Running stablizing apparatus to be mounted on vehicle

• US 6,123,398 A
• Filed: 09/16/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1997
• 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: Hamada, Tetsuro, Arai, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siconolfi, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/154,166
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.48, 180/6.5, 180/76, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.5, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.8, 180/242, 180/243, 180/245, 180/247, 180/248, 303/139, 303/140, 303/146, 303/151
• US Class Current: 303/140
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/02 Side slip angle, attitude angle, floating angle, drift angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17552 responsive to the tire sideslip angle or the vehicle body slip angle

Abstract

A difference rotation generating apparatus which generates a difference rotation between the left and right idler wheels by an output torque of an electric motor. When the driving condition of the vehicle is power-off state or when the slip angle is above a predetermined value, a yawing moment to decrease the slip angle is generated by an independent operation of the left and right brakes. When the slip angle is below the predetermined value, the difference rotation generating apparatus is operated to thereby generate the yawing moment to decrease the slip angle.

Claims

1. A running stabilizing apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle in which one of the front wheels and rear wheels are driving wheels to be driven by an engine and the other thereof are idler wheels, said running stabilizing apparatus comprising:

a difference rotation generating apparatus for generating difference rotation between the left and right idler wheels by an output torque of an electric motor;

means for detecting a slip angle of the vehicle;

means for discriminating whether a driving condition of the vehicle is a power-on state in which the driving wheels are positively driven by the engine or a power-off state in which the positive driving of the driving wheels by the engine is stopped, wherein said power-on state is indicated by depressing an accelerator pedal and said power-off state is indicated by releasing the accelerator pedal; and

control means for independently operating left and right brakes of the vehicle in the power-off state and for operating said difference rotation generating apparatus in the power-on state such that a yawing moment to decrease the slip angle is generated depending on the slip angle of the vehicle.

2. A running stabilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is constituted such that the yawing moment is generated by an independent operation of the left and right brakes when the slip angle is above a predetermined value even in the power-on state.