Suspension-traction total control system

• US 5,183,127 A
• Filed: 12/02/1991
• Issued: 02/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Morita, Toshiki, Takahara, Shin, Kanazawa, Hirotaka, Kageyama, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US07/799,895
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 280/707, 280/703, 180/197, 364/424.05, 303/109, 303/113 TR
• US Class Current: 180/197
• 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 2202/154 with an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/80 Interactive suspensions; arrangement affecting more than one suspension unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/208 of wheel rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/25 Stroke; Height; Displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/30 Propulsion unit conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/302 Selected gear ratio; Transmission function
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/31 Clutch condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/33 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/34 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/51 in suspension unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/822 Road friction coefficient determination affecting wheel traction
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/02 Retarders, delaying means, dead zones, threshold values, cut-off frequency, timer interruption
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/14 Differentiating means, i.e. differential control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/182 Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/21 : Traction, slip, skid or slide control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/22 : Braking, stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/175 : Brake regulation specially adapted to prevent excessive wheel spin during vehicle acceleration, e.g. for traction control safety devices for propulsion unit control responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels B60K28/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/48 : connecting the brake actuator to an alternative or additional source of fluid pressure , e.g. traction control systems

Abstract

A vehicle is provided with both a traction control system which reduces driving torque for driving wheels of the vehicle when the driving wheels slip, and an active suspension system which has a cylinder disposed between the vehicle body and each of the wheels of the vehicle and in which suspension properties can be changed by controlling feed and discharge of the hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders. A control gain of the active suspension system is increased when the traction control system is operating.

Claims

1. A suspension-traction total control system for a vehicle comprising a traction control system which reduces driving torque for driving wheels of the vehicle when the driving wheels slip, with said traction control system controlling at least one of the engine and brakes for the wheels of the vehicle in order to reduce the driving torque, an active suspension system which has a cylinder disposed between the vehicle body and each of the wheels of the vehicle and in which suspension properties can be changed, a control means for controlling feed and discharge of the hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders, and a control gain changing means which increases a control gain of the active suspension system when the traction control system is operating so that a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid is altered, wherein said control means includes a control system which suppresses the vehicle level displacement speed on the basis of vehicle level displacement speed signals which are obtained by differentiating outputs of vehicle level sensors provided for the respective wheels, the control gain of the control system being increased when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes and the value of a brake control variable is not smaller than a predetermined value.

2. A suspension-traction total control system as defined in claim 1 in which said active suspension system includes a second control system which suppresses vertical vibrations of the vehicle body on the basis of detecting signals of vertical acceleration sensors which detect the vertical accelerations of the vehicle body on the wheels, and the control gain of the second control system is increased when said traction control system is operating.

3. A suspension-traction total control system as defined in claim 2 in which said traction control system controls at least one of the engine and brakes for the wheels of the vehicle in order to reduce the driving, torque, and the control gain of the second control system is increased when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes.

4. A suspension-traction total control system as defined in claim 3 in which only the control gain of the second control system is increased when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes and the value of the brake control variable is smaller than the predetermined value.

5. A suspension-traction total control system as defined in claim 4 in which the control gain of the second control system is increased by a smaller value when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes and the value of the brake control variable is smaller than the predetermined value than when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes and the value of the brake control variable is not smaller than the predetermined value.

6. A suspension-traction total control system as defined in claim 3 in which the control gain of the second control system is increased to different values when the traction control system is controlling the brakes for one of the left and right wheels and when the traction control system is controlling the brakes for both the left and right wheels.

7. A suspension-traction total control system for a vehicle comprising a traction control system which reduces driving torque for driving wheels of the vehicle when the driving wheels slip, with said traction control system controlling at least one of the engine and brakes for the wheels of the vehicle in order to reduce the driving torque, an active suspension system which has a cylinder disposed between the vehicle body and each of the wheels of the vehicle and in which suspension properties can be changed by controlling feed and discharge of the hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders, and a control gain changing means which increases a control gain of the active suspension system when the traction control system is operating, wherein said active suspension system includes a first control system which suppresses vertical vibrations of the vehicle body on the basis of detecting signals of vertical accelerations of the vehicle body of the wheels, and a second control system which suppresses the vehicle level displacement speed on the basis of vehicle level displacement speed signals which are obtained by differentiating outputs of vehicle level sensors provided for the respective wheels, both the control gains of the first and second control systems being increased when the traction control system is controlling both the engine and the brakes and the value of a brake control variable is not smaller than a predetermined value.

8. A suspension-traction total control system for a vehicle comprising a traction control system which reduces driving torque for driving wheels of the vehicle when the driving wheels slip, with said traction control system controlling at least one of the engine and brakes for the wheels of the vehicle in order to reduce the driving torque, an active suspension system which has a cylinder disposed between the vehicle body and each of the wheels of the vehicle and in which suspension properties can be changed by controlling feed and discharge of the hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders, and a control gain changing means which increases a control gain of the active suspension system when the traction control system is operating, wherein said active suspension system includes a first control system which suppresses vertical vibrations of the vehicle body on the basis of detecting signals of vertical accelerations of the vehicle body on the wheels, the control gain of the first control system is increased to different values when the traction control system is controlling the brakes for one of the left and right wheels and when the traction control system is controlling the brakes for both the left and right wheels.