Determining a relative movement of a chassis and a body of a wheeled vehicle

• US 8,024,086 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Mayer, Andreas, Schweiger, Thomas, Fiedler, Jens, Stratesteffen, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAWARI, REDHWAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/596,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,517 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 701/38, 701/110, 280/55, 280/5.507, 280/5.506, 280/5.514, 280/5.515
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/01908 Acceleration or inclination sensors characterised by the use of gyroscopes B60G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/202 Piston speed; Relative velocity between vehicle body and wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/63 Location of the center of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/954 Wheelbase
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/1873 Model Following
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/014 Pitch; Nose dive
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/912 Attitude Control; levelling control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/914 Height Control System

Abstract

For determination of a relative movement of a chassis and a body of a wheeled vehicle, which is movably joined to the chassis, three linear accelerations of the wheeled vehicle, which extend perpendicular to each other, respectively, as well as at least two rotational speeds of one respective rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the wheeled vehicle are measured (in measuring device 1), the at least two coordinate axes running perpendicular to each other, respectively. A momentary position of the relative movement is determined (in evaluation unit 9) using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational rates.

Claims

1. An arrangement for determining a vertical movement of a vehicle chassis relative to a vehicle body of a wheeled vehicle, said vehicle body being movably connected to the chassis, comprising

a measuring entity arranged in the wheeled vehicle, wherein the measuring entity is configured to measure three respectively perpendicular linear accelerations of the wheeled vehicle and at least two rotational speeds, each relating to a rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the wheeled vehicle, wherein the at least two coordinate axes run perpendicularly to each other, and

an analysis entity which is combined with the measuring entity and is operable to determine a momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle chassis using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational speeds, and without using any height-level or suspension travel measurements as input for determining the momentary vertical distance,

wherein the analysis entity comprises a calculating unit which is operable to calculate a plurality of the momentary vertical distances using the at least two rotational speeds and the three linear accelerations.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring entity has acceleration sensors for measuring the linear accelerations and rotational speed sensors for measuring the rotational speeds, and wherein the acceleration sensors and the rotational speed sensors are parts of a preprepared hardware unit which is configured for installation in the wheeled vehicle.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring entity is configured such that the three linear accelerations are measurable as measured variables which are linearly independent of each other.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring entity is configured such that the at least two coordinate axes run perpendicularly to each other as a pair in each case.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the analysis entity includes a calculating unit which is configured to calculate the momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle body with reference to a spring suspension, in particular a spring suspension which is moderated, between at least one of the wheels of the wheeled vehicle and the vehicle body.

6. A method for determining a vertical movement of a vehicle chassis relative to a vehicle body of a wheeled vehicle, said vehicle body being movably connected to the chassis, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring three respectively perpendicular linear accelerations of the wheeled vehicle and at least two rotational speeds, each relating to a rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the wheeled vehicle, wherein the at least two coordinate axes run perpendicularly to each other;

determining a momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle chassis using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational speeds, and without using any height-level or suspension travel measurements as input for determining the momentary vertical distance

calculating a plurality of the momentary vertical distances using the at least two rotational speeds and the three linear accelerations, and

providing the momentary vertical distances as input variables of systems for at least one of adjusting and monitoring properties of the wheeled vehicle.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the linear accelerations are measured using acceleration sensors and the rotational speeds are measured using rotational speed sensors, and wherein the acceleration sensors and the rotational speed sensors are parts of a preprepared hardware unit which is arranged in the wheeled vehicle.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the three linear accelerations are measured as measured variables which are linearly independent of each other.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the at least two coordinate axes of the rotational speeds run perpendicularly to each other as a pair in each case.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle body is calculated with reference to a spring suspension, in particular a spring suspension which is moderated, between at least one of the wheels of the wheeled vehicle and the vehicle body.

11. An arrangement for determining a vertical movement of a vehicle chassis relative to a body of a vehicle, said vehicle body being movably connected to the chassis, comprising:

a measuring entity configured to measure three respectively perpendicular linear accelerations of the vehicle and at least two rotational speeds, each relating to a rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the vehicle, wherein the at least two coordinate axes run perpendicularly to each other, and

an analysis entity configured to determine a momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle chassis using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational speeds, and without using any height-level or suspension travel measurements as input for determining the momentary vertical distance,

wherein the analysis entity comprises a calculating unit operable to calculate a plurality of the momentary vertical distances using the at least two rotational speeds and the three linear accelerations.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the measuring entity has acceleration sensors for measuring the linear accelerations and rotational speed sensors for measuring the rotational speeds.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the acceleration sensors and the rotational speed sensors are parts of a preprepared hardware unit which is configured for installation in the wheeled vehicle.

14. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the measuring entity is configured such that the three linear accelerations are measurable as measured variables which are linearly independent of each other.

15. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the measuring entity is configured such that the at least two coordinate axes run perpendicularly to each other as a pair in each case.

16. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the analysis entity includes a calculating unit which is configured to calculate the momentary vertical distance between the vehicle body relative to the vehicle body with reference to a spring suspension, in particular a spring suspension which is moderated, between at least one of the wheels of the vehicle and the body.