TRIPPED ROLLOVER MITIGATION AND PREVENTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080119984A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: HROVAT, DAVOR, TSENG, ERIC, FODOR, MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/38
• 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 2300/40 Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/064 Degree of grip
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/00 Steering deflectable wheels not otherwise provided for steering positon indicators B62D15/02

Abstract

A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include an object information device. An active suspension or an active steering system may be coupled to a wheel of the vehicle. The rollover system may include a lateral support system. A controller determines that an obstacle is an imminent tripping obstacle and raises or steers the wheel, to prevent the wheel from colliding with the obstacle, or deploys the lateral support system in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include a chassis and a driving surface wheel. A wheel assembly is coupled to the chassis inward from the driving surface wheel relative to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The wheel assembly contacts the driving surface when a roll angle of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle;

an active suspension coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the active suspension, the controller comprising logic to determine the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle, and raise the at least one wheel to prevent the at least one wheel from colliding with the obstacle in response to a first rollover notification signal and the determination.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one wheel is raised prior to the at least one wheel contacting the obstacle.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one wheel is raised to a height of the obstacle.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one wheel is raised to a level above the obstacle.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one object information device comprises at least one of an object indicator, a sensor, a global positioning system, a navigation system, a camera, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, or a radio frequency sensor.

6. A system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle status sensor generating a vehicle status signal, the controller raising the at least one wheel in response to the vehicle status signal.

7. A system as in claim 1 further comprising a lateral support system, the controller deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the first rollover notification signal and the determination.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein the lateral support system is deployed subsequent to raising the at least one wheel.

9. A system as in claim 7 wherein the controller deploys the lateral support system subsequent to raising the at least one wheel and in response to a second rollover notification signal.

10. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle;

an active steering system coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the active steering system, the controller comprising logic to determine the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle, and steer the at least one wheel toward the obstacle in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination.

11. A rollover stability control system as in claim 10 wherein the controller steers a plurality of wheels toward the obstacle in response to the rollover notification signal and the determination.

12. A system as in claim 10 further comprising a lateral support system, the controller deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the first rollover notification signal and the determination.

13. A system as in claim 12 wherein the lateral support system is deployed subsequent to the steering of the at least one wheel.

14. A system as in claim 12 wherein the controller deploys the lateral support system subsequent to the steering of the at least one wheel and in response to a second rollover notification signal.

15. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle;

a lateral support system; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the deployable system, the controller comprising logic to determine the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle, and deploy the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination.

16. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system comprises at least one airbag.

17. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system comprises at least one retractable arm.

18. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system comprises:

at least one arm; and

at least one wheel set coupled to the at least one arm.

19. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system is deployed from a side of the vehicle.

20. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system is deployed from the undercarriage of the vehicle.

21. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system is passively released when deployed.

22. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system comprises:

at least one actuator; and

at least one deployable element coupled to the at least one actuator.

23. A rollover stability control system as in claim 15 wherein the lateral support system comprises an active tensegrity device.

24. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

at least one driving surface wheel coupled to the chassis and in contact with a driving surface;

a wheel assembly coupled to the chassis inward from the at least one driving surface wheel relative to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle; and

the wheel assembly contacting the driving surface when a roll angle of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined level.

25. An system as in claim 24 wherein the wheel assembly comprises an omni-directional wheel set.

26. A system as in claim 24 further comprising a controller raising the at least one driving surface wheel in response to a rollover notification signal.

27. A system as in claim 24 further comprising a controller deploying the wheel assembly in response to a rollover notification signal.

28. A system as in claim 24 further comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle;

an active suspension coupled to the at least one driving surface wheel; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the active suspension, the controller comprising logic to determine the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle, and raise the at least one driving surface wheel in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination.

29. A system as in claim 24 wherein the omni-directional wheel set in contacting the driving surface unloads the at least one driving surface wheel.

30. A system as in claim 24 wherein the wheel assembly is a caster wheel assembly.

31. A system as in claim 24 wherein the wheel assembly comprises a plurality of laterally rolling wheels.

32. A system as in claim 24 further comprising:

at least one omni-directional wheel set sensor coupled to the wheel assembly and generating a sensor signal; and

a controller generating a rollover notification signal in response to the sensor signal.

33. A system as in claim 32 wherein the at least one omni-directional wheel set sensor generates a lateral velocity signal, the controller generating the rollover notification signal in response to the lateral velocity signal.

34. A system as in claim 24 wherein the at least one wheel assembly is deployed to facilitate parallel parking of the vehicle.

35. A method of operating a rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

generating a vehicle status signal;

generating a vehicle rollover notification signal in response to the vehicle status signal; and

raising at least one wheel of the vehicle in response to the rollover notification signal to prevent the at least one wheel from colliding with an object.

36. A method as in claim 35 comprising:

detecting an obstacle;

determining the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle; and

deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the determination.

37. A method of operating a rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

generating a vehicle status signal;

generating a vehicle rollover notification signal in response to the vehicle status signal; and

deploying a lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal.

38. A method as in claim 37 comprising:

detecting an obstacle;

determining the obstacle to be an imminent tripping obstacle; and

deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the determination.

39. A method of operating a rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

generating a vehicle status signal;

generating a vehicle rollover notification signal in response to the vehicle status signal;

controlling a first vertical position of at least one omni-directional wheel set in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal; and

controlling a second vertical position of at least one driving surface wheel in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal.

40. A method as in claim 39 wherein generating the vehicle status signal comprises generating a roll angle.

41. A method as in claim 39 comprising lowering the at least one omni-directional wheel set or raising the at least one driving surface wheel in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal.

42. A method as in claim 39 comprising lowering the at least one omni-directional wheel set and raising the at least one driving surface wheel in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal.