DAMPING FORCE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20070156314A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: TOMIDA, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0152 characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• 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 17/0182 involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0511 Roll angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0512 Pitch angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/40 Steering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/104 continuous
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/1871 Optimal control; Kalman Filters
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/01 Attitude or posture control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0122 Roll rigidity ratio; Warping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive

Abstract

A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle includes adjustable-damping-force shock absorbers. When the vehicle turns, an electronic controller calculates an actual roll angle of the vehicle body in accordance with sprung accelerations detected by sprung acceleration sensors. The electronic controller also calculates a target roll angle of the vehicle body in accordance with a lateral acceleration detected by a lateral acceleration sensor. The target roll angle is set such that it increases with the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle during turning and is uniquely determined by the lateral acceleration. The electronic controller sets target damping forces of the shock absorbers such that the actual roll angle coincides with the target roll angle, and controls the damping forces of the shock absorbers in accordance with the set target damping forces.

Claims

1. A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle in which four wheels are suspended by respective suspension systems including respective shock absorbers, and damping forces of the shock absorbers are controlled individually in accordance with turning conditions of the vehicle, the damping force control apparatus comprising:

posture detection means for detecting the posture of the vehicle during turning;

lateral acceleration detection means for detecting a lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle during turning;

target-posture setting means for setting a target posture of the vehicle body during turning in accordance with the lateral acceleration detected by the lateral acceleration detection means;

target-damping-force setting means for setting target damping forces which the shock absorbers are required to generate so as to render the posture of the vehicle body detected by the posture detection means coincident with the target posture set by the target-posture setting means; and

damping-force control means for controlling the damping forces of the shock absorbers in accordance with the target damping forces set by the target-damping-force setting means.

2. A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection means detects an actual roll angle of the vehicle body about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the target-posture setting means sets a target roll angle of the vehicle body about the longitudinal axis which increases with the detected lateral acceleration and is uniquely determined by the lateral acceleration.

3. A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection means detects an actual pitch angle of the vehicle body about a lateral axis of the vehicle, and the target-posture setting means sets a target pitch angle of the vehicle body about the lateral axis which increases with the detected lateral acceleration and is uniquely determined by the lateral acceleration.

4. A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection means detects an actual roll angle of the vehicle body about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and an actual pitch angle of the vehicle body about a lateral axis of the vehicle, and the target-posture setting means sets a target roll angle of the vehicle body about the longitudinal axis which increases with the detected lateral acceleration and is uniquely determined by the lateral acceleration and a target pitch angle of the vehicle body about the lateral axis which increases with the detected lateral acceleration and is uniquely determined by the lateral acceleration.

5. A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the target-damping-force setting means includes:

jack-up-force calculation means for calculating a jack-up force acting from the suspension systems to the vehicle body during turning, and jack-up-corresponding-target-damping-force calculation means for calculating the target damping forces in consideration of the Jack-up force calculated by the jack-up-force calculation means.