VEHICLE MOTION CONTROL APPARATUS AND SUSPENSION CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20130079988A1
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: YAMAKADO, Makoto, ICHIMARU, Nobuyuki, HIRAO, Ryusuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/38
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/16 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance

Abstract

A vehicle motion control apparatus, which is configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force during a steering operation of the vehicle, includes a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between a vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of which is capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle, a force adjustment unit configured to adjust the force of each of the force generation apparatuses, and a target pitch state calculation unit configured to calculate a target pitch state from a state in which the vehicle body turns. The force adjustment unit adjusts the force of each of the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state calculated by the target pitch state calculation unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force during a steering operation of the vehicle, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between a vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle;

a force adjustment unit configured to adjust the force of each of the force generation apparatuses; and

a target pitch state calculation unit configured to calculate a target pitch state from a state in which the vehicle body turns,

wherein the force adjustment unit adjusts the force of each of the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state calculated by the target pitch state calculation unit.

2. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a target pitch state value switching unit capable of switching a value of the target pitch state.

3. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a target roll state calculation unit configured to calculate a target roll state from the state in which the vehicle turns,

wherein the force adjustment unit further adjusts the force of each of the force generation apparatuses so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state.

4. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.

5. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 4, the vehicle motion control apparatus determines the state in which the tire of the vehicle grips the road surface with use of a difference yaw rate, which is a difference between a detected value and an estimated value of a yaw rate of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the force generation apparatuses is a shock absorber, and the force adjustment unit adjusts a damping force of the shock absorber.

7. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brake force control unit adjusts a longitudinal acceleration according to a lateral jerk.

8. A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force at the vehicle when the vehicle turns, to change a posture of a vehicle body in a pitch direction, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between the vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus calculates a target pitch state, and adjusts the forces generated by the brake force control unit and the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state.

9. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus further calculates a target roll state, and adjusts the force generated by each of the force generation apparatuses so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state.

10. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.

11. The vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 10, the vehicle motion control apparatus determines the state in which the tire of the vehicle grips the road surface with use of a difference yaw rate, which is a difference between a detected value and an estimated value of a yaw rate of the vehicle.

12. A suspension control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force at the vehicle when the vehicle turns, to change a posture of a vehicle body in a pitch direction, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between the vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the suspension apparatus calculates a target pitch state, and adjusts the force generated by each of the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state, when the brake force control unit changes the posture in the pitch direction while the vehicle is turning.

13. The suspension control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the suspension control apparatus further calculates a target roll state, and adjusts the force generated by each of the force generation apparatuses so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state.

14. The suspension control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the suspension control apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.

15. The suspension control apparatus according to claim 14, the suspension control apparatus determines the state in which the tire of the vehicle grips the road surface with use of a difference yaw rate, which is a difference between a detected value and an estimated value of a yaw rate of the vehicle.

16. A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force during a steering operation of the vehicle, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between a vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle;

a force adjustment unit configured to adjust the force of each of the force generation apparatuses;

a target pitch state calculation unit configured to calculate a target pitch state from a state in which the vehicle body turns; and

a target roll state calculation unit configured to calculate a target roll state from the state in which the vehicle body turns,

wherein the force adjustment unit adjusts the force of each of the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state while adjusting the force of each of the force generation apparatuses so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state, and

wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.

17. A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force at the vehicle when the vehicle turns to change a posture of a vehicle body in a pitch direction, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between the vehicle body of the vehicle and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus calculates a target pitch state and a target roll state, and adjusts forces generated by the brake force control unit and the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state while adjusting the force generated by each of the force generation apparatuses so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state, and

wherein the vehicle motion control apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.

18. A suspension control apparatus configured to be used with a vehicle including a brake force control unit capable of generating a brake force at the vehicle when the vehicle turns to change a posture of a vehicle body in a pitch direction, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of force generation apparatuses disposed between the vehicle body and a plurality of axles, each of the force generation apparatuses being capable of generating an adjustable force between the vehicle body and each wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the suspension apparatus calculates a target pitch state and a target roll state, and adjusts the force generated by each of the force generation apparatuses so that a pitch state of the vehicle body approaches the target pitch state while adjusting the force generated by each of the force generation apparatus so that a roll state of the vehicle body approaches the target roll state, when the brake force control unit changes the posture in the pitch direction while the vehicle is turning, and

wherein the suspension apparatus changes a control ratio between control with respect to the target pitch state and control with respect to the target roll state according to a state in which a tire of the vehicle grips a road surface.