Process for controlling braking-force distribution in vehicle

• US 6,238,018 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1996
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• 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: Kubonoya, Hideki, Sugimoto, Yoichi, Urai, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/673,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 303/146, 303/147, 303/148, 303/149, 303/186, 303/113.5, 303/9.62
• US Class Current: 303/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1764 Regulation during travel on surface with different coefficients of friction, e.g. between left and right sides, mu-split or between front and rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1766 Proportioning of brake forces according to vehicle axle loads, e.g. front to rear of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/50 having means for controlling the rate at which pressure is reapplied to or released from the brake
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements

Abstract

A braking-force distribution control process controls the front and rear wheel braking-force distribution in a vehicle by regulating the braking liquid pressure ratio for front and rear wheel brakes, based on differences between front wheel speeds and rear wheel speeds. When an abrupt turning state is determined, the braking liquid pressure distribution ratio for the rear brakes is decreased as compared with when the abrupt turning state is not detected. Thus, when braking during a sudden turning of the vehicle, a sudden increase in yaw rate can be inhibited to enhance the steerage stability performance of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A process for controlling a braking-force distribution in a vehicle, wherein a front and rear wheel braking-force distribution is controlled by regulating a braking liquid pressure ratio for front and rear wheel brakes, based on a difference between front and rear wheel speeds, said process comprising the steps of:

detecting rotational speed of each wheel;

calculating wheel speeds of all wheels from the detected rotational speeds;

calculating a vehicle speed;

calculating said difference between said front and rear wheel speeds;

calculating a target value for said difference between said front and rear wheel speeds;

controlling said front and rear wheel braking-force distribution based on a comparison of said difference between said front and rear wheel speeds with said target value;

calculating a yaw rate from a difference between left and right rear wheel speeds;

obtaining a differentiation value of a product of said vehicle speed and said yaw rate;

determining whether the vehicle is in an abrupt turning state, based on a comparison of said differentiation value with a preset value; and

decreasing the braking liquid pressure distribution ratio for the rear brakes when the abrupt turning state is determined, as compared with a braking liquid pressure distribution ratio for the rear brakes when the abrupt turning state is not detected,

wherein said vehicle speed is based on at least one of the front wheel speeds and the rear wheel speeds.

2. A process for controlling a braking-force distribution according to claim 1, wherein a rear wheel deceleration is calculated based on the rear wheel speeds, and the regulation of the braking liquid pressure distribution ratio is carried out under a condition that said rear wheel deceleration exceeds a preset value.

3. A process for controlling a braking-force distribution according to claim 1, wherein said preset value is 2 g/sec.

4. A process for controlling a braking-force distribution according to claim 1, further comprising the step of resetting the abrupt turning state when an absolute value of the differentiation value of the product of the vehicle speed and the yaw rate of the vehicle body is smaller than the value when the abrupt turning state is determined or when a predetermined time has lapsed.

5. A process for controlling a braking-force distribution according to claim 1, wherein said yaw rate is a value obtained by dividing said difference between the left and right rear wheel speeds by a tread value of the vehicle.