Motion control apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,860,622 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Advics Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hashiba, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kim T
• Application Number:
  US11/706,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/37, 701/45, 701/70, 701/124, 701/301, 280/734, 280/735, 340/903, 340/933, 340/936
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/056 Regulating distributors or valves for hydropneumatic systemsB60G17/044 - B60G17/048, B60G17/0416 take precedence; Fluid interconnection systems to control vehicle inclination B60G21/06, B60G21/10; valves per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/152 Pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01306 monitoring vehicle inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/085 Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion

Abstract

In this vehicle motion control apparatus, vehicle behavior sensors are arranged integrally with an integrated unit composed integrally of a control unit and a brake controller. An acceleration sensor is mounted in a section adjacent to the integrated unit. If an output value from the acceleration sensor for an airbag deployment exceeds a predetermined threshold due to a collision of the vehicle etc., the vehicle motion control apparatus determines there is a possibility that a mounting posture of the integrated unit relative to a vehicle body is tilted from a reference posture by a predetermined degree or more, then prohibiting performing an ESC control. And, the vehicle motion control apparatus lights a warning lamp to notify a driver of an occurrence of abnormality in the mounting posture of the integrated unit and to urge the driver to perform repairs for an adjustment of the mounting posture.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion control apparatus for controlling a motion of a vehicle, the vehicle motion control apparatus comprising an integrated unit which is composed integrally of:

an actuator controlling a vehicle motion;

a vehicle behavior sensor outputting a signal indicative of a behavior of said vehicle; and

a controller controlling said actuator on the basis of the signal output from said vehicle behavior sensor,

the vehicle having;

a tilt-detection sensor outputting a tilt-signal indicative of a possibility that a mounting posture of said integrated unit relative to a vehicle body of said vehicle is tilted from a reference posture by equal to or greater than a predetermined degree; and

a warning device providing a warning associated with said motion control apparatus on the basis of said tilt-signal, wherein said controller comprises a control-prohibiting/warning means for executing a control-prohibiting/warning process which prohibits controlling said actuator and which makes said warning device provide said warning, when said tilt-detection sensor outputs said tilt-signal.

2. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a collision-detection sensor, which detects a collision of said vehicle, is used as said tilt-detection sensor, and a signal, which indicates that a degree of the collision of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined degree, is used as said tilt-signal.

3. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

wherein at least one of an acceleration sensor and an acoustic sensor which is mounted onto a system is used as said collision-detection sensor, the system being one of an airbag system and a system for reducing damage caused by a collision of said vehicle.

4. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said vehicle comprises a plurality of said collision-detection sensors which are mounted at sections of said vehicle which differ in distance from said integrated unit;

and

said control-prohibiting/warning means is configured so as to execute said control-prohibiting/warning process, when said tilt-signal is output from the collision-detection sensor which is mounted at a nearest section to said integrated unit among said plurality of collision-detection sensors.

5. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a start degree is the degree of the collision corresponding to a start control of the system, and including a lower degree of the collision which is a predetermined degree lower than the start degree, and wherein

as said tilt-signal, a signal is used which indicates that said degree of the collision is greater than the lower degree.

6. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle mounts a storing means for storing tilt-information when said tilt-detection sensor outputs said tilt-signal, and

said control-prohibiting/warning means is configured so as to continue said control-prohibiting/warning process as long as said tilt-information is stored in said storing means.

7. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle is configured so as to be capable of mounting a second vehicle behavior sensor which outputs a signal indicative of said vehicle behavior at a central section of said vehicle, the second vehicle behavior sensor being different from said vehicle behavior sensor which is integrally mounted in said integrated unit, and

said controller is configured so as to comprise an input section which inputs the signal output from said second vehicle behavior sensor, and to be capable of controlling said actuator on the basis of the signal output from the second vehicle behavior sensor of the same.

8. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the collision-detection sensor is mounted onto said vehicle separately from said integrated unit.

9. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the collision-detection sensor is mounted onto said integrated unit.

10. A vehicle motion control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle behavior sensor which outputs, as said signal indicative of said behavior of said vehicle, a signal indicative of at least one of an acceleration and a deceleration of said vehicle is used as said collision-detection sensor.