Patent ID: 6105703
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: B60K,B60W,F16H

Abstract:
A four-wheel drive vehicle, comprising:an engine having engine output transmitted to front and rear wheels of the vehicle for driving the vehicle;a differential coupled to said engine and transmitting the engine output to one of said front and rear wheels, wherein the engine output is also transmitted to the other of said front and rear wheels via an input shaft to which the engine output is input, a driven bevel gear coupled to the input shaft, a follower bevel gear driven by said driven bevel gear, and a clutch drive shaft coupled to the follower bevel gear;clutches disposed between opposite ends of the clutch drive shaft and left and right wheels of said other of the front and rear wheels;vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed of said vehicle; andcontrol means for controlling coupling forces of said clutches with input of a signal from said vehicle speed detecting means and decreasing a maximum coupling force of said clutches gradually in accordance with an increase in the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means.