Vehicle anti-rollover system and method

• US 20090076683A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Hsien Heng, Lim, Chee Siong, Patterson, James F.
• Application Number:
  US11/900,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/80 Exterior conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/222 during collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/085 Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping

Abstract

An anti-rollover system including a processor, a side impact sensor in communication with the processor, and a controllable suspension-based system and/or a controllable brake-based system in communication with the processor, wherein the controllable suspension-based system and/or the controllable brake-based system is actuated when the side impact sensor detects a side impact.

Claims

1. An anti-rollover system comprising:

a processor;

a side impact sensor in communication with said processor; and

at least one of a controllable suspension-based system and a controllable brake-based system in communication with said processor, wherein at least one of said controllable suspension-based system and said controllable brake-based system is actuated when said side impact sensor detects a side impact.

2. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said communication between said side impact sensor and said processor is direct.

3. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 further comprising an airbag deployment system and said communication between said side impact sensor and said processor is made by way of said airbag deployment system.

4. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said processor is an electronic control unit;

5. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said side impact sensor includes at least one of a crush-sensing switch, an accelerometer and a pressure sensor.

6. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said controllable suspension-based system is at least one of an active stabilizer bar system and a suspension control system.

7. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said controllable brake-based system is an electronic stability control system.

8. The anti-rollover system of claim 1 wherein said processor, said side impact sensor, said controllable suspension-based system and said controllable brake-based system are disposed on a vehicle.

9. An anti-rollover system comprising:

an airbag deployment system;

a side impact sensor in communication with said airbag deployment system;

a processor in communication with said airbag deployment system; and

at least one of a controllable suspension-based system and a controllable brake-based system in communication with said processor,

wherein at least one of said controllable suspension-based system and said controllable brake-based system is actuateable in response to a signal received by said processor from said airbag deployment system.

10. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said processor is an electronic control unit;

11. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said side impact sensor includes at least one of a crush-sensing switch, an accelerometer and a pressure sensor.

12. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said controllable suspension-based system is at least one of an active stabilizer bar system and a suspension control system.

13. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said controllable brake-based system is an electronic stability control system.

14. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said airbag deployment system, said side impact sensor, said processor, said controllable suspension-based system and said controllable brake-based system are disposed on a vehicle.

15. The anti-rollover system of claim 9 wherein said airbag deployment system is in communication with said processor by way of a serial link.

16. A method for avoiding rollover of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing said vehicle with at least one of a controllable suspension-based system and a controllable brake-based system;

determining that said vehicle has experienced a side impact; and

after said determining step, actuating at least one of said controllable suspension-based system and said controllable brake-based system in response to said side impact.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said determining step is performed by a side impact sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said side impact sensor is associated with an airbag deployment system.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said controllable suspension-based system includes an active stabilizer bar system having a front axle component and a rear axle component, and wherein said actuating step includes actuating said front axle component and not actuating said rear axle component.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said controllable suspension-based system includes a suspension control system having a front axle damper and a rear axle damper, and wherein said actuating step includes stiffening said front axle damper and softening said rear axle damper.