IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,561,720
Granted Patent B2
US 9,561,720 · App. 14/637,705 · Granted Feb 7, 2017

Driving force distribution control apparatus

Inventors: Kotaro Sarai (Nishio, JP); Tomoaki Kato (Kariya, JP); Hiroto Kawano (Hiroshima, JP); Daisuke Kofu (Hiroshima, JP); Yasushi Yagi (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION; MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
B60K23/0808B60K17/35B60K2023/0833B60K2023/0858
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,561,720
App. No.
14/637,705
Granted
Feb 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driving force distribution control apparatus includes: a driving force transmission device including a clutch which can change distribution of a driving force to front wheels and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle; and a controller which controls an engagement force of the clutch in accordance with a traveling state. The controller includes a different-diameter tire detector which detects an attachment of a different-diameter tire to one of the front wheels and the rear wheels when a rotation speed ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels continues to be equal to or larger than a reference rotation speed ratio for a predetermined time. The different-diameter tire detector performs detection of the attachment of the different-diameter tire when it is determined that the wheels are unlikely to slip based on an outside condition.

Claims (16)

1. A driving force distribution control apparatus comprising:

a driving force transmission device comprising a clutch which can change distribution of a driving force to front wheels and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle; and

a controller which controls an engagement force of the clutch in accordance with a traveling state,

wherein the controller comprises a different-diameter tire detector which detects an attachment of a different-diameter tire to one of the front wheels and the rear wheels when a rotation speed ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels continues to be equal to or larger than a reference rotation speed ratio for a predetermined time, and

wherein the different-diameter tire detector determines whether the wheels are likely to slip based on an outside condition, and performs detection of the attachment of the different-diameter tire based on a driving force threshold determined by the determination of whether the wheels are unlikely to slip.

2. The driving force distribution control apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the different-diameter tire detector determines that the wheels are unlikely to slip when the driving force is lower than a threshold which is set based on the outside condition.

3. The driving force distribution control apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the threshold is set based on a friction coefficient of a road surface as the outside condition.

4. A driving force distribution control apparatus comprising:

a driving force transmission device comprising a clutch which can change distribution of a driving force to front wheels and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle; and

a controller which controls an engagement force of the clutch in accordance with a traveling state,

wherein the controller comprises a different-diameter tire detector which detects an attachment of a different-diameter tire to one of the front wheels and the rear wheels when a rotation speed ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels continues to be equal to or larger than a reference rotation speed ratio for a predetermined time,

wherein the different-diameter tire detector determines whether the wheels are likely to slip based on a friction coefficient of a road surface, and performs detection of the attachment of the different-diameter tire based on the determination of whether the wheels are unlikely to slip and the driving force,

wherein the different-diameter tire detector determines that the wheels are unlikely to slip when the driving force is less than a first threshold at a time when it is determined that the friction coefficient of the road surface is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein the different-diameter tire detector determines that the wheels are unlikely to slip when the driving force is less than a second threshold at a time when it is determined that the friction coefficient of the road surface is less than a predetermined value, wherein the second threshold value is lower than the first threshold value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2015
From: SARAI, KOTARO; KATO, TOMOAKI; KAWANO, HIROTO; KOFU, DAISUKE; YAGI, YASUSHI
To: JTEKT CORPORATION; MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035086/0437 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-048729 · Mar 12, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150258889A1 · Sep 17, 2015