Patent ID: 6745885
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: B60K,B60W,F16D

Abstract:
A power distribution control apparatus for a four-wheel drive vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, the wheels being driven by an engine, and a coupling device that changes the power distribution to the front wheels and the rear wheels, wherein the front wheels or the rear wheels are first wheels that are coupled to the engine without the coupling device in between, wherein the other wheels are second wheels that are coupled to the engine through the coupling device, wherein the apparatus determines a command value that corresponds to a driving state of the vehicle, wherein the frictional force of the coupling device determines the power distribution ratio to the first wheels and the second wheels, and wherein the frictional force of the coupling device is changed based on the command value, the apparatus comprising:detecting means for detecting the differential rotation speed between the rotation speed of the front wheels and the rotation speed of the rear wheels; estimating means for estimating the exothermic energy generated in the coupling device based on the product of the differential rotation speed and the command value; selecting means for determining an optimum drive mode for the four-wheel drive vehicle based on the estimated exothermic energy and for selecting map data corresponding to the determined drive mode; and determining means for determining the command value that corresponds to the driving state by using the map data.