Control device of vehicular four-wheel drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245950-B2
Application number	US-201715725417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2017
Priority date	Nov 15, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

When a vehicle is switched from a two-wheel-drive mode to a four-wheel-drive mode during turning, rotation of a Rr dog clutch is synchronized by a synchro mechanism. Rotation of a Fr dog clutch is synchronized, by controlling coupling torque of a control coupling that transmits power to a rear wheel that provides an outer wheel during turning. Thus, rotation of the Fr dog clutch is also synchronized, so that shock at the time of engagement of the Fr dog clutch can be suppressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device for a four-wheel drive system of a vehicle,
the four-wheel drive system including
a transfer case configured to distribute a part of drive power generated from a drive source to left and right secondary drive wheels,
a differential mechanism coupled to the left and right secondary drive wheels,
a propeller shaft that transmits power delivered from the transfer case, to the differential mechanism,
a first meshing clutch provided in the transfer case, the first meshing clutch being configured to selectively permit and inhibit power transmission between the drive source and the propeller shaft, and
a second meshing clutch configured to selectively permit and inhibit power transmission between the propeller shaft and the differential mechanism,
the differential mechanism including a pair of control couplings configured to adjust transmission torque transmitted to the left and right secondary drive wheels,
one of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch including a synchro mechanism,

the control device comprising
an electronic control unit configured to, when the four-wheel drive system is switched from a two-wheel drive state in which the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch are released to a four-wheel drive state in which the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch are engaged during turning,
synchronize rotation of the one of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch including the synchro mechanism, by means of the synchro mechanism, and
synchronize rotation of the other of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch, by controlling coupling torque of one of the pair of control couplings which transmits power to one of the left and right secondary drive wheels which provides an outer wheel.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the synchro mechanism is configured to synchronize rotation of the second meshing clutch, and
the electronic control unit is configured to synchronize rotation of the first meshing clutch by controlling the coupling torque of the one of the control couplings after the second meshing clutch is engaged.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the synchro mechanism is configured to synchronize rotation of the first meshing clutch, and
the electronic control unit is configured to synchronize rotation of the second meshing clutch by controlling the coupling torque of the one of the control couplings after the first meshing clutch is engaged.

4. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to engage the other of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch, after rotation of the other of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch is synchronized.

5. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to calculate the coupling torque, by multiplying a moment of inertia of a rotating body whose rotational speed is raised by the one of the control couplings, by an angular acceleration calculated from a target rotational speed of the rotating body at which rotation of the other of the first meshing clutch and the second meshing clutch is synchronized, and a preset target engagement time of the one of the control coupling.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Daichi
• Fukada Shunro
• Shimizu Satoshi
• Arai Masayuki

Classifications

• B60K2023/085

  automatically actuated · CPC title

• F16D11/14

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60W10/119

  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 title

• B60K23/0808 Primary

  for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch · CPC title

• F16D21/08

  Serially-arranged clutches interconnecting two shafts only when all the clutches are engaged (F16D13/08, F16D13/12 take precedence) · CPC title