Control of a limited slip differential for a vehicle

1 . A control system for controlling a limited-slip differential (LSD) of a vehicle,

the vehicle having an engine and left and right ground-engaging elements, the vehicle having the LSD operatively connectable to a driveshaft and to the left and right ground-engaging elements, left and right suspension assemblies connected to the left and right ground-engaging elements, the LSD being adapted for transferring torque from the driveshaft to the left and right ground-engaging elements,

the control system comprising:

at least one sensor of at least one parameter indicative of one of:

an extension position of at least one of the right and left suspensions, and

a vertical position of at least one of the right and left ground-engaging members; and

a control unit operatively connected to the LSD and to the at least one sensor, the control unit being configured to execute:

receiving sensor signals from the at least one sensor,

generating a control signal at least partly based on the sensor signals, and

controlling selective locking of the LSD based on the control signal.

2 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

determining a positional difference between one of:

positions of the right and left suspensions, and

positions of the right and left ground-engaging members.

3 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein generating the control signal is based on the positional difference, the control signal being indicative of a traction quality of the right and left ground-engaging members.

4 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein:

the positional difference is a first positional difference;

the control unit is further configured to execute:

determining a second positional difference between one of:

positions of the right and left suspensions, and

positions of the right and left ground-engaging members,

the second positional difference being determined subsequent to the first positional difference;

generating the control signal is based on the first positional difference and the second positional difference; and

in response to the second positional difference being greater than the first positional difference, controlling selective locking of the LSD comprises increasing a load on the LSD.

5 . The control system of claim 4 , wherein the control unit is configured to execute increasing the load on the LSD in response to a difference between the second positional difference and the positional difference being greater than above a pre-determined threshold.

6 . The control system of claim 5 , wherein the pre-determined threshold corresponds to between 10% and 30% of a travel of right and left front suspensions.

7 . The control system of claim 5 , wherein the pre-determined threshold is a function of a predicted engine torque of the engine.

8 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

determining an average compression position of:

the right and left suspensions, and

the right and left ground-engaging members.

9 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

generating the control signal based on the average compression position, the control signal being indicative of a traction characteristic of the right and left ground-engaging members.

10 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

in response to the average compression position approaching a full droop position, controlling selective locking of the LSD by increasing a load on the LSD.

11 . The control system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

in response to the average compression position being above a pre-determined compression threshold, controlling selective locking of the LSD by increasing a load on the LSD.

12 . The control system of claim 11 , wherein the pre-determined compression threshold corresponds to a suspension droop position of between 60% and 80%.

13 . The control system of claim 11 , wherein the pre-determined compression threshold is a function of a predicted engine torque of the engine.

14 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein:

the control unit is further configured to execute receiving at least one vehicle sensor signal indicative of at least one operational condition of the vehicle; and

generating the control signal further comprises generating the control signal based on the at least one vehicle sensor signal.

15 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one operational condition includes at least one of:

a speed of front ground-engaging members;

a steering indication;

an accelerator indication;

a gear position;

an engine torque; and

a speed of the vehicle.

16 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein:

generating the control signal further comprises:

determining a first load to be applied to the LSD based on the sensor signals, and

determining a second load to be applied to the LSD based on the at least one vehicle sensor signal; and

controlling selective locking of the LSD based on the control signal comprises applying a sum of the first load and the second load to the LSD.

17 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

receiving an indication of a riding mode selection;

in response to a pre-determined riding mode of the vehicle having been selected:

generating the control signal based on the sensor signals, and

controlling selective locking of the LSD based on the control signal; and

in response to an other riding mode of the vehicle having been selected:

generating an other mode control signal based on the at least one vehicle sensor signal, and

controlling selective locking of the LSD based on the other mode control signal.

18 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to execute:

receiving an indication of a riding mode selection; and

in response to the indication of riding mode selection of the vehicle having been selected:

generating the control signal, and

controlling selective locking of the LSD based on the control signal.

19 . A method of controlling a limited slip differential (LSD) of a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine and left and right ground-engaging elements, the vehicle having the LSD operatively connectable to a driveshaft and to the left and right ground-engaging elements, left and right suspension assemblies connected to the left and right ground-engaging elements, the LSD being adapted for transferring torque from the driveshaft to the left and right ground-engaging elements, the method comprising:

receiving, by a control unit operatively connected to the LSD, sensor signals from at least one sensor of at least one parameter indicative of one of:

an extension position of at least one of the right and left suspensions, and

a vertical position of at least one of the right and left ground-engaging members;

generating, by the control unit, a control signal at least partly based on the sensor signals; and

controlling, by the control unit, selective locking of the LSD based on the control signal.

20 . A control system for determining a traction quality of a vehicle,

the vehicle having an engine and left and right ground-engaging elements, left and right suspension assemblies connected to the left and right ground-engaging elements,

the control system comprising:

at least one sensor of at least one parameter indicative of positions of one of:

the right and left suspensions, and

the right and left ground-engaging members; and

a control unit operatively connected to the at least one sensor, the control unit being configured to execute:

receiving sensor signals from the at least one sensor;

determining a value of at least one of:

a positional difference between at least one of the right and left suspensions and the right and left ground-engaging members, and an average position of at least one of the right and left suspensions and the right and left ground-engaging members; and

generating a control signal representative of the traction quality of the vehicle at least partly based on the value.