A method for operating a motor vehicle having a four-wheel drive and a drive unit, which can be switched on and off during travel, wherein the motor vehicle is driven by a torque provided by the drive unit, and the initially disengaged four-wheel drive is switched on, including: determining at least one limit torque which, while the four-wheel drive is switched off, can be transmitted from at least one wheel of the motor vehicle driven by the drive unit to the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle is travelling, while the slip between the at least one wheel and the ground surface falls below a specifiable threshold value.

A method for controlling the safe operation of a rear axle of a set of combined axles powered by a motor vehicle, particularly for a vehicle designed to carry loads and which have 6×4, 8×4 or 10×4 type traction configurations, or tridem models formed by three drive axles. The method includes a set of steps and activities that ensure proper and safe operation of systems and mechanisms for uncoupling and raising a rear axle of a vehicle, and more specifically checking a status of certain operating parameters of the rear axle and of the vehicle itself in order to permit or prevent uncoupling and coupling, as well as raising and lowering of the rear axle of the vehicle.

A method for controlling the safe operation of a rear axle of a set of combined axles powered by a motor vehicle, particularly for a vehicle designed to carry loads and which have 6×4, 8×4 or 10×4 type traction configurations, or tridem models formed by three drive axles. The method includes a set of steps and activities that ensure proper and safe operation of systems and mechanisms for uncoupling and raising a rear axle of a vehicle, and more specifically checking a status of certain operating parameters of the rear axle and of the vehicle itself in order to permit or prevent uncoupling and coupling, as well as raising and lowering of the rear axle of the vehicle.

A drive device for a vehicle includes an electric motor, a speed reduction device configured to reduce the speed of rotation transferred from the electric motor, and a drive force distribution device that distributes and outputs a drive force of the electric motor that is input via the speed reduction device to a first output rotary member and a second output rotary member. The speed reduction device has a first gear member, a second gear member, a coupling member, and a moving mechanism.

A drive device for a vehicle includes an electric motor, a speed reduction device configured to reduce the speed of rotation transferred from the electric motor, and a drive force distribution device that distributes and outputs a drive force of the electric motor that is input via the speed reduction device to a first output rotary member and a second output rotary member. The speed reduction device has a first gear member, a second gear member, a coupling member, and a moving mechanism.

A vehicle driveline component includes an armature disposed and moveable along a translation axis, a coil assembly having a coil, a coil driver, an oscillator circuit having a resonant circuit, and a controller. The oscillator circuit is electrically coupled to the coil such that the coil defines a portion of the resonant circuit. The oscillator circuit generates an oscillating signal having a frequency that varies based on a spacing between the armature and the coil assembly along the translation axis. The controller applies a drive signal to the coil driver to have the coil driver provide a modulating power signal to the coil to generate an electromagnetic field that causes relative motion between the coil assembly and the armature along the translation axis. The controller determines a system response characteristic related to the spacing between the armature and the coil assembly based on the oscillating signal.

A vehicle driveline component includes an armature disposed and moveable along a translation axis, a coil assembly having a coil, a coil driver, an oscillator circuit having a resonant circuit, and a controller. The oscillator circuit is electrically coupled to the coil such that the coil defines a portion of the resonant circuit. The oscillator circuit generates an oscillating signal having a frequency that varies based on a spacing between the armature and the coil assembly along the translation axis. The controller applies a drive signal to the coil driver to have the coil driver provide a modulating power signal to the coil to generate an electromagnetic field that causes relative motion between the coil assembly and the armature along the translation axis. The controller determines a system response characteristic related to the spacing between the armature and the coil assembly based on the oscillating signal.

A drive control apparatus includes a circuitry configured to operate a differential lock device of a differential device in timings which are different between a two wheel drive state and a four wheel drive state. The differential device is disposed between one of a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels of the vehicle and configured to transmit a driving force from a drive source to the one of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels. The differential lock device is configured to lock a differential rotation of a pair of output members of the differential device that are differentially rotatable with respect to each other, and configured to respectively output the drive force.

An actuator assembly including a housing. The housing having an actuator component, an armature, and at least a portion of a sensor disposed therein. The armature is selectively positionable between a first position and a second position. The sensor includes at least one sensing element disposed within the housing adjacent to the armature. The sensing element has a physical property which varies based upon a position of the armature within the housing.

An actuator assembly including a housing. The housing having an actuator component, an armature, and at least a portion of a sensor disposed therein. The armature is selectively positionable between a first position and a second position. The sensor includes at least one sensing element disposed within the housing adjacent to the armature. The sensing element has a physical property which varies based upon a position of the armature within the housing.