Method and system for controlling active suspensions of a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for controlling active suspensions of a vehicle, comprising the steps of detecting vertical relative displacements between a vehicle body and respective wheels of the vehicle, controlling charging and discharging of a fluid into and out of respective fluid suspensions for the respective wheels to extend and contract the suspensions independently so as to maintain the suspensions to have a reference vehicle height, detecting lateral acceleration being applied to the vehicle with lateral acceleration detection means, and controlling said charging and discharging of the fluid so as to maintain rolling of the vehicle at a predetermined value, said method further comprising the steps of:
- changing the reference vehicle height in response to the lateral acceleration detected by said lateral acceleration detection means by reducing the reference vehicle height as the absolute value of the detected lateral acceleration increases; and
lowering the vehicle body while the rolling of the vehicle is maintained at said predetermined value.
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Abstract
An active suspension system of a vehicle has a feed back control system for controlling four suspensions for the four wheels to maintain a reference vehicle height responsive to detected vertical relative displacements between the wheels and the vehicle body at said suspensions, and a feed forward control system for controlling the suspension to maintain an intended rolling of the vehicle responsive to detected lateral acceleration. There is further provided a circuit for changing the reference vehicle height which is responsive to the absolute value of the detected lateral acceleration, and operates to reduce the reference vehicle height with increase of the absolute value so that the vehicle body is lowered while the rolling is maintained whereby a better driver'"'"'s sensation during a vehicle turn is obtained and the capability of turning of the vehicle is improved.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for controlling active suspensions of a vehicle, comprising the steps of detecting vertical relative displacements between a vehicle body and respective wheels of the vehicle, controlling charging and discharging of a fluid into and out of respective fluid suspensions for the respective wheels to extend and contract the suspensions independently so as to maintain the suspensions to have a reference vehicle height, detecting lateral acceleration being applied to the vehicle with lateral acceleration detection means, and controlling said charging and discharging of the fluid so as to maintain rolling of the vehicle at a predetermined value, said method further comprising the steps of:
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changing the reference vehicle height in response to the lateral acceleration detected by said lateral acceleration detection means by reducing the reference vehicle height as the absolute value of the detected lateral acceleration increases; and lowering the vehicle body while the rolling of the vehicle is maintained at said predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system for controlling active suspensions of a vehicle, having fluid suspensions provided for respective wheels, means for charging and discharging a fluid into and out of the respective fluid suspensions to extend and contract the suspensions independently, suspension stroke sensors provided for the respective wheels to detect vertical relative displacements between a vehicle body and the respective wheels, feed back control means responsive to the relative displacements detected by the suspension stroke sensors for independently controlling said means for charging and discharging so as to maintain said suspensions to have a reference vehicle height, a lateral G-sensor for detecting lateral acceleration applied to the vehicle, and feed forward control means responsive to the lateral acceleration for independently controlling said means for charging and discharging so as to maintain rolling of the vehicle during a turn at a predetermined value, said system further comprising:
means responsive to the detected lateral acceleration for changing the reference vehicle height, said changing means supplying an output thereof to said feed back control means so as to reduce the reference vehicle height as the absolute value of the lateral acceleration increases, to lower the vehicle body while the rolling of the vehicle is maintained at said predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. The system according to claim 43 wherein the reference vehicle height is continuously reduced with an increase in said absolute value.
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9. An apparatus for controlling active suspension of a vehicle, comprising:
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means for detecting vertical relative displacements between a vehicle body and respective wheels of the vehicle; means for controlling charging and discharging of a fluid into and out of respective fluid suspensions for the respective wheels to extend and contract the suspensions independently to maintain the suspensions at a reference vehicle height; means for detecting lateral acceleration being applied to the vehicle; means for controlling said charging and discharging of the fluid in an effort to maintain a degree of rolling of the vehicle at a predetermined value; and means for reducing the reference vehicle height in accordance with an increase in the detected value of lateral acceleration experienced by the vehicle while negotiating a curve so as to lower the vehicle body while the rolling of the vehicle is maintained at said predetermined value whereby riding comfort is improved during vehicle turning. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification