Control device for influencing the driving dynamics of four-wheel vehicles

• US 6,192,304 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ramsle Technology Group GmbH LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Goetz, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/280,661
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 280/91.1, 280/92, 280/5.51, 280/211, 73/17.5, 73/13.7, 180/400, 180/410, 180/419, 180/6.2, 340/465, 318/489
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/159 characterised by computing methods or stabilisation processes or systems, e.g. responding to yaw rate, lateral wind, load, road condition

Abstract

In a control device for influencing the driving dynamics of four-wheel vehicles, the vehicle lengthwise speed and the steering angle are introduced as input signals and control signals are generated that act on positioning devices for adjusting the vehicle wheels. In order to set and adjust the transverse dynamic properties of a vehicle with a low cost of construction in normal driving, for setting a desired driving behavior, target values may be specified for the steering ratio, the self-steering gradient, and the float angle gradient as set signals from which steady-state additional trail angles can be determined which can be supplied as control signals to the positioning devices.

Claims

1. A control device for adjusting driving dynamics of a four wheel vehicle, comprising:

inputs for receiving first and second signals indicative of vehicle longitudinal speed v_x and steering angle δ

, respectively;

means coupled to receive said first and second signals, for generating control signals for controlling vehicle wheels of said vehicle; and

positioning devices for controlling said vehicle wheels in response to said control signals;

wherein

said control device has additional inputs for receiving selectable target values for a steering ratio il_z, a self steering gradient _Egz and a float angle gradient SG_z as set signals for setting a desired driving behavior;

transverse acceleration of the vehicle corresponds to the relationship

2. Control device according to claim 1, wherein control signals can be generated to control a desired dynamic driving behavior, said signals representing an additional trail angle δ

_zh^d, δ

_zv^d at the rear and front that has been rendered dynamic.

3. Control device according to claim 2, wherein the additional trail angles δ

_zh^d, δ

_zv^d at the rear and front that have been rendered dynamic correspond to the relationships

4. Control device according to claim 3 wherein the dynamic float angle at the rear β

_h^d can be determined according to the Laplace transform

5. Control device according to claim 3 wherein the dynamic additional front float angle β

_v^d as a function of the steady-state additional float angle β

^s corresponds to the Laplace transform

6. Control device according to claim 4 wherein the parameter nh can be determined by the relationship

7. Control device according to claim 5 wherein the parameter nkv can be determined from the relationship

8. Control device according to claim 7 wherein the parameter nkv the can be determined from the relationship

9. Control device according to claim 5 wherein the parameter nv can be determined from the relationship

10. Control device according to claim 3 wherein the dynamic additional self-steering angle δ

_zel^d corresponds to the relationship

11. Control device according to claim 10 wherein the basic values (ω

0B, D_B) for the yaw natural frequency and the yaw damping can be determined from the relationships

12. Control device according to claim 4 wherein the parameter nkh can be determined according to the relationship

13. Control device according to claim 12 wherein the transverse acceleration amplification factor df for lowering the transverse acceleration amplification is less than zero.

14. Control device according to claim 12 wherein the transverse acceleration amplification factor df for avoiding a critical drop in transverse acceleration amplification is larger than zero.