Torque distribution control in a motor vehicle

• US 7,832,518 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Warner, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stabley; Michael R
• Application Number:
  US11/726,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20080234906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 180/233, 477/143, 477/158, 477/159, 477/161, 477/164, 477170-176, 477/180, 477/181
• US Class Current: 180/233
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/165 acting on elements of the vehicle drive train other than the propulsion unit and brakes, e.g. transmission, clutch, differential acting on brakes B60T8/17

Abstract

In a vehicle powertrain that continually transmits power to a first set of vehicle wheels and selectively transmits power through a clutch to a second set of vehicle wheels, a method for controlling the clutch includes determining that brakes for slowing the vehicle wheels are applied and that an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is depressed less than a reference magnitude, determining that the rate of change of the average front wheel speed is greater than the rate of change of the average rear wheel speed, and setting the torque capacity of the clutch to a target magnitude.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a transfer case clutch, comprising:

(a) determining that vehicle wheel brakes are applied;

(b) determining that an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is depressed less than a reference magnitude;

(c) determining repetitively that a rate of change of the average front wheel speed is greater than a rate of change of the average rear wheel speed; and

(d) setting the torque capacity of the clutch to a target magnitude.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of:

determining repetitively the speed of the front and rear vehicle wheels;

determining repetitively an average speed of the front vehicle wheels and an average speed of the rear vehicle wheels; and

using the average speed of the front and rear vehicle wheels to determine the rate of change of the average speed of the front vehicle wheels.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises the step of:

setting a duty cycle of a servo that actuates the clutch to a predetermined magnitude.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the duty cycle is set to two percent.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises the step of:

setting a pressure in a servo that actuates the clutch to a predetermined magnitude.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of varying a torque capacity of the clutch if either the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is depressed more than a reference magnitude, or the brakes for slowing the vehicle wheels are not applied.

7. A method for controlling a transfer case clutch for a vehicle, comprising:

(a) if wheel brakes are applied and an accelerator pedal is depressed less than a reference magnitude, determining that a rate of change of an an average front wheel speed is greater than a rate of change of an average rear wheel speed; and

(b) adjusting torque capacity of the clutch to a magnitude that removes clearances among components that transmit power from the clutch to wheels that are driven from through clutch.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

determining repetitively a speed of the front and rear vehicle wheels;

determining repetitively an average speed of the front vehicle wheels and an average speed of the rear vehicle wheels; and

using the average speed of the front and rear vehicle wheels to determine the rate of change of the average speed of the front vehicle wheels.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of:

setting a duty cycle of a servo that actuates the clutch to a predetermined magnitude.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of setting the pressure in a servo that actuates the clutch to a predetermined magnitude.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of varying the torque capacity of the clutch if either the accelerator pedal of the vehicle is depressed more than a reference magnitude, or the brakes for slowing the vehicle wheels are not applied.