Control system for adjustable damping force damper

• US 20060224286A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Izawa, Masaki, Kato, Takafumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/202 Piston speed; Relative velocity between vehicle body and wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/206 Body oscillation speed; Body vibration frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/184 Semi-Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/22 Magnetic elements

Abstract

A control system for a adjustable damping force damper includes a damper and a spring provided on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle, a sprung speed sensor for detecting speed of an upper member of the spring, the sprung speed is generated when the vehicle gets over steps on a road surface and a control unit for setting a gain so as to determine an damping force of the damper based on a product of the sprung speed and the gain. When an absolute value of the sprung speed exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit changes the gain in response to a positive sign or a negative sign of the sprung speed.

Claims

1. A control system for an adjustable damping force damper, comprising:

a damper and a spring provided on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle;

a sprung speed sensor for detecting speed of an upper member of the spring, the sprung speed is generated when the vehicle gets over steps on a road surface; and

a control unit for setting a gain so as to determine a damping force of the damper based on a product of the sprung speed and the gain,

wherein, when an absolute value of the sprung speed exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit changes the gain in response to a positive sign or a negative sign of the sprung speed.

2. The control system for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 1, wherein, when the sign of the sprung speed is positive, the gain is set larger than a case where the sign of the sprung speed is negative.

3. A control method for an adjustable damping force damper provided on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting a sprung speed which is generated when the vehicle gets over steps on a road surface;

determining whether or not an absolute value of the sprung speed exceed a predetermined value, and changing a gain in response to a positive or negative sign of the sprung speed

controlling a damping force in accordance with a product of the sprung speed and the gain.

4. The control method for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 3, wherein, when the sign of the sprung speed is positive, the gain is set larger than a case where the sign of the sprung speed is negative.