TEAM Industries was awarded its tenth patent (Patent no. 7,810,601), for an All Terrain or Utility Vehicle Having Selectable Drive Configurations and Method.
This patent describes the electronics and control algorithm for TEAM’s SmartLocker Electronic Traction Control differential system which represents a breakthrough in traction control for light automotive, recreational, and off-road vehicles.
The SmartLocker (also covered by US patent 7,278,945) provides an automotive type 4 wheel drive system that provides true all-wheel drive automatically and on the fly.
The SmartLocker is programmable and, with TEAM’s SmartLocker Automatic Electronic Disconnect(patent no. 7,591,355) will automatically select 2 wheel drive, 3 wheel drive, or 4 wheel drive as needed.
On surfaces with good traction, a vehicle equipped with the SmartLocker system will stay in 2 wheel drive with a turf-friendly, easy steering, open differential.
On slippery surfaces the system will detect the amount of slip and automatically decide whether to send power to the front wheels and decide how tight to lock the differential(s).
According to Micah Ricke, TEAM’s Director of Product Development, “The SmartLocker provides the most elegant and sophisticated traction control system available.”
TEAM’s SmartLocker differentials (front and rear) are presently being evaluated by several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for use in ATV and utility vehicles and will debut in the spring of 2011 on a major OEM vehicle.
Visit TEAM’s website at www.team-ind.com to learn more about its SmartLocker technology.
About TEAM Industries – TEAM Industries designs and manufactures systems that take power and puts it to work quietly and efficiently. Driving innovation with six locations throughout Minnesota and North Carolina, headquartered in Bagley, Minnesota, TEAM has been developing performance and reliability enhancing components for original equipment manufacturers since 1967.
