Roll over stability control for an automotive vehicle having an active suspension

• US 7,140,619 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Hrovat, Davorin David, Fodor, Michael Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/864,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.502, 280/5.5, 280/5.504, 280/5.506, 280/5.507, 280/5.508, 280/5.51
• US Class Current: 280/5.502
• 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 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0521 Roll rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0522 Pitch rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0523 Yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/106 longitudinal with regard to vehicle, e.g. braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/214 by varying the load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution

Abstract

A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle as includes a plurality of sensors (28–37) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle to determine imminent rollover. A controller (26) coupled to an active suspension (49) controls a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension.

Claims

1. A rollover control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

an active suspension having an independently adjustable unloading side and a an independently adjustable loading side;

a rollover sensor generating a rollover signal in response to an imminent rollover of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to said rollover sensor for controlling the active suspension to generate a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal.

2. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 whereIn said controller controls the loading side to a loaded condition and controls the unloading side to an unloaded condition to provide the restoring torque.

3. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller controls the loading side to a loaded condition and simultaneously controls the unloading side to an unloaded condition to provide the restoring torque.

4. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor comprises a speed sensor generating a first signal corresponding to wheel speed of the vehicle.

5. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor is selected from the group of a speed sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a roll rate sensor, a yaw rate sensor and a longitudinal acceleration sensor.

6. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor is selected from the group of a speed sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a roll rate sensor, a yaw rate sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor.

7. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sensor selected from the group of a steering angle sensor, acceleration sensor and a pitch rate sensor.

8. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller determines vehicle speed at a center of gravity of the vehicle in response to a steering angle from a steering sensor.

9. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a brake controller coupled to said controller, said brake controller controlling front brake force and rear brake force in response to said rollover signal.

10. A rollover control system as recited in claim 9 wherein said controller changes the restoring torque by changing a steering angle factor in combination with a brake force distribution.

11. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller changes the restoring torque by controlling steered wheels.

12. A method of controlling rollover stability of a vehicle having an active suspension having a first side suspension and a second side suspension comprising the steps of:

sensing imminent rollover of the vehicle and generating a rollover signal in response thereto;

generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises unloading the first side suspension.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension and a brake force distribution.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension and a steering angle.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises simultaneously unloading the first side suspension and loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension.

18. A method of controlling rollover stability of a vehicle having a first side suspension and a second side suspension comprising the steps of:

sensing imminent rollover of the vehicle and generating a rollover signal in response thereto;

determining a loading side and an unloading side of the vehicle in response to the rollover signal;

unloading the first side suspension corresponding to the unloading side suspension;

loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension;

generating a restoring torque in response to the steps of unloading and loading to counter the imminent rollover.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing a steering angle of the vehicle.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing a brake force distribution.

21. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing a steering angle factor in combination with a brake force distribution.

22. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein the steps of loading and unloading are performed simultaneously.