Operating modes using a braking system for an all terrain vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11254294-B2
Application number	US-201916401933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2018
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

An all terrain vehicle may include a frame and a plurality of ground-engaging members supporting the frame. Each of the plurality of ground-engaging members may be configured to rotate about an axle. The all terrain vehicle may further include a powertrain assembly supported by the frame and a braking system (e.g., an anti-lock braking system (ABS)) including a hydraulic and electric controller unit (HECU) operably coupled to the plurality of ground-engaging members and configured to generate yaw to reduce a turning radius of the all terrain vehicle. The HECU may be configured to control brake pressure to the plurality of ground-engaging members independent of a driver input indicating a braking event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An all terrain vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a plurality of ground-engaging members supporting the frame and each of the plurality of ground-engaging members is configured to rotate about an axle;
a powertrain assembly supported by the frame;
one or more sensors; and
a braking system comprising a hydraulic and electric controller unit (HECU) operably coupled to the plurality of ground-engaging members and configured to generate yaw to reduce a turning radius of the all terrain vehicle, wherein the HECU is further configured to control brake pressure to the plurality of ground-engaging members independent of a driver input indicating a braking event.

2. The all terrain vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the HECU is configured to generate the yaw to reduce the turning radius of the all terrain vehicle based on the braking system operating in a cutter brake mode, and wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode in response to satisfying one or more first criteria.

3. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode by applying the brake pressure to one or more ground-engaging members of the plurality of ground-engaging members.

4. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a user interface, and
wherein the HECU is further configured to engage the cutter brake mode in response to receiving, from the user interface, user input indicating that a differential lock mode is off.

5. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a sensor configured to detect a turning condition of the all terrain vehicle, and
wherein the HECU engages the cutter brake mode based on:
receiving, from the sensor, the turning condition; and
comparing the turning condition with a pre-determined threshold.

6. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a vehicle speed of the all terrain vehicle, and
wherein the HECU engages the cutter brake mode based on:
receiving, from the vehicle speed sensor, the vehicle speed; and
comparing the vehicle speed with a pre-determined threshold.

7. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a user interface, and
wherein the HECU is further configured to engage the cutter brake mode in response to receiving user input indicating the cutter brake mode is on from the user interface.

8. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the braking system is configured to operate in an agility control mode, and
wherein the HECU is configured to engage the agility control mode based on satisfying one or more second criteria.

9. The all terrain vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the satisfying the one or more second criteria comprises determining that the one or more first criteria has not been satisfied.

10. The all terrain vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of ground-engaging members comprises:
a first front ground-engaging member;
a second front ground-engaging member;
a first rear ground-engaging member; and
a second rear ground-engaging member; and
wherein the braking system comprises:
a first front brake caliper operably coupled to the first front ground-engaging member;
a second front brake caliper operably coupled to the second front ground-engaging member;
a first rear brake caliper operably coupled to the first rear ground-engaging member; and
a second rear brake caliper operably coupled to the second rear ground-engaging member.

11. The all terrain vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the all terrain vehicle is operating in an all wheel drive,
wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode by distributing hydraulic fluid to the first front brake caliper operably coupled to the first front ground-engaging member and the first rear brake caliper operably coupled to the first rear ground-engaging member, and
wherein the first front ground-engaging member and the first rear ground-engaging member are inner ground-engaging members when the all terrain vehicle is executing the turn.

12. The all terrain vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the all terrain vehicle is operating in an all wheel drive,
wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode by distributing hydraulic fluid to the first rear brake caliper operably coupled to the first rear ground-engaging member only, and
wherein the first rear ground-engaging member is an inner ground-engaging member when the all terrain vehicle is executing the turn.

13. The all terrain vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the all terrain vehicle is operating in a 2 wheel drive,
wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode by distributing hydraulic fluid to the first front brake caliper operably coupled to the first front ground-engaging member and the first rear brake caliper operably coupled to the first rear ground-engaging member, and
wherein the first front ground-engaging member and the first rear ground-engaging member are inner ground-engaging members when the all terrain vehicle is executing the turn.

14. The all terrain vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the all terrain vehicle is operating in a 2 wheel drive,
wherein the HECU is configured to engage the cutter brake mode by distributing hydraulic fluid to the first rear brake caliper operably coupled to the first rear ground-engaging member only, and
wherein the first rear ground-engaging member is an inner ground-engaging member when the all terrain vehicle is executing the turn.

15. The all terrain vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the HECU is configured to generate yaw to reduce the turning radius by executing a cutter brake mode, wherein executing the cutter brake mode comprises:
receiving sensor information from the one or more sensors;
providing a first cutter brake input corresponding to a first amount of brake pressure to one or more inner ground-engaging members of the plurality of ground-engaging members, wherein the providing the first cutter brake input generates yaw to reduce the turning radius of the all terrain vehicle; and
adjusting, based on the sensor information, the first cutter brake input corresponding to the first amount of brake pressure.

16. The all terrain vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the sensor information comprises a plurality of sensor inputs, wherein the plurality of sensor inputs comprises at least one of: an engine speed from an engine speed sensor, an engine torque from an engine control module (ECM), a vehicle speed from a vehicle speed sensor, a plurality of wheel speeds corresponding to the plurality of ground-engaging members from a plurality of wheel speed sensors, a pedal position, and a steering measurement from a steering sensor.

17. The all terrain vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the adjusting the first cutter brake input comprises:
determining a plurality of corresponding cutter brake inputs for the plurality of sensor inputs;
determining a minimum corresponding cutter brake input from the plurality of corresponding cutter brake inputs; and
adjusting the first cutter brake input based on the minimum corresponding cutter brake input.

18. The all terrain vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the adjusting the first cutter brake input comprises:
determining, based on the sensor information, at least one of: an increase in the pedal position, an increase in the engine torque, and the vehicle speed is greater than a vehicle speed threshold; and
increasing the first cutter brake input b

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Scheuerell Alex R
• Graus Jonathon P
• Brady Louis J

Classifications

• B60T2201/14

  Electronic locking-differential · CPC title

• B60T8/1755 Primary

  Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve (road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02) · CPC title

• B60T2210/16

  Off-road driving conditions · CPC title

• B60T8/171

  Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation · CPC title