Apparatus for actively controlling stability of vehicle

• US 10,093,143 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kang, Tae Han
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Keith J
• Application Number:
  US15/263,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20170313152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 280 5502, 280 5511, 280124106, 267186, 267187, 267188, 267191, 267277
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/27 wherein the fluid is a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/073 between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/24 Fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/442 Rotary actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1224 End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/62 Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition

Abstract

An apparatus for actively controlling stability of a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a strut tower brace bar that is disposed in a lateral direction of a vehicle body and opposite ends of the strut tower brace bar are individually connected to upper portions of left and right shock absorbers. Additionally, an actuator is disposed at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction of the strut tower brace bar. When torsional deformation of the strut tower brace bar occurs due to rolling of the vehicle body, the actuator is configured to restore the strut tower brace bar by receiving gas from the left and right shock absorbers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for actively controlling stability of a vehicle, comprising:

a strut tower brace bar disposed in a lateral direction of a vehicle body, wherein opposite ends of the strut tower brace bar are individually connected to upper portions of left and right shock absorbers; and

an actuator disposed at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction of the strut tower brace bar, wherein when torsional deformation of the strut tower brace bar occurs by rolling of the vehicle body, the actuator is configured to restore the strut tower brace bar by receiving gas filled in the left and right shock absorbers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes:

a rotary shaft member having a plurality of blade parts that extend in radial directions on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft member; and

a housing that surrounds the rotary shaft member to allow the rotary shaft member to rotate axially, and defines a space where the blade parts are disposed, wherein the space is divided into a plurality of chambers by the blade parts, and when the rotary shaft member rotates axially, volume of the chambers changes by the blade parts.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotary shaft member is the strut tower brace bar.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotary shaft member is integrally connected to the strut tower brace bar.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of gas tubes that are gas flow paths disposed between the left and right shock absorbers and associated chambers by individually connecting the shock absorbers and the chambers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a plurality of partition parts protrude toward a center of the housing from an inner circumferential surface of the housing, and the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft member contacts the partition parts.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the blade parts include a first blade and a second blade that protrude in directions opposite to each other from the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft member.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the partition parts include a first partition and a second partition that are individually disposed at diagonally opposite positions, and the volume of the chambers are equal by the blade parts and the partition parts that are arranged alternately.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the partition parts includes a first sealing member to seal a junction between the rotary shaft member and the partition parts, thereby sealing the chambers.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gas tubes include:

two first tubes connected to the left shock absorber and two second tubes connected to the right shock absorber.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the two first tubes are individually connected to the chambers disposed at diagonally opposite positions, and the two second tubes are individually connected to the remaining chambers disposed at the other diagonally opposite positions.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the blade parts includes a second sealing member to seal a junction between the blade parts and an inner circumferential surface of the housing, thereby sealing the chambers.