Turn control apparatus for a vehicle

• US 5,944,393 A
• Filed: 01/17/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sano, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/765,926
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 303/146, 303/147, 303/187, 303/148
• US Class Current: 303/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/03 Driver counter-steering; Avoidance of conflicts with ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/4827 in hydraulic brake systems

Abstract

A turn control apparatus for a vehicle is applied to a four-wheeled automobile. When the vehicle turns while being braked, the outside front and inside rear wheels viewed in the vehicle turn direction are selected from the vehicle wheels as two target wheels to be controlled. The braking force on one target wheel to be controlled is increased in accordance with the turning condition of vehicle, while that of the other target wheel to be controlled is decreased.

Claims

1. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

determining means for determining a turning condition of the vehicle, said determining means including turn detecting means for detecting a turn of the vehicle and outputting a turn signal indicative of a turn direction of the vehicle and braking detecting means for detecting the braking of the vehicle and outputting a braking signal indicative of a braking condition of the vehicle;

selecting means for selecting the outside front and inside rear wheels viewed in the vehicle turn direction as two target wheels to be controlled based on said turn signal from said turn detecting means; and

first braking control means for increasing the braking force on one of said target wheels to be controlled and decreasing the braking force on the other of said target wheels to be controlled in accordance with said vehicle turning condition determined by said determining means when the braking detecting means indicates the vehicle is being braked,

wherein said first braking control means sets the increase amount of braking force on said one of the target wheel to be controlled and the decrease amount of braking force on said other of the target wheel to be controlled at the same absolute value.

2. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said braking detecting means includes augmented depression detecting means for detecting augmented depression of vehicle brake pedal and outputting an augmented depression signal, and

said first braking control means includes a hydraulic pressure control valves which are changed over from the noncontrol position to control the brake pressure of the corresponding wheel brake by cooperating with the wheel brake for each wheel, respectively, and returning means for returning all of said hydraulic pressure control valves to the noncontrol position when said augmented depression signal is received.

3. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said determining means further includes vehicle condition detecting means for detecting a vehicle operating condition and manipulation condition, and

said first braking control means includes setting means for setting the increase amount and decrease amount of braking force on said target wheels to be controlled based on the detected vehicle operating condition and manipulation condition.

4. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said vehicle condition detecting means includes means for setting a target yaw rate of the vehicle, and

said setting means of said first braking control means sets the increase amount and decrease amount of braking force on said target wheels to be controlled based on a yaw rate deviation between said target yaw rate and the actual yaw rate of the vehicle.

5. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said setting means of said first braking control means sets the increase amount and decrease amount of braking force on said target wheels to be controlled based on said yaw rate deviation and the derivative of said yaw rate deviation.

6. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said turn detecting means includes a yaw rate sensor for detecting a vehicle yaw rate and discriminating means for discriminating the vehicle turn direction based on the output of said yaw rate sensor.

7. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first braking control means includes a first brake line for supplying a brake pressure to wheel brakes for the front-left and rear-right wheels and a second brake line for supplying a brake pressure to wheel brakes for the front-right and rear-left wheels.

8. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said turn control turn control apparatus further comprises second braking control means for increasing the braking force on one of said target wheels to be controlled in accordance with the vehicle turning condition determined by said determining means when the vehicle turns while being not braked.

9. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said determining means further includes vehicle condition detecting means for detecting a vehicle operating condition and manipulation condition, and

said first and second braking control means include

computing means for computing a controlled variable to be given to the vehicle, during the turn of vehicle, based on the vehicle operating condition and manipulation condition detected by said vehicle condition detecting means, said computing means having a gain for computing said controlled variable, which gain is set so as to be larger when the vehicle is not braked than when the vehicle is braked, and

setting means for setting the increase amount and decrease amount of braking force on said target wheels to be controlled based on the controlled variable from said computing means.

10. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first braking control means includes

hydraulic pressure control valves for controlling a brake pressure of wheel brake for each wheel by cooperating with the corresponding wheel brake, respectively,

a pump for supplying a pressurized fluid to the wheel brake for each wheel, and

holding means for changing over said hydraulic pressure control valve to hold the brake pressure of wheel brake for the wheel other than said target wheels to be controlled.

11. A turn control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

determining means for determining a turning condition of the vehicle, said determining means including turn detecting means for detecting a turn of the vehicle and outputting a turn signal indicative of a turn direction of the vehicle and braking detecting means for detecting the braking of the vehicle and outputting a braking signal indicative of a braking condition of the vehicle;

selecting means for selecting the outside front and inside rear wheels viewed in the vehicle turn direction as two target wheels to be controlled based on said turn signal from said turn detecting means; and

first braking control means for increasing the braking force on one of said target wheels to be controlled and decreasing the braking force on the other of said target wheels to be controlled in accordance with said vehicle turning condition determined by said determining means when the braking detecting means indicates the vehicle is being braked,

wherein said braking detecting means includes augmented depression detecting means for detecting augmented depression of vehicle brake pedal and outputting an augmented depression signal, and

said first braking control means includes hydraulic pressure control valves which are changed over from the noncontrol position to control the brake pressure of the corresponding wheel brake by cooperating with the wheel brake for each wheel, respectively, and returning means for returning all of said hydraulic pressure control valves to the noncontrol position when said augmented depression signal is received.