Vehicle movement stabilizing device

• US 6,954,690 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Moriharu, Watanabe, Takashi, Masaki, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz F.
• Application Number:
  US10/702,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20040094634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 291/2, 701/70, 701/71, 701/73, 288/757, 301/70, 477/182, 477/184
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/56 having means for changing the coefficient of friction

Abstract

A vehicle movement stabilizing device is provided which in effectively functioning braking, acceleration and turning movement during travel of the vehicle by activating the frictional force adding device, reliably controls the start and end of the operation of the frictional force adding device and prevents repetition of unnecessary operations. The vehicle movement stabilizing device is provided with frictional force adding device for increasing the frictional force of the wheels to the road surface by scattering particles and a controller. The controller is structured to start the operation of the frictional force adding device when it detects the operation start conditions based on signals from wheel speed sensors, a hydraulic pressure sensor and a step-in force sensor during braking, and to stop its operation if signals indicating disappearance of the state are detected, thereby preventing repetition of unnecessary operations.

Claims

1. A vehicle movement stabilizing device comprising first frictional force adding means for increasing frictional force between wheels and a road surface by brake hydraulic pressure control, second frictional force adding means having an actuator and an actuated member for increasing the frictional force of the wheels to a road surface by driving said actuated member with said actuator, various sensors including wheel speed sensors, for detecting braking, acceleration and turning movement of the vehicle, and a controller for outputting a signal for controlling the activation of said actuator in response to signals from said sensors, said controller being structured to output control signals for starting control in response to the signals from said sensors, and to output a another signal for ending the activation of said actuator, which is driven if the frictional force of the wheels to the road surface is not more than a predetermined value during braking, acceleration or turning of the vehicle, if said controller detects that the state necessitating the driving of said actuator has disappeared.

2. A vehicle movement stabilizing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is structured to output the another control signal for ending the activation of said actuator if it detects a signal indicating return of step-in of an accelerator, a signal indicating the continuation of acceleration slip of not more than a predetermined value for a predetermined period or over, or a signal indicating the continuation of non-activation of TRC control for a predetermined period or over.

3. A vehicle movement stabilizing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said controller is structured to output the another control signal for ending the activation of said actuator if it detects a signal indicating stop of the vehicle, a signal indicating the continuation of non-excessiveness of OS tendency or US tendency for a predetermined period or over, or a signal indicating the continuation of non-activation of VSC control for a predetermined period or over.

4. A vehicle movement stabilizing device comprising frictional force adding means having an actuator and an actuated member for increasing the frictional force of wheels to a road surface by driving said actuated member with said actuator, various sensors including wheel speed sensors, for detecting braking, acceleration and turning movement of the vehicle, and a controller for outputting a signal for controlling the activation of said actuator in response to signals from said sensors, said controller being structured to output control signals for starting control in response to the signals from said sensors, and to output another signal for ending the activation of said actuator, which is driven if the frictional force of the wheels to the road surface is not more than a predetermined value during braking, acceleration or turning of the vehicle, if said controller detects that the state necessitating the driving of said actuator has disappeared, wherein said controller is structured to output the another control signal for ending the activation of said actuator if it detects as said end signal a signal indicating relaxing of brakes, a signal indicating the continuation of wheel slip of not more than a predetermined value for a predetermined period or over, or a signal indicating the continuation of non-activation of ABS control for a predetermined period or over.