Speed control of super positioning torque vectoring differential

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737680-B2
Application number	US-201815969830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

An electrified axle system includes a pair of wheels, a super positioning torque vectoring differential coupled between the wheels, and a controller. The super positioning torque vectoring differential includes a traction motor and a vectoring motor. The controller operates the vectoring motor in speed control mode to reduce a speed difference between the wheels responsive to the difference exceeding a threshold, and operates the vectoring motor in torque control mode responsive to the difference falling within a target range and an accelerator pedal position achieving a value that depends on lateral acceleration associated with the system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a super positioning torque vectoring (SPTV) differential coupled between a pair of wheels; and
a controller configured to
responsive to a speed difference between the wheels exceeding a threshold, operate the SPTV differential in speed control mode to reduce the difference,
responsive to the difference achieving a target range and an accelerator pedal position achieving a value that depends on lateral acceleration of the vehicle, exit the speed control mode, and
increase the value as the lateral acceleration decreases.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the value as the lateral acceleration increases.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the SPTV differential in torque control mode after the exit.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to turning of the vehicle while the difference is less than the threshold, operate the SPTV differential in torque control mode to bias propulsive torque toward an outer one of the wheels.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an engine and electric machine each configured to provide propulsive torque to the SPTV differential.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wheels are front wheels or rear wheels.

7. A method for a vehicle comprising:
by a controller,
responsive to turning of the vehicle, operating a super positioning torque vectoring differential in torque control mode,
responsive to wheel speed difference exceeding a threshold, exiting the torque control mode and entering speed control mode,
responsive to the difference achieving a target range and driver demand achieving a value that depends on lateral acceleration of the vehicle, exiting the speed control mode, and
decreasing the value as the lateral acceleration increases.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising increasing the value as the lateral acceleration decreases.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the entering results in the speed difference decreasing.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the operating results in the wheel speed difference increasing.

11. An electrified axle system comprising:
a pair of wheels;
a super positioning torque vectoring differential coupled between the wheels and including a traction motor and a vectoring motor; and
a controller configured to operate the vectoring motor in speed control mode to reduce a speed difference between the wheels responsive to the difference exceeding a threshold, and to operate the vectoring motor in torque control mode responsive to the difference falling within a target range and an accelerator pedal position achieving a value that depends on lateral acceleration associated with the system.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase the value as the lateral acceleration decreases.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the value as the lateral acceleration increases.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein operating the vectoring motor in torque control mode includes biasing torque toward an outer one of the wheels.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wheels are front wheels or rear wheels of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Alcantar Jose Velazquez
• Torres Joseph Jay
• Barrette Peter James
• Johri Rajit
• Kuang Ming Lang
• Stout Corwin
• Sullivan Jonathan Craig

Classifications

• B60W2720/406

  between left and right wheel · CPC title

• B60W2520/125

  Lateral acceleration · CPC title

• B60W2540/18

  Steering angle · CPC title

• B60W2520/28

  Wheel speed · CPC title

• B60W2520/406

  between left and right wheel · CPC title