Front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle

• US 6,321,865 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Hiroyuki, Kuribayashi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/568,498
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 180/233, 180/243, 180/244, 180/65.2, 475/5, 475/2, 475/249
• US Class Current: 180/243
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/606 Axle differential or center differential features related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/72 with a secondary drive, e.g. regulating motor, in order to vary speed continuously
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/913 : One way
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle includes: an engine driving one of pairs of front wheels and rear wheels; a motor driving the other pair of wheels; a wheel speed sensor detecting wheel speeds of the other pair of wheels; a dog clutch provided between the motor and the other pair of wheels; a motor rotation number estimating unit estimating the motor rotation number from the current value and the duty value of the motor; and a control unit controlling the motor rotation number and the engagement of the dog clutch. The control unit engages the dog clutch after the control unit controls the motor rotation number such that the motor rotation number estimated by the motor rotation number estimating unit coincides with motor rotation number corresponding to wheel speeds detected with the wheel speed sensor.

Claims

1. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle comprising:

an engine driving one of pairs of front wheels and rear wheels;

a motor driving the other pair of wheels;

a wheel speed sensor detecting wheel speeds of the other pair of wheels;

a dog clutch provided between said motor and the other pair of wheels;

a motor rotation number estimating unit estimating the motor rotation number from the current value and the duty value of said motor; and

a control unit controlling the motor rotation number and the engagement of said dog clutch,

wherein said control unit engages said dog clutch after said control unit controls the motor rotation number such that the motor rotation number estimated by said motor rotation number estimating unit coincides with the motor rotation number corresponding to wheel speeds detected with said wheel speed sensor.

2. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle starts, said dog clutch is engaged to allow said motor to drive the other pair of wheels so as to render assistance in starting, and said assistance in starting is stopped when the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined value.

3. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said control unit includes said motor rotation number estimating unit.

4. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

planetary gear mechanisms connecting between the other pair of wheels and said motor.

5. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said planetary gear mechanisms respectively include planetary carriers connecting with the other pair of wheels, planetary gears rotatably supported to said planetary carriers, sun gears interlocking with said motors and ring gears having a movable dog of said dog clutch.

6. A front-and-rear wheel drive vehicle comprising:

an engine for driving one of pairs of front wheels and rear wheels;

a motor for driving the other pair of wheels;

a wheel speed sensor for detecting wheel speeds of the other pair of wheels;

a dog clutch provided between said motor and the other pair of wheels;

a motor rotation number estimating means for estimating the motor rotation number from the current value and the duty value of said motor; and

a control means for controlling the motor rotation number and the engagement of said dog clutch,

wherein said control means engages said dog clutch after said control means controls the motor rotation number such that the motor rotation number estimated by said motor rotation number estimating means coincides with the motor rotation number corresponding to wheel speeds detected with said wheel speed sensor.