Control system for adjustable damping force damper

• US 7,593,797 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Izawa, Masaki, Kato, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/391,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 280/5.5, 280/5.515, 280/6.15, 280/43.17, 267/218
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/202 Piston speed; Relative velocity between vehicle body and wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/206 Body oscillation speed; Body vibration frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/184 Semi-Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/22 Magnetic elements

Abstract

A control system for a adjustable damping force damper includes a damper and a spring provided on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle, a sprung speed sensor for detecting speed of an upper member of the spring, the sprung speed is generated when the vehicle gets over steps on a road surface and a control unit for setting a gain so as to determine an damping force of the damper based on a product of the sprung speed and the gain. When an absolute value of the sprung speed exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit changes the gain in response to a positive sign or a negative sign of the sprung speed.

Claims

1. A control system for an adjustable damping force damper, comprising:

a damper and a spring provided on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle;

a sprung speed sensor configured to detect speed of an upper member of the spring, the sprung speed being generated when the vehicle goes over bumps on a road surface; and

a control unit configured to set a gain so as to determine a damping force of the damper based on a product of the sprung speed and the gain,

wherein, when an absolute value of the sprung speed exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit changes the gain differently in response to a positive sign than in response to a negative sign of the sprung speed, and

wherein the gain when the sign of the sprung speed is positive is larger than the gain when the sign of the sprung speed is negative.

2. The control system for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 1, wherein, when the sign of the sprung speed is positive, the gain is set larger than a case where the sign of the sprung speed is negative.

3. The control system for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 1, wherein the damper and spring are located between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass, wherein the sprung mass is connected to the unsprung mass via the damper and the spring, and wherein the unsprung mass is connected to the road surface via a virtual spring of a tire.

4. The control system for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 3, wherein the sprung speed corresponds to a rate of change of a displacement of the sprung mass.

5. The control system for the adjustable damping force damper according to claim 4, wherein the gain corresponds to a rate of change of a difference between the displacement of the sprung mass and a displacement of the unsprung mass.