Anti-rollback Control System for Hybrid and Conventional Powertrain Vehicles

• US 20110184615A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rollfree Tek, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rollfree Tek, LLC
• Inventors: MARCUS, ESSAM TAWFIK
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2081 for drive off on a slope
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/30 Parking brake position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18118 Hill holding
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

The present invention provides an anti-rollback control system for use in a motor vehicle, having a powertrain which includes an ICE and/or an electric motor, and an automatic or automated transmission system, for preventing undesired rolling of said vehicle on an incline. Said anti-rollback control system comprises: a tilt sensor; a sensor that detects the selected transmission'"'"'s operating mode; operator-independent accelerator pedal position-adjusting device; and an accelerator pedal control module. The control module receives signals from the sensors, process said signals, and send instructions accordingly to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device to move the accelerator pedal to a predetermined position according to which the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain generates a preset amount of mechanical power sufficient to create a force, in the intended direction of movement of the vehicle, equivalent to, or bigger than, the gravitational force tending to roll the vehicle in the unwanted direction.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having a powertrain that includes an automatic or an automated transmission system, an anti-rollback control system comprising:

at least one tilt sensor that measures the angle of inclination of the vehicle'"'"'s longitudinal axis with reference to the horizontal plane and generates signals accordingly;

at least one sensor for detecting a selected operating mode of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission system and generating signals accordingly;

an operator-independent accelerator pedal position-adjusting device; and

an accelerator pedal control module constructed and configured for receiving the signals generated by the at least one sensor relating to tilt and the at least one sensor for detecting the selected operating mode of the transmission system, processing said received signals, and sending instructions accordingly to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device to move at least one movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly to a predetermined position according to which a predetermined corresponding amount of mechanical power is generated by the vehicle'"'"'s powertrain, with said predetermined amount of mechanical power being sufficient to create a force, in the intended direction of movement of the vehicle, equivalent to, or bigger than, the gravitational force tending to roll the vehicle in the unwanted direction.

2. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which further comprises at least one sensor that detects the position of the vehicle'"'"'s brake pedal and sends signals accordingly to said accelerator pedal control module, with said accelerator pedal control module being configured to begin sending said instructions to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device once the brake pedal reaches a predetermined position.

3. The anti-rollback control system of claim 2, wherein the said predetermined brake pedal position at which said accelerator pedal control module is configured to begin sending said instructions to the accelerator pedal position-adjusting device is determined in correlation with the said measured angle of inclination.

4. The anti-rollback control system of claim 2, wherein the accelerator pedal control module is configured to send signals to move the accelerator pedal position-adjusting device to its idle position once the brake pedal reaches a predetermined position.

5. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which further comprises at least one sensor that detects the hydrostatic pressure at at least one point within the vehicle'"'"'s brake system and sends signals accordingly to said accelerator pedal control module, with said accelerator pedal control module being configured to begin sending the said instructions to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device once the hydrostatic pressure within the vehicle'"'"'s brake system drops to a predetermined level.

6. The anti-rollback control system of claim 5, wherein the said predetermined brake pressure level at which said accelerator pedal control module is configured to begin sending said instructions to the accelerator pedal position-adjusting device is determined in correlation with the said measured angle of inclination.

7. The anti-rollback control system of claim 5, wherein the accelerator pedal control module is configured to send signals to move the accelerator pedal position-adjusting device to its idle position once the hydrostatic pressure within the vehicle'"'"'s brake system reaches a predetermined level.

8. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s maximum loading weight is being taken into account while processing said received signals by said accelerator pedal control module.

9. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which further comprises at least one sensor for generating a signal indicative of a speed of said vehicle and sending signals accordingly to said accelerator pedal control module, with said accelerator pedal control module being configured for processing the received signals, along with said signals received from said tilt sensor and said sensor for detecting the selected operating mode of the transmission system, and sending instructions accordingly to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device.

10. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which further comprises at least one weight measuring device that measures the weight of said vehicle and sends signals accordingly to said accelerator pedal control module, with said accelerator pedal control module being configured for processing the received signals, along with said signals received from said tilt sensor and said sensor for detecting the selected operating mode of the transmission system, and sending instructions accordingly to said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device.

11. The anti-rollback control system of claim 10, wherein the said weight measuring device is a load cell.

12. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device includes:

a cam and follower mechanism; and

a stepper motor, with the said follower being incorporated within a movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly so that the movement of the follower is directly transmitted to at least one movable component of the accelerator pedal assembly, and with the movement of the said cam and follower mechanism being controlled by the said stepper motor in accordance with said instructions sent by said accelerator pedal control module.

13. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein the said predetermined amount of mechanical power generated by said powertrain is a function of the position of a movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly, with the said component being movable by said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device in accordance with said instructions sent by said accelerator pedal control module.

14. The anti-rollback control system of claim 13, wherein said accelerator pedal position-adjusting device includes:

a cam and follower mechanism; and

a stepper motor, with the said follower being incorporated within the said movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly so that the movement of the follower is directly transmitted to the said movable component, and with the movement of the said cam and follower mechanism being controlled by the said stepper motor in accordance with said instructions sent by said accelerator pedal control module.

15. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein said signals generated by said tilt sensor and received by said accelerator pedal control module are repeated at equal intervals.

16. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein the accelerator pedal control module is a multi-task module.

17. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal is a pendant-type accelerator pedal.

18. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal is an organ-type accelerator pedal.

19. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which is functional for preventing undesired backward rolling of said vehicle on beginning/resuming its forward movement after stopping it on an uphill incline.

20. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which is functional for preventing undesired forward rolling of said vehicle on beginning/resuming its backward movement after stopping it on a downhill incline.

21. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which is operable for preventing undesired rolling of said vehicle on anyone of a number of inclines, with each of the said inclines having a different angle of inclination, wherein each individual angle of inclination measured by the said tilt sensor, on operating the vehicle on each of the said inclines, is being correlated with a different set of instructions sent by said accelerator pedal control module.

22. The anti-rollback control system of claim 1, which is operable for preventing undesired rolling of said vehicle on anyone of a number of inclines, with each of the said inclines having a different angle of inclination, and with the angles of inclinations of the said inclines being functionally grouped into at least one range of angles, wherein each individual angle of inclination measured by the said tilt sensor, on operating the vehicle on each of the said inclines, is being correlated with a predetermined set of instructions sent by said accelerator pedal control module based on the range of angles within which said measured angle of inclination lies.

23. In a motor vehicle having a powertrain that includes an automatic or an automated transmission system, a method for preventing undesired rolling of said vehicle on beginning/resuming the movement of the vehicle after stopping it on an incline, said method comprises:

providing an operator-independent device for adjusting the position of at least one movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly;

measuring the angle of inclination of the vehicle'"'"'s longitudinal axis with reference to the horizontal plane and generating signals accordingly;

detecting the selected operating mode of the vehicle'"'"'s transmission system and generating signals accordingly;

processing said generated signals; and

sending instructions accordingly to said device provided for adjusting the position of at least one movable component of the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator pedal assembly.

24. The method of claim 23, which further comprises detecting the position of the vehicle'"'"'s brake pedal and generating signals accordingly, with said generated signals being processed along with said signals generated in correlation with said measured angle of inclination of the vehicle and said signals generated in correlation with said selected operating mode of the transmission system, and with said sent instructions being configured accordingly.

25. The method of claim 23, which further comprises detecting the pressure within the vehicle'"'"'s brake system and generating signals accordingly, with said generated signals being processed along with said signals generated in correlation with said measured angle of inclination of the vehicle and said signals generated in correlation with said selected operating mode of the transmission system, and with said sent instructions being configured accordingly.

26. The method of claim 23, which further comprises measuring the speed of the said vehicle and generating signals accordingly, with said generated signals being processed along with said signals generated in correlation with said measured angle of inclination of the vehicle and said signals generated in correlation with said selected operating mode of the transmission system, and with said sent instructions being configured accordingly.

27. The method of claim 23, which further comprises measuring the weight of the vehicle and generating signals accordingly, with said generated signals being processed along with said signals generated in correlation with said measured angle of inclination of the vehicle and said signals generated in correlation with said selected operating mode of the transmission system, and with said sent instructions being configured accordingly.