Process and system for stabilizing vehicles against rolling

• US 6,425,585 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schuelke, Armin, Verhagen, Armin-Maria, Stoller, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lum, L.
• Application Number:
  US09/486,278
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.511, 280/124.106, 280/124.13, 280/124.149, 280/124.152
• US Class Current: 280/5.511
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0553 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0555 including an actuator inducing vehicle roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/0556 including a releasable coupling B60G21/0555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/135 Stabiliser bar and/or tube
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4191 Planetary or epicyclic gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/62 Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/412 of steering wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/187 Digital Controller Details and Signal Treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/205 jacking-up for changing tyre or vehicle inspection
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/24 Steering, cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9122 ARS - Anti-Roll System Control

Abstract

A system for roll stabilization of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, is described, where actuating arrangements are provided. At least one sensor detects a roll parameter, and at least one slewing drive is arranged between halves of the front and/or rear chassis stabilizer, thus creating an initial stress of the stabilizer halves to reduce or suppress the rolling motion and, in the event of roll, applying a counter-torque to the vehicle body as a function of output signals of the sensor. The slewing drive is an electromechanical slewing drive and includes an arrangement for locking the swiveling of the stabilizer halves with respect to one another.

Claims

1. A system for providing a roll stabilization of a vehicle that includes an an actuating arrangement, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting a roll parameter;

a front chassis stabilizer;

a rear chassis stabilizer; and

at least one slewing drive arranged between halves of at least one of the front chassis stabilizer and the rear chassis stabilizer, the at least one slewing drive producing an initial stress of the halves of the at least one of the front chassis stabilizer and the rear chassis stabilizer to achieve one of a reduction and a suppression of a rolling motion, and the at least one slewing drive, in the event of a roll, applying a force to at least one of the halves of the at least one of the front chassis stabilizer and the rear chassis stabilizer as a function of output signals of the at least one sensor, wherein;

the at least one slewing drive is an electromechanical slewing drive, and

the at least one slewing drive includes an arrangement for locking a swiveling of the halves of the at least one of the front chassis stabilizer and the rear chassis stabilizer with respect to one another.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle corresponds to a motor vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a brake-clutch combination.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one slewing drive includes a plurality of slewing drives,

each slewing drive includes a slewing motor and a step-down gear, and

the arrangement for locking includes for each slewing drive a respective brake that is actuated according to one of an electromagnetic application and an electromagnetic release brake and that is arranged between the slewing motor and the step-down gear of a respective one of each slewing drive.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising:

an arrangement associated with each brake for locking each electromechanical slewing drive on a front axle and a rear axle only in a neutral middle position in the event of a system failure.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising:

an electronic control unit connected to the at least one sensor, each electromechanical slewing drive, and each brake of each electromechanical slewing drive and for generating control signals for each electromechanical slewing drive and the brake of the front axle and the brake of the rear axle.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical slewing drive includes an electric slewing motor and a step-down gear, the system further comprising:

a clutch arranged between a drive side and an output side of the electromechanical slewing drive so that at least one of the electric slewing motor, the step-down gear, and individual gear stages thereof are capable of being separated from the output side of the electromechanical slewing drive.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensor includes a transverse acceleration sensor.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensor includes a sensor for determining a steering wheel angle and a sensor for determining a vehicle speed.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

one of a manual leveling and an automatic leveling of the vehicle is achieved about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle when standing still,

each slewing drive receives an electric current according to a position of the vehicle, the position of the vehicle corresponding to one of an inclination, a location on a curb on one side, and a position in which the vehicle is standing with one wheel in a recess, until a horizontal position of the vehicle is reached, and

after the horizontal position is reached, the horizontal position is locked by applying the brakes.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

one of a manual inclining and an automatic inclining of the body of the vehicle is achieved about a defined angle,

after an angle of inclination is preset, each slewing drive receives an electric current, and

an inclined position of the body of the vehicle is locked by applying brakes.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

one of a manual lifting and an automatic lifting of individual wheels of the vehicle standing still is achieved,

a wheel to be lifted is preset, each slewing drive receiving an electric current such that the halves of the at least one of the front chassis stabilizer and the rear chassis stabilizer are displaced diagonally at a position, and

the position is locked by applying brakes.

13. A method for providing a roll stabilization of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining a maximum settable torque from parameters including a maximum motor torque of an electric slewing motor, a gear reduction, an efficiency, and a torque loss;

determining a required actuating torque;

releasing a brake and applying a torque force to a low-torque end of the electric slewing motor when the required actuating torque is below a maximum actuating torque;

applying the brake when the required actuating torque exceeds the maximum actuating torque of an electric slewing drive; and

generating setpoint currents for the electric slewing motor to generate a counter-torque for the roll stabilization.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

the vehicle corresponds to a motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

determining a steering wheel angle;

determining a transverse acceleration; and

determining a driving speed, wherein the step of determining the required actuating torque includes the step of determining the required actuating torque from the determined steering wheel angle, the determined transverse acceleration, and the determined driving speed.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

the step of determining the required actuating torque includes the step of determining a lead torque.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

converting the required actuating torque and the lead torque relative to a body of the vehicle to corresponding setpoint torques of an actuator arranged on a front axle and a rear axle on the basis of a rolling torque distribution and geometric relationships.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

adjusting the corresponding setpoint torques on the basis of a manipulated variable restriction;

determining an instantaneous driving state corresponding to one of a steady state and a non-steady state on the basis of the determined steering wheel angle and the determined transverse acceleration; and

generating brake control signals for each one of the step of releasing the brake and applying the torque force and for the step of applying the brake on the basis of the adjusted corresponding setpoint torques and the instantaneous driving state.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

determining the generated setpoint currents from the adjusted corresponding setpoint torques, the lead torque, and angular velocities; and

outputting the generated setpoint currents together with the brake control signals.