US 12,066,086 B2
Differential rotation limiting force control apparatus for center differential
Kyosuke Hirazumi, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on May 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/751,776.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-096358 (JP), filed on Jun. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0397188 A1, Dec. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. F16H 48/22 (2006.01); B60K 17/34 (2006.01); B60K 17/346 (2006.01); F16H 48/20 (2012.01)
CPC F16H 48/22 (2013.01) [B60K 17/346 (2013.01); F16H 2048/204 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A differential rotation limiting force control apparatus for a center differential, to be mounted on a vehicle including the center differential and a differential rotation limiting device, the center differential being configured to transmit a motive force generated by a travel power source to a front wheel driving device and a rear wheel driving device and permit differential rotation between the front wheel driving device and the rear wheel driving device, the front wheel driving device being configured to drive a front wheel of the vehicle, the rear wheel driving device being configured to drive a rear wheel of the vehicle, the differential rotation limiting device being configured to generate a limiting force that limits the differential rotation, the differential rotation limiting force control apparatus comprising:
an outwardly headed state detection processor configured to make a detection of an outwardly headed state based on i) a yaw rate of a vehicle body of the vehicle, ii) a vehicle speed and iii) a steering angle, the yaw rate being detected by a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle, the vehicle speed being detected by a vehicle speed sensor of the vehicle, the steering angle being detected by a steering sensor of the vehicle, the outwardly headed state being a state in which i) the vehicle is cornering and ii) a front side of the vehicle body is directed outwardly of cornering with respect to a vehicle's direction of travel; and
a limiting force control processor configured to control the limiting force, in response to the detection of the outwardly headed state, to reduce a difference between a motive force on the front wheel caused by an output of the travel power source and an absolute value of a braking force on the front wheel caused by internal circulation torque of the center differential.