Virtual elastic component simulator

• US 5,477,453 A
• Filed: 08/06/1993
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Harashima, Shokichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/102,719
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.05, 364/424.03, 364/551.01, 364/553, 364/576, 364/578, 364/579, 280/707, 280/840, 280/6.1, 188/299, 188/284, 188/285, 188/106 R, 73/11.04, 73/11.08, 73/658, 73/660, 73/662, 73/146, 73/571
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/99 Suspension element selection procedure depending on loading or performance requirements, e.g. selection of damper, spring or bush
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 7/022 Vibration control arrangements, e.g. for generating random vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 19/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

The present invention provides a which enables a person to experience the effect of change of an actual elastic component of a vehicle for an elastic component of another design without changing the actual elastic component. A vehicle elastic component simulator having a first arithmetic unit, a second arithmetic unit and a third arithmetic unit for calculating a transfer function through test vibration, obtaining the inverse transfer function of the calculated transfer function and determining vibrating signals by multiplying the inverse transfer function by desired signals produced on the basis of the output signals of accelerometer provided during the travel of the vehicle includes a fourth arithmetic unit which calculates the ratio between a transfer function for an elastic component of the vehicle, and a transfer function for a virtual elastic component corresponding to the elastic component, entered by an input device, a fifth arithmetic unit for multiplying vibrating signals in a frequency range by the calculated ratio, and a vibrating system driven by vibrating signals provided by the fifth arithmetic unit to vibrate the vehicle to provide virtual elastic component simulation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for virtually changing an elastic component of an elastic system and simulating the effect of this virtual change, comprising:

means for determining the transfer function of an elastic component;

an input means for inputting a transfer function for a virtual elastic component said virtual elastic component representing an elastic component in said elastic system;

first arithmetic means for calculating a ratio between the transfer function of the elastic component and the transfer function of the virtual elastic component;

means for determining a transfer function of a virtual elastic system from said ratio; and

means for using said transfer function of a virtual elastic system to simulate the effect of using a virtual component in said elastic system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic system is the suspension system of a vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said suspension system includes a piston rod means and spring means operatively mounted between an axle of a wheel and said elastic component.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic component is the seat of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic component is a wheel of a vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic component is a suspension member of a vehicle.

7. A system for simulating the replacement of an elastic component in an elastic system which utilizes a transfer function of the elastic system:

(a) an input means for entering a transfer function of a virtual elastic component, said virtual elastic component representing an actual elastic component in said elastic system;

(b) a vibrating means for inducing vibrations in said elastic system;

(c) a vibration detector for detecting vibrations in the elastic system and generating vibration signals;

(d) a first arithmetic unit for calculating the ratio between a transfer function for an elastic component and the transfer function of a virtual elastic component entered by the input means; and

(e) a second arithmetic unit for multiplying said vibration signals by said ratio and generating output vibration signals.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said vibrating means includes a means for controlling said vibrations which inputs said generated vibration signals and controls said vibrating means to produce vibrations in said elastic system that simulate the replacement of an elastic component with a virtual elastic component.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said elastic system is the suspension system of a vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said suspension system includes a piston rod means and spring means operatively mounted between an axle of a wheel subjected to said test vibration and said elastic component.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said vibration detectors are operatively mounted adjacent to said axle of a wheel subjected to said test vibration and said elastic component.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said elastic component is the seat of the vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said seat of the vehicle includes upper and lower ends and said vibration detectors are operatively mounted adjacent to said upper and lower ends of said seat.

14. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said elastic component is a wheel of a vehicle.

15. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said elastic component is a suspension member of a vehicle.

16. A vibration signal generator apparatus for generating vibration signals that are used by a vibrating system to vibrate an elastic system having an elastic component, said elastic system and said elastic component having associated transfer functions, said vibration signal generator further comprising:

(a) an input means for entering a transfer function of a virtual elastic component, said virtual elastic component representing an actual elastic component in said elastic system, and for entering a vibration signal representative of vibrations in said elastic system;

(b) a first arithmetic unit for calculating the ratio between a transfer function for an elastic component and the transfer function of a virtual elastic component entered by the input means; and

(c) a second arithmetic unit for multiplying said vibration signals by said ratio and generating output vibration signals.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said elastic system is the suspension system of a vehicle.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said elastic system is a suspension system which includes a piston rod means and spring means operatively mounted between an axle of a wheel and said elastic component.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein vibration detectors are operatively mounted adjacent to said axle of a wheel subjected to said test vibration and said elastic component.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said elastic member is a vehicle seat.

21. The road simulating apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said vehicle seat includes upper and lower ends and vibration detectors which are operatively mounted adjacent to said upper and lower ends of said seat.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said elastic member is a wheel of a vehicle.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said elastic member is a suspension member of a vehicle.

24. A system for simulating the actual replacement of an elastic component in an elastic system comprising:

(a) an elastic system having at least one elastic component;

(b) an input means for entering a transfer function of a virtual elastic component, said virtual elastic component representing an actual elastic component in said elastic system;

(c) a vibrating system for inducing vibrations in said elastic system;

(d) means for controlling said vibrating system;

(e) a detector for detecting vibrations in the elastic system and generating vibration signals;

(f) a first arithmetic unit for calculating a transfer function of the elastic system and an inverse transfer function of the elastic system;

(g) a second arithmetic unit for Fourier transforming the vibration signals output from the detector to generate transformed vibration signals;

(h) a third arithmetic unit for calculating the ratio between a transfer function for an elastic component and the transfer function of a virtual elastic component entered by the input means;

(i) a fourth arithmetic unit for multiplying said Fourier-transformed vibration signals by said ratio and generating vibration signals by inverse Fourier transforming the multiplied result; and

(j) wherein said means for controlling said vibrating system inputs said generated vibration signals and controls said vibrating system to produce vibrations in said elastic system.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said elastic system is the suspension system of a vehicle.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said suspension system includes a piston rod means and spring means operatively mounted between an axle of a wheel subjected to said test vibration and said elastic component.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said vibration detectors are operatively mounted adjacent to said axle of a wheel subjected to said test vibration and said elastic component.

28. The system according to claim 24, wherein said elastic component is the seat of the vehicle.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said seat of the vehicle includes upper and lower ends and said vibration detectors are operatively mounted adjacent to said upper and lower ends of said seat.

30. The system according to claim 24, wherein said elastic component is a wheel of a vehicle.

31. The system according to claim 24, wherein said elastic component is a suspension member of a vehicle.

32. A method for virtually changing an elastic member of an elastic system of a vehicle and simulating the effect of this virtual change comprising the following steps:

determining the transfer function of an elastic component;

inputting a transfer function for a virtual elastic component said virtual elastic component representing an elastic component in said elastic system;

calculating a ratio between the transfer function of the elastic component and the transfer function of the virtual elastic component;

determining a transfer function of a virtual elastic system from said ratio; and

using said transfer function of a virtual elastic system to simulate the effect of using a virtual component is said elastic system.