SPRUNG MASS VELOCITY ESTIMATING APPARATUS

• US 20090132121A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Koji, Furuichi, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/06 Characteristics of dampers , e.g. mechanical dampersB60G17/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• 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 2400/206 Body oscillation speed; Body vibration frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper

Abstract

A sprung mass velocity estimating apparatus used in a four-wheeled vehicle to estimate a sprung mass velocity for each wheel of the vehicle, comprises a state quantity detecting unit for detecting a state quantity of the vehicle, a base value calculating unit for calculating a sprung mass velocity base value for each of the four wheels based on a detection result of the state quantity detecting unit by using a prescribed oscillation model, and a sprung mass velocity calculating unit for calculating the sprung mass velocity for each wheel by mutually adjusting the sprung mass velocity base values for the four wheels.

Claims

1. A sprung mass velocity estimating apparatus used in a four-wheeled vehicle to estimate a sprung mass velocity for each wheel of the vehicle, comprising:

a state quantity detecting unit for detecting a state quantity of the vehicle;

a base value calculating unit for calculating a sprung mass velocity base value for each of the four wheels based on a detection result of the state quantity detecting unit by using a prescribed oscillation model; and

a sprung mass velocity calculating unit for calculating the sprung mass velocity for each wheel by mutually adjusting the sprung mass velocity base values for the four wheels.

2. The sprung mass velocity estimating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sprung mass velocity calculating unit defines four points that are located at positions corresponding to those of the four wheels when seen in a vertical direction and have vertical heights corresponding to the respective sprung mass velocity base values, connects the four points with four straight line segments in a circumferential direction of the vehicle, and performs the mutual adjustment of the sprung mass velocity base values by using a flat plane containing a midpoint of each of the four straight line segments as a reference.

3. The sprung mass velocity estimating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sprung mass velocities are calculated as heights of points at which the flat plane intersects vertical straight lines passing points representing positions of the wheels.