System for mitigating vehicle sway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873426-B2
Application number	US-201615188557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle includes friction brakes, an axle, and a controller. The axle has an electronic limited-slip differential that includes a variable torque capacity lockup clutch. The controller is programmed to, in response to a difference between desired and actual yaw rates exceeding a first threshold, increase the torque of the lockup clutch to decrease the difference between the desired and actual yaw rates. The controller is further programmed to, in response the difference between desired and actual yaw rates exceeding a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, increase the torque of the friction brakes to decrease the difference between the desired and actual yaw rates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
friction brakes;
an axle having an electronic limited-slip differential including a lockup clutch; and
a controller programmed to,
in response to a difference between desired and actual yaw rates exceeding a first threshold, increase lockup clutch torque to decrease the difference, and
in response to the difference exceeding a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, decrease lockup clutch torque and increase friction brake torque to decrease the difference.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the desired yaw rate is based on a steering wheel angle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the desired yaw rate is further based on vehicle speed.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the difference is based on an external lateral force.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the external lateral force is based on an estimated cross wind.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein estimated cross wind is based on transmitted weather data received by the controller.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the external lateral force is based on an input from road surface.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the difference is based on a measured yaw rate and the desired yaw rate.

9. A vehicle controller comprising:
input channels configured to receive signals indicative of yaw rates;
output channels configured to provide commands to adjust friction brake and differential lockup clutch torques to counteract yaw rates; and
control logic programmed to,
in response to a difference between desired and actual yaw rates exceeding a first threshold, increase lockup clutch torque, and
in response to the difference exceeding a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, decrease lockup clutch torque and increase friction brake torque.

10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the desired yaw rates are based on a steering wheel angle.

11. The controller of claim 10 , wherein the desired yaw rates are further based on vehicle speed.

12. The controller of claim 11 , wherein the difference is based on an external lateral force.

13. The controller of claim 12 , wherein the external lateral force is based on an estimated cross wind.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein estimated cross wind is based on transmitted weather data received by the controller.

15. The controller of claim 14 , wherein the transmitted weather data corresponds to a GPS location of the vehicle.

16. The controller of claim 12 , wherein the external lateral force is based on an input from road surface.

17. A vehicle comprising:
a steering wheel;
friction brakes;
an axle having an electronic limited-slip differential including a lockup clutch; and
a controller programmed to, in response to a yaw rate in an absence of steering wheel input, increase lockup clutch torque to counteract the yaw rate when the yaw rate exceeds a first threshold, decrease lockup clutch torque when the yaw rate exceeds a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold, and increase friction brake torque to counteract the yaw rate when the yaw rate exceeds the second threshold.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Paskus Anthony
• Hurst Neil
• Bates Marshall Erin
• Rodrigues Ashok E
• Monticello Andrew
• Brewer Michael Edward

Classifications

• B60W10/184

  with wheel brakes · CPC title

• B60W2555/20

  Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain · CPC title

• B60T8/1755

  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

• B60W2720/14

  Yaw · CPC title

• B60W10/16

  Axle differentials, e.g. for dividing torque between left and right wheels · CPC title