Nissan Motor Company Limited

Keigo Nishio

Kouichi Shimizu

Keiji Kadota

Tatsuya Kamata

Hidetoshi Suzuki

Hiroyuki Ohya

Ping Chen

Kimitaka Nakamura

A driving force control apparatus is provided to prevent shocks from being generated during clutch engagement or release. The clutch is maintained in an engaged state and shocks are prevented from accompanying clutch release during creep travel when the target motor torque is equal to or less than a motor torque prescribed value but the average rear wheel speed, which is equivalent to the travel speed of the auto vehicle, is equal to or less than a low-speed prescribed value. In addition, the drive torque on the rear wheels from the electric motor is also brought to the same level as the creep torque on the front wheels from the internal combustion engine, backlash and other types of gaps between the rear axles of the electric motor are closed, and shocks are minimized or prevented during the subsequent transition to a four-wheel drive state.

Vehicle driving force control apparatus

A vehicle driving force control apparatus controls a control torque command of an electric motor based on a power supplying condition of an electric power source. The power source supplies electric power to the electric motor that drives at least one wheel of the vehicle. An electric power supplying status detecting section determines an electric power supplying capacity of the electric power source based on the power supplying condition of the power source, while an electric motor torque control section controls the control torque command of the electric motor based on the power supplying condition determined by the electric power supplying status detecting section. Preferably, an internal combustion engine that drives at least one other wheel also drives a generator that acts as the power source of the electric motor. The vehicle driving force control apparatus is especially useful in a four-wheel drive vehicle.

A vehicle powertrain includes an electric motor () and a clutch () between the electric motor and a motor driven road wheel (L,R). Powertrain play between the electric motor () and the road wheel is eliminated upon determination that powertrain play elimination (PPE) is needed for motor torque transmission to the motor driven road wheel. The PPE includes controlling engagement of the clutch and regulating the electric motor to produce a very small amount of motor torque required for PPE.

Growing community of inventors

Atsugi, Japan

Keigo Nishio