Patent · US Expired

Driving force control system in four-wheel drive vehicle

US6105703A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
17References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 1997
Grant dateAug 22, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16H2048/346
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In a four-wheel drive vehicle, a rear differential includes an input shaft to which a driving force is transmitted from front wheels through a propeller shaft, a driven bevel gear mounted on the input shaft, a follower bevel gear mounted on a clutch drive shaft and meshed with the driven bevel gear, left and right electromagnetic clutches disposed between opposite ends of the clutch drive shaft and left and right output shafts. The maximum transmitted torque transmitted through the left and right electromagnetic clutches is controlled, so that it is decreased with an increase in vehicle speed detected by vehicle speed detecting means. Thus, the vehicle can avoid the maximum horsepower transmitted by the bevel gears and the electromagnetic clutches being increased with an increase in vehicle speed. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the durability of the bevel gears and the clutches, while providing a reduction in size of the bevel gears and the clutches.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.