Drive axle control system
First Claim
1. A method for maintaining a front axle speed and a rear axle speed from a tandem axle set within a predetermined speed range comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a tire rolling radius for each driven axle wheel on a tandem axle;
(b) comparing tire rolling radii measurements to each other to determine tire rolling radii differences; and
(c) adjusting tire pressure to maintain all tire rolling radii within a predetermined range relative to each other.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tandem drive axles include a pair of drive axles interconnected by a thru-shaft. An inter-axle differential allows speed differentiation between the pair of axles. Differences in tire rolling radii and variations in axle load distribution between the pair of drive axles are examples of why axle differentiation is needed. By measuring and monitoring wheel speed and/or tire pressure, tire rolling radii differences can be determined and appropriate adjustments can be made to tire pressures to provide a common tire rolling radii range for all tires. In addition to tire pressure adjustment, by adjusting other axle parameters that affect axle performance, such as suspension height and weight distribution, the need for axle differentiation is eliminated.
39 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for maintaining a front axle speed and a rear axle speed from a tandem axle set within a predetermined speed range comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a tire rolling radius for each driven axle wheel on a tandem axle;
(b) comparing tire rolling radii measurements to each other to determine tire rolling radii differences; and
(c) adjusting tire pressure to maintain all tire rolling radii within a predetermined range relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for controlling axle speed for a tandem drive axle having a front axle coupled to a rear axle comprising the steps of:
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(a) measuring at least one wheel characteristic at each wheel of the front and rear axles and generating a plurality of wheel signals;
(b) comparing the wheel signals to each other to determine differences in tire rolling radii; and
(c) automatically adjusting at least one vehicle characteristic in response to step (b) to control speed differentiation between the front and rear axles without using an inter-axle differential. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification