Method and apparatus for improving quality of actuator motion in a vehicle active tilt control system

• US 6,076,837 A
• Filed: 02/03/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Kokotovic, Vladimir V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lum, L.
• Application Number:
  US09/016,935
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.502, 280/5.504, 280/5.506-5.508, 280/5.509, 280/5.511
• US Class Current: 280/5.504
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0152 characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0553 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1224 End mounts of stabiliser on wheel suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/4222 with a flexible separating wall; Membrane construction
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/50 Pressure

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for improving quality of actuator motion in a vehicle active tilt control system having front and rear stabilizer bars torsionally adjusted by front and rear actuators, respectively. The actuators are movable between first and second opposing fully stroked positions via pressurized fluid which is pumped through a directional control valve to the actuators. The method includes: a) communicating only a single accumulator with the pumped, pressurized fluid prior to the actuators reaching their respective fully stroked positions in order to cushion actuator movement near the fully stroked positions; and b) automatically discommunicating the single accumulator from the pumped, pressurized fluid as the actuators move away from their respective fully stroked positions.

Claims

1. A method of improving quality of actuator motion in a vehicle active tilt control system having front and rear stabilizer bars torsionally adjusted by front and rear actuators, respectively, wherein the actuators are movable between first and second opposing fully stroked positions via pressurized fluid which is pumped through a directional control valve to the actuators, the method comprising:

precharging a single accumulator to a predetermined pressure level less than a pressure needed to move the actuators between the first and second fully stroked positions;

providing said single accumulator in a normally open condition in fluid communication with the pumped, pressurized fluid between the directional control valve and the actuators; and

decelerating the actuators near the fully stroked positions by communicating said single accumulator with the pumped, pressurized fluid when fluid pressure of the pressurized fluid overcomes the precharged predetermined pressure level in the accumulator prior to the actuators reaching their respective fully stroked positions in order to cushion actuator movement near the fully stroked positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicating step occurs when fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined fluid pressure and said single accumulator is automatically discommunicated from the fluid as the fluid pressure decreases past said predetermined fluid pressure.

3. A vehicle active tilt control system with improved quality of adjustment of front and rear stabilizer bars during vehicle maneuvers, the system comprising:

front and rear actuators connected, respectively, to the front and rear stabilizer bars for selectively twisting the stabilizer bars, wherein the actuators are movable between first and second opposing fully stroked positions for twisting the stabilizers bars in opposing directions;

a directional control valve operatively connected to said front and rear actuators for directing fluid flow to the actuators to selectively cause movement of the actuators toward their respective first and second fully stroked positions;

a pump operatively connected to the directional control valve for delivering pressurized fluid to the directional control valve; and

a single accumulator connected between said pump and said directional control valve, wherein said single accumulator is in continuous fluid communication with the pressurized fluid as said actuators approach their respective fully stroked positions for automatically cushioning actuator movement near the respective fully stroked positions.

4. A method of improving quality of actuator motion in a vehicle active tilt control system having front and rear stabilizer bars torsionally adjusted by front and rear actuators, respectively, wherein the actuators are movable between first and second opposing fully stroked positions via pressurized fluid which is pumped through a directional control valve to the actuators, the method comprising:

providing only a single accumulator precharged to a predetermined fluid pressure in selective fluid communication with the pumped, pressurized fluid between the directional control valve and the actuators;

filtering high frequency pressure oscillations in the fluid by communicating said single accumulator with the pumped, pressurized fluid when fluid pressure exceeds the predetermined fluid pressure prior to the actuators reaching their respective fully stroked positions in order to cushion actuator movement near the fully stroked positions; and

automatically discommunicating said single accumulator from the pumped, pressurized fluid as the fluid pressure decreases past said predetermined fluid pressure as the actuators move away from their respective fully stroked positions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predetermined fluid pressure is a pressure level slightly less than a level sufficient to fully stroke both actuators.