Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Other

Russell Osborn

Steve Mullane

Ian Beverley

John Spooner

Shaun Wick

Pete Stares

Olivier Roques

Thomas Valero

Christopher Harries

Alex Tylee-Birdsall

Steve Nesbitt

Rob Jerger

Paul Beever

Markus Hose

Fred Hyde

Mark Rathbone

Brett Hallam

Matt Hole

Gareth Thomas

Sam Anker

Sam Burt

Richard Clarke

David Sanchez

George Scott

Mark Findlay

Matthew Hole

Bruce Buckley

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a control system configured to control a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations, the control system being configured to receive an environment indication signal indicative of an environment surrounding the vehicle, the control system being configured to determine, based on the environment indication signal, whether there is a need to pre-emptively brake the vehicle before brake torque is demanded of a braking system of the vehicle and the control system being configured, when it is determined that there is a need to pre-emptively brake the vehicle, to cause the driveline to operate in a second configuration and not a first configuration, wherein in the first configuration a first group of one or more wheels are arranged to be driven by the driveline and in the second configuration the first group of one or more wheels and in addition a second group of one or more wheels are arranged to be driven by the driveline.

Control system and method of controlling a driveline

The present invention relates to a vehicle () having a torque generating machine (); and one or more driven wheel (W). A driveline () is provided for transmitting torque from the torque generating machine () to said one or more driven wheel. The driveline () includes a torque transmitting means (). A first decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). The first decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the torque generating machine () and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). A second decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. The second decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the one or more driven wheel and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. A controller () is provided having at least one electronic processor for controlling operation of the first and second decoupling mechanisms (). The at least one electronic processor (P) is configured to close the first decoupling mechanism (), to determine a target operating speed of the torque generating machine (), to control the operating speed of the torque generating machine () in dependence on the determined target operating speed and to close the second decoupling mechanism () when the operating speed of the torque generating machine () at least substantially matches the determined target operating speed. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method of controlling first and second decoupling mechanisms () to control the transmittal of torque from a torque generating machine () to one or more driven wheel of a vehicle ().

Vehicle apparatus and method

A control system that controls a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations is configured to receive a brake signal responsive to the application of a braking system. The control system causes the driveline to operate in a second configuration and not a first configuration in dependence at least in part on the brake signal. In the first configuration a first group of one or more wheels and in addition a second group of one or more wheels are arranged to be driven by the driveline, and in the second configuration the first group of one or more wheels and not the second group are arranged to be driven by the driveline.

A gear selector comprising a gate pattern and a gear lever arranged to be moveable within the gate pattern, the gate pattern comprising: a high range gate sub-pattern comprising one or more high range gear planes for moving the gear lever into to select a high range gear; a low range gate sub-pattern comprising one or more low range gear planes for moving the gear lever into to select a low range gear; a neutral plane extending transversely with respect to the high and low range gear planes; and a force profile arranged to urge the gear lever when in the neutral plane toward a resting position in one of the one or more high range gear planes, the force profile comprising a first interference arranged to divide the high range gate sub-pattern from the low range gate sub-pattern, wherein the gear lever is moveable past the first interference from the high range gate sub-pattern to the low range gate sub-pattern when a first predefined action is performed by an operator moving the gear lever.

Gear selector

The present invention relates to a vehicle () having a torque generating machine (); and one or more driven wheel (W). A driveline () is provided for transmitting torque from the torque generating machine () to said one or more driven wheel. The driveline () includes a torque transmitting means (). A first decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). The first decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the torque generating machine () and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). A second decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. The second decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the one or more driven wheel and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. A controller () is provided having at least one electronic processor for controlling operation of the first and second decoupling mechanisms (). The at least one electronic processor (P) is configured to close the second decoupling mechanism () to couple the torque transmitting means () to the one or more driven wheel, determine a target operating speed of the torque generating machine (), control an operating speed of the torque generating machine () in dependence on the determined target operating speed and close the first decoupling mechanism () when the operating speed of the torque generating machine () at least substantially matches the determined target operating speed. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method of controlling first and second decoupling mechanisms () to control the transmittal of torque from a torque generating machine () to one or more driven wheel of a vehicle ().

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle () having a torque generating machine (); and one or more driven wheel (W). A driveline () is provided for transmitting torque from the torque generating machine () to said one or more driven wheel. The driveline () includes a torque transmitting means (). A first decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). The first decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the torque generating machine () and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the torque generating machine (). A second decoupling mechanism () is operable to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. The second decoupling mechanism () is closed to couple the torque transmitting means () to the one or more driven wheel and is opened to decouple the torque transmitting means () from the one or more driven wheel. A controller () is provided having at least one electronic processor for controlling operation of the first and second decoupling mechanisms (). The at least one electronic processor (P) being configured to determine a target operating speed of the torque generating machine (), control the operating speed of the torque generating machine () in dependence on the determined target operating speed, close the first decoupling mechanism () when the operating speed of the torque generating machine () at least substantially matches the determined target operating speed and close the second decoupling mechanism () after closing the first decoupling mechanism (). The present disclosure relates to a corresponding method of controlling first and second decoupling mechanisms () to control the transmittal of torque from a torque generating machine () to one or more driven wheel of a vehicle ().

A vehicle comprising a prime mover, first and second groups of wheels, and a driveline configured to connect the prime mover to the wheels. The driveline includes an auxiliary driveline comprising a driveshaft and drive means between the driveshaft and the second group of wheels, the drive means being operable to connect the second group of wheels to the driveshaft when the driveline transitions between first and second modes. The drive means has an input portion, an output and first and second releasable torque transmitting means coupled in series therebetween. The first releasable torque transmitting means is operable to allow slip between the input and output to modulate an amount of torque transmitted therebetween, The second releasable torque transmitting means is operable between a first condition in which an input portion is isolated from an output portion and a second condition in which the input and output portions are directly coupled.

Vehicle and method of controlling a vehicle

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a control system configured to control a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations, the system being configured to cause the driveline to operate in a first configuration and not a second configuration in dependence on a first set of one or more conditions, the system being further configured to override operation in the first configuration and cause the driveline to operate in the second configuration and not the first configuration in dependence on the first set of one or more conditions and in addition a second set of one or more conditions.

A constant mesh gear transmission has an input shaft (), two layshafts () and an output shaft (). Gear wheels are selectively connectable to shafts to provide forward and reverse speed ratios. A common central web () provides central support bearings for the shafts. The transmission is stiffened, and allows assembly of components from either end to the middle.

Transmission

A constant mesh gearbox has five parallel rotational axes. The input and output axes are not aligned. Up to eight forward speeds and two reverse speeds are disclosed, with two very low ratios suitable for non-highway travel. The transmission is suitable for two and four wheel drive.

A constant mesh gear transmission has an input shaft (), two layshafts () and an output shaft (). Gear wheels are selectively connectable to shafts to provide forward and reverse speed ratios. Reverse speed ratio is via a sleeve () of a reverse layshaft (). The sleeve can also re-circulate torque to a forward layshaft () to provide an additional low forward speed ratio. Two sleeves and two additional low forward speed ratios are disclosed.

A vehicle transfer case has a first input drive means, a first output drive means and a second output drive means. A first epicyclic gear set is provided in the transfer case. The first epicyclic gear set includes a first sun gear, a plurality of first planetary gears, a first planet carrier and a first ring gear. A first clutch means is configured to control the first epicyclic gear set. The first output drive means is drivingly coupled to the first input drive means; and the first clutch means selectively drivingly couples the second output drive means to the first input drive means.

Transfer case

A constant mesh gearbox has five parallel rotational axes. The input and output axes are not aligned. Up to eight forward speeds are disclosed, with two very low ratios suitable for non-highway travel. The transmission is suitable for two and four wheel drive.

A constant mesh gearbox has five parallel rotational axes. The input and output axes are not aligned. Some torque paths are via a sleeve rotatable on a shaft on one of said axes. Up to eight forward speeds are disclosed, with two very low ratios suitable for non-highway travel. The transmission is suitable for two and four wheel drive.

A vehicle having a four-wheel-drive system including an auxiliary portion that has an auxiliary driveshaft and drive means between the auxiliary driveshaft arranged to releasably connect a second group of wheels to the driveline via a releasable torque transmitting device. The releasable torque transmitting device is operable to allow slippage of the input portion with respect to the output portions, thereby to vary an amount of torque that is transmitted to the second group of wheels.

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Russell Osborn