Adaptive damper control

• US 5,285,876 A
• Filed: 05/28/1991
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Atsugi Unisia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Atsugi Unisia Corporation
• Inventors: Shimizu, Hiroyuki, Kakizaki, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US07/706,276
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 188/285, 188/297, 188/299, 280/707, 364/424.05
• US Class Current: 188/266.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/60 Load
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control

Abstract

A method of and a system for controlling a hydraulic shock absorber of an automobile are provided. In the shock absorber, a flow of damping fluid induces a load on an actuator of the shock absorber during bouncing and rebouncing of the shock absorber, and the actuator is actuated in response to an output signal of a control unit. In order for the actuator to counteract the load applied thereto, the output signal is modified in response to the load. According to the embodiment, the load is determined by a table look-up operation based on an input load detected by a load sensor mounted to the automobile.

Claims

1. In an automobile having a body:

a hydraulic shock absorber so constructed and arranged as to apply a load to the body, said hydraulic shock absorber including a stepper motor rotatable to assume a plurality of range positions and a variable flow restrictor assembly operatively coupled with said stepper motor, said variable flow restrictor assembly providing different restrictions to be applied to flow of hydraulic damping fluid passing therethrough for said plurality of range positions, respectively;

load sensor means for detecting said load applied to the body and generating a load indicative signal indicative of said load detected; and

a control unit including;

means for determining which one of said plurality of range positions said stepper motor assumes and generating a range indicative signal indicative of said determined range position;

means for determining a state of an output signal to be supplied to said stepper motor in response to said range indicative signal;

means for varying a magnitude of said output signal to be supplied to said stepper motor in response to said load indicative signal; and

means for supplying to said stepper motor said output signal having said state determined and said varied magnitude,

whereby said stepper motor holds the range position indicated by said range position indicative signal against a varying torque induced by said flow of hydraulic damping fluid passing through said variable flow restrictor assembly.

2. In an automobile having a body:

a hydraulic shock absorber so constructed and arranged as to apply a load to the body, said hydraulic shock absorber including a stepper motor rotatable to assume a plurality of range positions and a variable flow restrictor assembly operatively coupled with said stepper motor, said variable flow restrictor assembly providing different restrictions to be applied to flow of hydraulic damping fluid passing therethrough for said plurality of range positions, respectively;

load sensor means for detecting said load applied to the body and generating a load indicative signal indicative of said load detected; and

a control unit including;

means for storing a plurality of predetermined data maps, at least one of said plurality of predetermined data maps corresponding to one of said plurality of range positions, each of said plurality of predetermined data maps containing different magnitude data versus different values in said load applied to the body by said hydraulic shock absorber;

means for reading said load indicative signal;

means for determining which one of said plurality of range positions said stepper motor assumes and generating a range indicative signal indicative of said determined range position;

means for selecting out of said plurality of predetermined data maps at least one data map corresponding to said range indicative signal;

means for performing a table look-up operation of said selected data map based on said load indicative signal to retrieve one of said magnitude data for a value in said load indicated by said load indicative signal which has been read;

means for determining a state of an output signal to be supplied to said stepper motor in response to said range indicative signal;

means for varying a magnitude of said output signal to be supplied to said stepper motor in response to said one magnitude data retrieved such that the magnitude of said output signal corresponds to said one magnitude data retrieved; and

means for supplying to said stepper motor said output signal having said state determined and said varied magnitude,

whereby said stepper motor holds the range position indicated by said range position indicative signal against a varying torque induced by said flow of hydraulic damping fluid passing through said variable flow restrictor assembly.