Suspension control apparatus

• US 5,161,816 A
• Filed: 02/20/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takigawa, Masuo, Okuda, Eiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Karin L.
• Application Number:
  US07/657,844
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 280/707, 280/703, 280/772, 364/424.05
• US Class Current: 280/5.515
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/82 Ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/176 Radio or audio sensitive means, e.g. Ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/102 stepwise
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/08 Failure or malfunction detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/28 Temporary fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/76 Digital systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/702 Improving accuracy of a sensor signal

Abstract

A suspension control apparatus for a vehicle having at least one shock absorber with a controllable damping force. The suspension control apparatus includes a roll angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a roll axis of the vehicle, and control means for determining a bumpy-road driving state of the vehicle when an accumulation time exceeds a predetermined accumulation time. The control means adjusts the damping force of the shock absorber during the bumpy road driving state. The accumulation time represents the amount of time the angular velocity exceeds a predetermined angular velocity range during a first predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A suspension control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

at least one shock absorber means having a controllable damping force;

a roll angular velocity sensor for detecting angular velocity about a roll axis of said vehicle;

control means for determining a bumpy-road driving state of said vehicle when an accumulation time exceeds a predetermined accumulation time and adjusting said damping force during said bumpy road driving state;

said accumulation time representing an amount of time said angular velocity exceeds a predetermined angular velocity range during a first predetermined time period.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said control means maintains said adjusted damping force for a second predetermined time period after said bumpy-road driving state has ended.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of said vehicle;

wherein said second predetermined time period is determined based on said vehicle speed.