Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jonathan Sullivan

Joseph Jay Torres

Jose Velazquez Alcantar

Peter James Barrette

Paul M Moubarak

Audrey Sullivan

Ming Lang Kuang

Jianbo Lu

Rajit Johri

Keith Weston

Zhengyu Dai

Michael Glenn Fodor

Sanghyun Hong

David Michael Russell

Kevin Mackenzie

Weitian Chen

Bang Kim Cao

Matthew Johnson

Rohit Hippalgaonkar

Corwin Stout

Zubair Feroz

Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle in a mode to free the vehicle from being stuck in sand are presented. In one example, a speed of an electric machine is adjusted to determine when wheel jitter occurs. The electric machine speed may be maintained at a speed where wheel jitter occurs while the vehicle is stuck.

Methods and system for operating a vehicle in sand

Container

A method of controlling a vehicle may include determining a proximity to a stuck condition based on measured vehicle motion parameters and a wheel speed measured by a wheel speed sensor associated with one or more wheels of the vehicle. The method may further include generating a notification to a driver of the vehicle in response to the proximity to the stuck condition indicating that the vehicle is either in a stuck condition or a nearly stuck condition, and responsive to driver selection of an unstuck mode, executing an unstuck algorithm to automatically control operation of the vehicle to achieve a free condition.

Suspension system with improved ability to avoid getting stuck or get unstuck

A vehicle includes a first axle having a first electric machine, a second axle having a second electric machine and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in a user-selected four-wheel drive mode, command a first torque to the first electric machine based on a driver-demanded torque and a speed of the second axle, and command a second torque to the second electric machine based on a comparison of the driver-demanded torque and the first torque and further based on a speed of the first axle.

All-wheel drive electric vehicle with simulated axle lock

An electrified vehicle, system, and method include an electric machine, a traction battery coupled to the electric machine, and a controller programmed to control wheel slip to provide high wheel slip to traverse deformable terrain, such as sand or loose soil, and lower wheel slip to avoid excessive soil removal beneath the wheels after detecting a vertical acceleration or heave event, such as after landing when driving over a jump or bump. When vehicle vertical acceleration exceeds a first threshold, and a ratio of a wheel angular acceleration to vehicle longitudinal acceleration exceeds a second threshold, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a lower value that provides sufficient tractive force to maintain some forward motion. Otherwise, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a higher value to accommodate higher vehicle speeds over the deformable terrain.

Electrified vehicle wheel speed control using heave when traversing deformable terrain

Gift box

A vehicle electric torque vectoring system includes a traction motor, a vectoring motor, gears, and a controller. The gears transfer torque from the propulsion and vectoring motors to wheels. The controller, responsive to a step change in an unmodified torque request for the vectoring motor and a predicted torque response of the vectoring motor being greater than the unmodified torque request, commands the vectoring motor to generate torque with a modified torque request less than the unmodified torque request. The controller further, responsive to the predicted torque response becoming less than the unmodified torque request, commands the vectoring motor to generate torque with the unmodified torque request.

Torque vectoring with model-predictive torque requests

A vehicle has an accelerator pedal in communication with a prime mover, a transmission, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to receiving a first input indicative of a vehicle state and a second input indicative of a curve along a vehicle path within a predetermined time interval, downshift the transmission and modify a driver torque request map associated with the accelerator pedal to reduce a percentage of pedal travel associated with positive drive torque. A method of controlling a vehicle includes downshifting a transmission and modifying a driver torque request map associated with an accelerator pedal to reduce a percentage of pedal travel associated with positive drive torque when a vehicle state and a curve from an electronic horizon system predict a vehicle lateral acceleration in the curve being above a first threshold value.

Method and system for controlling a vehicle

Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle during operating conditions where wheel slip may occur. In one example, a torque vectoring electric machine torque output is adjusted to direct propulsion torque from one wheel to a different wheel. Additionally, the propulsive torque is adjusted responsive to a driver demand wheel torque.

Methods and system for torque vectoring

An electric axle drive utilizes an electric motor to propel both half-shafts via final drive gearing and a differential. Torque vectoring gearing alters the torque distribution by transmitting power from one of the half shafts to the motor or from the motor to the half-shaft in response to engagement of brakes. Both the final drive gearing and the torque vectoring gearing are implemented using stepped planetary gear sets. The final drive gearing and differential are located on one end of the electric motor. The torque vectoring gearing is located on the opposite end of the electric motor.

Hybrid axle drive with torque vectoring

An electrified axle system includes a pair of wheels, a super positioning torque vectoring differential coupled between the wheels, and a controller. The super positioning torque vectoring differential includes a traction motor and a vectoring motor. The controller operates the vectoring motor in speed control mode to reduce a speed difference between the wheels responsive to the difference exceeding a threshold, and operates the vectoring motor in torque control mode responsive to the difference falling within a target range and an accelerator pedal position achieving a value that depends on lateral acceleration associated with the system.

Growing community of inventors

Ferndale, MI, United States of America

Jonathan Sullivan