromagnetic coil.

26. A remotely controlled vehicle differential system, adapted to control actuation of a traction modifying differential in a vehicle, comprising:

(a) a control unit generating a plurality of control signals responsive to user input, wherein the plurality of control signals controls actuation of the traction modifying differential from zero engagement to full engagement;

(b) a transmitter, coupled to the control unit, wirelessly transmitting a plurality of differential activation and deactivation signals responsive to the plurality of control signals;

(c) a receiver, disposed within the vehicle, adapted to receive the differential activation and deactivation signals, wherein the receiver outputs a plurality of differential control signals responsive to the differential activation and deactivation signals;

(d) a central vehicle controller configured to control a plurality of vehicle systems and operatively coupled to the receiver, wherein the central vehicle controller is adapted to receive the differential control signals;

(e) a vehicle differential microprocessor in communication with the central vehicle controller via a communications bus; and

(f) an electronically actuated variable torque vehicle differential mechanism in operative communication with the vehicle differential microprocessor, wherein the variable torque differential mechanism transmits a variable coupling torque responsive to control signals output by the vehicle differential microprocessor.