VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM

• US 20090001679A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Jaesung, KAJINO, Hidenori
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.106
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/50 having helical, spiral or coil springs, and also torsion-bar springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/025 the mechanical spring being a torsion spring B60G17/0277, B60G21/0553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0555 including an actuator inducing vehicle roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/184 Assymetric arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/442 Rotary actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/106 longitudinal with regard to vehicle, e.g. braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle

Abstract

A suspension system for a vehicle, including: (a) four displacement force generators each having an electromagnetic motor and configured to generate, based on a motor force generated by the motor, a displacement force forcing sprung and unsprung portions of the vehicle toward or away from each other; and (b) a controller configured to control the displacement force generated by controlling operation of the motor. The controller includes (b-1) a target-value determining portion configured to determine a target value of a displacement-force-relating amount of each of the four displacement force generators, and (b-2) a target-value reducing portion configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of a subjected device as one of the four displacement force generators, in accordance with a certain rule. The target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of at least one of non-subjected devices as the other three of the four displacement force generators, in accordance with the certain rule, when reducing the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of the subjected device in accordance with the certain rule.

Claims

1. A suspension system for a vehicle, comprising:

(a) four displacement force generators provided for respective four wheels of the vehicle, each of said four displacement force generators having an electromagnetic motor and configured to generate, based on a motor force generated by said electromagnetic motor, a displacement force forcing sprung and unsprung portions of the vehicle to be displaced toward or away from each other; and

(b) a controller configured to control the displacement force generated by each of said four displacement force generators, by controlling operation of said electromagnetic motor of said each of said four displacement force generators,

wherein said controller includes (b-1) a target-value determining portion configured to determine a target value of a displacement-force-relating amount of each of said four displacement force generators, which relates to the displacement force that is to be generated by said each of said four displacement force generators, and (b-2) a target-value reducing portion configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of a subjected device as one of said four displacement force generators, in accordance with a certain rule,

and wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of at least one of non-subjected devices as the other three of said four displacement force generators, in accordance with said certain rule, when reducing the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device in accordance with said certain rule.

2. The suspension system according to claim 1,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to treat one of at least one of said four displacement force generators as said subjected device when the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said four displacement force generators exceeds a threshold value,

and wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device and the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices.

3. The suspension system according to claim 2, wherein said certain rule is a rule for reducing the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device such that the reduced target value is not higher than the threshold value.

4. The suspension system according to claim 2, wherein said certain rule is a rule for reducing the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device such that the reduced target value is substantially equal to the threshold value.

5. The suspension system according to claim 1,

wherein said controller is configured to execute a plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls for suppressing respective undesirable behaviors of a body of the vehicle that are different from each other,

and wherein said target-value determining portion is configured to determine a plurality of target value components of the target value that are to be directed to the respective undesirable behaviors in the respective undesirable-behavior suppression controls, and to determine the target value as a sum of the plurality of target value components.

6. The suspension system according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes at least one of (i) a roll suppression control for suppressing roll of the vehicle body that is caused by turning of the vehicle, (ii) a pitch suppression control for suppressing pitch of the vehicle body that is caused by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, and (iii) a vibration suppression control for suppressing vibration of the sprung portion of the vehicle by damping the vibration.

7. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein said certain rule is a rule for reducing a subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device by multiplying the subjected target value by a specific ratio, and reducing a non-subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices by multiplying the non-subjected target value by said specific ratio.

8. The suspension system according to claim 7,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to treat one of at least one of said four displacement force generators as said subjected device when the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said four displacement force generators exceeds a threshold value,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device and the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices, and wherein said specific ratio is a ratio of the threshold value to the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device.

9. The suspension system according to claim 5, wherein said certain rule is a rule for reducing each of the plurality of target value components of a subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device by multiplying said each of the plurality of target value components of the subjected target value by a specific ratio, and reducing each of the plurality of target value components of a non-subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices by multiplying said each of the plurality of target value components of the non-subjected target value by said specific ratio.

10. The suspension system according to claim 9,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to treat one of at least one of said four displacement force generators as said subjected device when the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said four displacement force generators exceeds a threshold value,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device and the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices,

and wherein said specific ratio is a ratio of the threshold value to the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device.

11. The suspension system according to claim 5, wherein said certain rule is a rule for reducing only a part of the plurality of target value components of a subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device by multiplying said part of the plurality of target value components of the subjected target value by a specific ratio, and reducing only said part of the plurality of target value components of a non-subjected target value as the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices by multiplying said part of the plurality of target value components of the non-subjected target value by said specific ratio.

12. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to treat one of at least one of said four displacement force generators as said subjected device when the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said four displacement force generators exceeds a threshold value,

wherein said target-value reducing portion is configured to reduce the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device and the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of each of said at least one of said non-subjected devices,

and wherein said specific ratio is a ratio which is determined such that the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device is equalized to the threshold value after reduction of only said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value of the displacement-force-relating amount of said subjected device.

13. The suspension system according to claim 11, wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding at least one of the plurality of target value components of the target value from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, when a degree of at least one of the undesirable behaviors of the vehicle body, to which said at least one of the plurality of target value components is to be directed, exceeds a threshold degree.

14. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a roll suppression control for suppressing roll of the vehicle body that is caused by turning of the vehicle,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is to be directed to the roll of the vehicle body in the roll suppression control, when execution of the roll suppression control is to be prioritized.

15. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a roll suppression control for suppressing roll of the vehicle body that is caused by turning of the vehicle,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is to be directed to the roll of the vehicle body in the roll suppression control, when a roll moment received by the vehicle body exceeds a threshold value.

16. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a pitch suppression control for suppressing pitch of the vehicle body that is caused by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is to be directed to the pitch of the vehicle body in the pitch suppression control, when execution of the pitch suppression control is to be prioritized.

17. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a pitch suppression control for suppressing pitch of the vehicle body that is caused by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is to be directed to the pitch of the vehicle body in the pitch suppression control, when a pitch moment received by the vehicle body exceeds a threshold value.

18. The suspension system according to claims 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a vibration suppression control for suppressing vibration of the sprung portion of the vehicle by damping the vibration,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is be directed to the vibration of the sprung portion of the vehicle in the vibration suppression control, when execution of the vibration suppression control is to be prioritized.

19. The suspension system according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of undesirable-behavior suppression controls includes a vibration suppression control for suppressing vibration of the sprung portion of the vehicle by damping the vibration,

and wherein said certain rule is a rule for excluding, from said part of the plurality of target value components of the target value, one of the plurality of target value components of the target value that is be directed to the vibration of the sprung portion of the vehicle in the vibration suppression control, when a motion velocity of the sprung portion exceeds a threshold value.

20. The suspension system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the four displacement force generators includes (a-1) an elastic body which has an end portion connected to one of a body of the vehicle and a wheel holder that holds a corresponding one of the four wheels, and (a-2) an electromagnetic actuator which is disposed between another end portion of said elastic body and the other of the vehicle body and the wheel holder and which interconnects said another end portion of said elastic body and said other of the vehicle body and the wheel holder,

and wherein said electromagnetic actuator is configured to generate an actuator force based on the motor force generated by said electromagnetic motor, such that the generated actuator force acts on said elastic body so as to change an amount of deformation of said elastic body that is dependent on an amount of actuation of said actuator and such that the generated actuator force acts on the vehicle body and the wheel holder via said elastic body so as to serve as the displacement force.

21. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein said elastic body includes (a-1-i) a shaft portion which is rotatably held by the vehicle body and (a-1-ii) an arm portion which extends from an end portion of said shaft portion in a direction intersecting said shaft portion and which is connected at a distal end portion thereof to the wheel holder,

and wherein said actuator is fixed to the vehicle body, and is configured to generate the actuator force so as to rotate another end portion of said shaft portion about an axis of said shaft portion.

22. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein said actuator is configured to have a positive/negative efficiency product that is not larger than 1/2,

where the positive/negative efficiency product is defined as a product of a positive efficiency of said actuator and a negative efficiency of said actuator,

the positive efficiency is defined as a ratio of an amount of an external force acting on said actuator, to an amount of the motor force minimally required to cause the actuation of said actuator against the external force, and

the negative efficiency is defined as a ratio of an amount of the motor force minimally required to inhibit said actuator from being actuated by an external force acting on said actuator, to an amount of the external force.

23. The suspension system according to claim 20,

wherein said actuator includes a speed reducer configured to decelerate motion of said electromagnetic motor, and is configured to output the decelerated motion as the actuation of said actuator,

and wherein said speed reducer has a speed reduction ratio that is not larger than 1/100.

24. The suspension system according to claim 1, further comprising:

(c) four suspension springs provided for the respective four wheels and elastically interconnecting the sprung and unsprung portions of the vehicle; and

(d) four hydraulic shock absorbers provided for the respective four wheels and configured to generate respective resistance forces acting against displacement of the sprung and unsprung portions toward and away from each other.

25. The suspension system according to claim 24, wherein each of said four hydraulic shock absorbers has a damping coefficient of 1000-2000 N·

sec/m.