A forward rear drive axle of a vehicle having at least two rear drive axles has a multiple ratio gearbox and a power divider or inter-axle differential that can be connected to or disconnected from the rearward rear drive axle, so that the vehicle can be operated in 6×4 mode or in 6×2 mode. A control system is connected to the transmission and to the multiple ratio gearbox, and is configured to shift the gearbox sequentially through its ratios when the transmission is within a subset of its gear ratios chosen to maximize use of transmission gears exhibiting higher gear train efficiency. The control system is further configured to control the use of 6×4 mode or 6×2 mode independently from the shifting of the multiple ratio gearbox.
Multiple range independently disconnecting smart axle
2020-01-21
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B60W CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION , Gemeinsame Steuerung oder Regelung von Fahrzeug-Unteraggregaten verschiedenen Typs oder verschiedener Funktion / B60K Anordnung oder Einbau von Antriebseinheiten oder von Kraft- bzw. Drehmomentübertragungen in Fahrzeugen , ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES |