Torque distribution control system for a four wheel drive vehicle

• US 4,981,190 A
• Filed: 01/31/1990
• Issued: 01/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nakayama, Yasunari, Nagaoka, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hill, Mitchell J.
• Application Number:
  US07/472,048
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 180/197, 180/233, 180/249, 303/110, 303/91, 364/426.02
• US Class Current: 180/197
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/202 for all-wheel drive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1769 specially adapted for vehicles having more than one driven axle, e.g. four-wheel drive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/119 including control of all-wheel-driveline means, e.g. transfer gears or clutches for dividing torque between front and rear axle B60W10/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links

Abstract

In a four wheel drive vehicle adapted to drive all of the four wheels, a braking force is applied to the wheel which causes slipping while the output torque of the engine is increased in accordance with brake operation. A braking pressure adjusting unit is preferably provided with each of the four wheels which is arranged so as to separately and individually brake the wheel which slips.

Claims

1. A torque distribution control system for a four wheel drive vehicle comprising:

a brake means disposed at each of four wheels independently and separately from each other;

a braking pressure adjusting means disposed at each of two groups of the wheels;

a slip value detecting means for detecting a slip value of each wheel with respect to pavement;

a slipping-wheel judging means for judging a slipping wheel which slips in an actual slip value greater than a given target slip value by comparing the actual slip value detected by said slip value detecting means with the target slip value;

a brake control means for operating said brake means against the group of the wheels containing the slipping wheel when the slipping wheel detected by said slipping-wheel judging means is contained only one of the two groups of the wheels; and

an engine control means for operating an engine to increase its output torque in accordance with operation of said brake means when said brake control means is operated.

2. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased in such a manner that all drive torque for the four wheels amounts to torque required by an operator.

3. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased by an amount that compensates a loss of torque caused by operation of said brake means.

4. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the torque required by the operator is given from the number of current revolutions of the engine and a throttle opening angle.

5. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said target slip value is altered to a different value corresponding to a driving state of a vehicle.

6. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slip value is given from a vehicle velocity and a peripheral velocity of each of the wheels.

7. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said vehicle velocity is given from a mean value of peripheral velocities of the wheels which cause no slipping.

8. A torque distribution control system for a four wheel drive vehicle comprising:

a brake means disposed at each of the four wheels independently and separately from each other;

a braking pressure adjusting means disposed at each of the four wheels;

a slip value detecting means for detecting a slip value of each wheel with respect to pavement;

a slipping-wheel judging means for judging a slipping wheel which slips in an actual slip value greater than a given target slip value by comparing the actual slip value detected by said slip value detecting means with the target slip value;

a brake control means for operating said brake means against the slipping wheel detected by said slipping-wheel judging means; and

an engine control means for operating an engine to increase its output torque in accordance with operation of said brake means when said brake control means is operated.

9. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased by an amount that compensates a loss of torque caused by operation of said brake means.

10. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased in such a manner that all drive torque for the four wheels amounts to torque required by an operator.

11. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the torque required by the operator is given from the number of current revolutions of the engine and a throttle opening angle.

12. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said target slip value is altered to a different value corresponding to a driving state of a vehicle.

13. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said slip value is given from a vehicle velocity and a peripheral velocity of each of the wheels.

14. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said vehicle velocity is given from a mean value of peripheral velocities of the wheels which cause no slipping.

15. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased by an amount that compensates a loss of torque caused by operation of said brake means.

16. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the output torque of the engine is increased in such a manner that all drive torque for the four wheels amounts to torque required by an operator.

17. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the torque required by the operator is given from the number of current revolutions of the engine and a throttle opening angle.

18. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said target slip value is altered to a different value corresponding to a driving state of a vehicle.

19. A torque distribution control system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

a front differential gear interposed between right-hand and left-hand front wheels;

a rear differential gear interposed between right-hand and left-hand rear wheels; and

a center differential gear interposed between front and rear wheels.