System and method for controlling damping force characteristic of shock absorber applicable to automotive suspension
First Claim
1. A damping force controlling system for a damper of a vehicular suspension, comprising:
- a) damping force changing means responsive to an input control signal for changing a damping force characteristic of the damper at a plurality of stages;
b) sprung mass acceleration detecting means for detecting an acceleration of a vehicular body;
c) controlling means for receiving a detected acceleration signal from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means and outputting the control signal to said damping force changing means so that the damping force characteristic of the damper changed by the damping force changing means is optimally controlled over a predetermined variable range;
d) average value calculating means for calculating an average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass derived from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means; and
,e) variable range correcting means for setting a dead zone of a predetermined width with the average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass as a center of the dead zone and for shifting a minimum damping force position in the predetermined variable range of the damping force characteristic controlled by said controlling means toward a relatively high damping force side when a frequency at which the detected sprung mass acceleration exceeds the dead zone is above a set value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling a damper of vehicular suspension in which when the vehicle runs on a paved road and a frequency at which the detected sprung mass acceleration exceeds a dead zone is below a set value, the damping force characteristic is optimally controlled in a predetermined variable range. When the vehicle runs on a rough road and a frequency at which the detected acceleration exceeds the dead zone is above the set value, a minimum damping force limit of the predetermined variable range of the damping force characteristic is shifted toward a relatively high damping force side, The dead zone is set with an average value of the acceleration of sprung mass as a center. Hence, when the vehicle turns and zigzags, the vehicular body is inclined so that an absolute value of the sprung mass acceleration is largely changed. In this case, when an average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass is accordingly changed and the dead zone is accordingly shifted. Thus, the frequency at which the sprung mass acceleration exceeds the dead zone accurately corresponds to a situation on a road surface and the damping force characteristic is accurately controlled according to the road surface condition.
44 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A damping force controlling system for a damper of a vehicular suspension, comprising:
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a) damping force changing means responsive to an input control signal for changing a damping force characteristic of the damper at a plurality of stages; b) sprung mass acceleration detecting means for detecting an acceleration of a vehicular body; c) controlling means for receiving a detected acceleration signal from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means and outputting the control signal to said damping force changing means so that the damping force characteristic of the damper changed by the damping force changing means is optimally controlled over a predetermined variable range; d) average value calculating means for calculating an average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass derived from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means; and
,e) variable range correcting means for setting a dead zone of a predetermined width with the average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass as a center of the dead zone and for shifting a minimum damping force position in the predetermined variable range of the damping force characteristic controlled by said controlling means toward a relatively high damping force side when a frequency at which the detected sprung mass acceleration exceeds the dead zone is above a set value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for controlling a damping force of a damper for a vehicular suspension having damping force changing means responsive to an input control signal for changing a damping force characteristic of the damper at a plurality of stages, comprising the steps of:
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a) detecting an acceleration of an sprung mass of a vehicular body; b) receiving a detected acceleration signal and outputting the control signal so that the damping force characteristic of the damper is optimally controlled over a predetermined variable range; c) calculating an average value of the acceleration derived in the step a); and
,d) setting a dead zone of a predetermined width with the calculated average value of the acceleration as a center of the dead zone and shifting a minimum damping force position in the predetermined variable range of the damping force characteristic toward a relatively high damping force side when a frequency at which the detected sprung mass acceleration exceeds the dead zone is above a set value.
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12. A damping force controlling system for a damper of a vehicle suspension comprising:
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a) damping force changing means responsive to an input control signal for changing a damping force characteristics of the damper at a plurality of stages; b) sprung mass acceleration detecting means for detecting an acceleration of a vehicle body; c) controlling means for receiving a detected acceleration signal from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means and outputting the control signal to said damping force changing means so that the damping force characteristics of the damper changed by the damping force changing means is optimally controlled over a predetermined range; d) average value calculating means for calculating an average value of the acceleration of the sprung mass derived from the sprung mass acceleration detecting means; and e) variable range correcting means for setting a dead zone of a predetermined width with the average value of the acceleration of the sprint mass as a center of the dead zone and for shifting a minimum damping force position in the predetermined variable range of the damping force characteristic controlled by said controlling means toward a relatively high damping force side when a frequency at which the detected spring mass acceleration exceeds the dead zone, is above a plurality of predetermined frequency integer valves k and ι
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Specification