Part-time four-wheel drive system with steering angle responsive control
A four-wheel drive vehicle is described which consists of: an engine, a pair of first wheels and a pair of second wheels, a drive system capable of transmitting torque from the engine to the first wheels and the second wheels, the drive system comprising changeover means for changing the drive system from a four-wheel drive mode to a two-wheel drive mode and vice versa, the changeover means comprising a clutch; and a control system comprising: means for sensing a steering angle of at least one steerable wheel of the vehicle, condition sensing means for detecting whether the drive system is in the four-wheel drive mode of the two-wheel drive mode, means for sensing the speed of the vehicle, and control means connected with the steering angle sensing means and the condition sensing means, for controlling the changeover means in accordance with signals of the steering angle sensing means and the condition sensing means. The control means are arranged to command the changeover means to change the condition of the drive system from the four-wheel drive mode to the two-wheel drive mode if the sensed steering angle is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle and at the same time the drive system is in the four-wheel drive mode. The control means is further connected with the speed sensing means and arranged to command the changeover means to change the drive system from the four-wheel drive mode to the two-wheel drive mode only when the sensed vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed.
- Assignee:
- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4609064
- OSTI ID:
- 5165366
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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