Roll stiffness control apparatus of vehicle

• US 8,050,818 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuta, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAWARI, REDHWAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/154,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/38, 701/48, 701/65, 701/71, 701/72, 701/73, 701/74, 701/79, 701/90, 280/124.134, 280/125.125, 280/124.106, 280/5.51, 280/5.508, 280/8.515, 280/5.502, 280/8.507
• US Class Current: 701/37
• 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 17/0182 involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
• 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 21/0555 including an actuator inducing vehicle roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/40 Type of actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/81 front and rear unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/82 left and right unit on same axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/8302 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/051 Angle
• 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 2400/25 Stroke; Height; Displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/50 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/187 Digital Controller Details and Signal Treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0122 Roll rigidity ratio; Warping
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/214 by varying the load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/24 : Steering, cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 : Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 : EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 : with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 : including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 : Improving turning performance

Abstract

A roll stiffness control apparatus of a vehicle, which includes a controller that estimates a remaining capacity of front wheels to generate a lateral force and a remaining capacity of rear wheels to generate a lateral force, and that sets a roll stiffness distribution ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels so as to reduce a difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate a lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate a lateral force.

Claims

1. A roll stiffness control apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

a controller which estimates a remaining capacity of front wheels to generate a lateral force and a remaining capacity of rear wheels to generate a lateral force, and which sets a roll stiffness distribution ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels so as to reduce a difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate a lateral force is a difference between a maximum lateral force of the front wheels and an actual lateral force currently generated by the front wheels, and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate a lateral force is a difference between a maximum possible lateral force of the rear wheels and an actual lateral force currently generated by the rear wheels, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is based at least on a vertical load applied to each of the respective front or rear wheel,

the vehicle includes a yaw movement control device which controls a braking force and a driving force of each wheel to make a yaw movement of the vehicle come closer to a target yaw movement,

the controller calculates a target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels as a sum of a basic roll stiffness distribution ratio and a roll stiffness distribution ratio increasing or decreasing amount of the front wheels, the roll stiffness distribution ratio increasing or decreasing amount being used to reduce the difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force,

the controller controls reducing the roll stiffness distribution ratio of one wheel from among the front wheels and the rear wheels and increasing the roll stiffness distribution ratio of the other wheels from among the front wheels and the rear wheels, the remaining capacity of the one wheel to generate the lateral force being larger than the remaining capacity of the other wheels to generate the lateral force,

the controller calculates the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the rear wheels based on the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels,

the controller controls the roll stiffness distribution ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels such that the roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels and the rear wheels become the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels and the rear wheels, and

the controller changes the basic roll stiffness distribution ratio such that the basic roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels to the rear wheels is set higher when the yaw movement control device operates abnormally as compared to when the yaw movement control device operates normally.

2. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the yaw movement control device operates abnormally, the controller reduces the roll stiffness distribution ratio increasing or decreasing amount as compared to when the yaw movement control device operates normally.

3. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the yaw movement control device stabilizes a running state of the vehicle by calculating a spin state amount indicating a degree of a spin of the vehicle, and supplying the vehicle with a yaw moment for suppressing the spin based on the spin state amount and decelerating the vehicle.

4. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the yaw movement control device stabilizes a running state of the vehicle by calculating a drift-out state amount indicating a degree of drift-out of the vehicle, and supplying the vehicle with a yaw moment for suppressing the drift-out based on the drift-out state amount and decelerates the vehicle.

5. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the roll movement of the vehicle is small the controller estimates a roll moment of the vehicle, and makes a degree of reduction in the difference lower than a degree of reduction in the difference, when the roll moment of the vehicle is large.

6. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the controller detects lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and estimates a roll moment of the vehicle based on the detected lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

7. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the controller estimates lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle, and estimates a roll moment of the vehicle based on the estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

8. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

the controller detects lateral acceleration of the vehicle and estimates lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle, and determines a degree of a roll of the vehicle based on the detected lateral acceleration of the vehicle and the estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

9. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the controller changes roll stiffness at a position of the front wheels by changing an anti-roll moment at the position of the front wheels, and changes roll stiffness at a position of the rear wheels by changing an anti-roll moment at a position of the rear wheels.

10. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the controller estimates a roll moment of the vehicle;

the controller calculates a target anti-roll moment of the vehicle based on the roll moment of the vehicle; and

the controller changes the roll stiffness at the position of the front wheels and the roll stiffness at the position of the rear wheels such that the roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels approaches the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels, and such that the anti-roll moment of the vehicle approaches the target anti-roll moment.

11. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the controller detects lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and estimates a roll moment of the vehicle based on the detected lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

12. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the controller estimates lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle, and estimates a roll moment of the vehicle based on the estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

13. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the controller detects lateral acceleration of the vehicle and estimates lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle, and determines a degree of a roll of the vehicle based on the detected lateral acceleration of the vehicle and the estimated lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

14. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the controller includes an active stabilizer having a stabilizer which is divided into two portions, and an actuator which rotates torsion bars of the stabilizer with respect to each other;

and

the controller increases or decreases the anti-roll moment by increases or decreases a rotation angle of the actuator, thereby increasing or decreasing the roll stiffness.

15. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the controller increases or decreases support stiffness of a suspension by increasing or decreasing a spring constant of a suspension spring, thereby increasing or decreasing the roll stiffness.

16. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a ratio of (1) the maximum lateral force of the front wheels minus an actual lateral force generated by the front wheels to (2) the maximum lateral force of the front wheels, and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a ratio of (1) the maximum lateral force of the rear wheels minus an actual lateral force generated by the rear wheels to (2) the maximum lateral force of the rear wheels.

17. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a ratio of (1) a sum of maximum lateral forces of the right and left front wheels minus a sum of actual lateral forces currently being generated by the left and right wheels to (2) the sum of the maximum lateral forces of the right and left front wheels, and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a ratio of (1) a sum of maximum lateral forces of the right and left rear wheels minus a sum of actual lateral forces currently being generated by the right and left rear wheels to (2) the sum of the maximum lateral forces of the right and left rear wheels.

18. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a difference between a (1) the maximum lateral force of the front wheels and (2) an actual lateral force currently generated by the front wheels and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a difference between (1) the maximum lateral force of the rear wheels and (2) an actual lateral force currently generated by the rear wheels.

19. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a difference between (1) a sum of maximum lateral forces of the right and left front wheels and (2) a sum of actual lateral forces currently generated by the right and left front wheels and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is calculated as a difference between (1) a sum of maximum lateral forces of the right and left rear wheels and (2) a sum of actual lateral forces of the right and left rear wheels.

20. The roll stiffness control apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is reduced by increasing a value in the roll stiffness distribution ratio for the wheels having the higher remaining capacity to generate the lateral force, and decreasing a value in the roll stiffness distribution ratio for the wheels having the lower remaining capacity to generate the lateral force.

21. A roll stiffness control apparatus of a vehicle, comprising:

roll stiffness distribution ratio changing means for changing a roll stiffness distribution ratio between front wheels and rear wheels;

remaining capacity estimating means for estimating a remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate a lateral force and a remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate a lateral force; and

control means for controlling the roll stiffness distribution ratio changing means so as to reduce a difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate a lateral force is a difference between a maximum lateral force of the front wheels and an actual lateral force currently generated by the front wheels, and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate a lateral force is a difference between a maximum possible lateral force of the rear wheels and an actual lateral force currently generated by the rear wheels, wherein

the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force is based at least on a vertical load applied to each of the respective front or rear wheels,

the vehicle includes a yaw movement control means which controls a braking force and a driving force of each wheel to make a yaw movement of the vehicle come closer to a target yaw movement,

the control means calculates a target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels as a sum of a basic roll stiffness distribution ratio and a roll stiffness distribution ratio increasing or decreasing amount of the front wheels, the roll stiffness distribution ratio increasing or decreasing amount being used to reduce the difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate the lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate the lateral force,

the control means controls reducing the roll stiffness distribution ratio of one wheel from among the front wheels and the rear wheels and increasing the roll stiffness distribution ratio of the other wheels from among the front wheels and the rear wheels, the remaining capacity of the one wheel to generate the lateral force being larger than the remaining capacity of the other wheels to generate the lateral force,

the control means calculates the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the rear wheels based on the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels,

the control means controls the roll stiffness distribution ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels such that the roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels and the rear wheels become the target roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels and the rear wheels, and

the control means changes the basic roll stiffness distribution ratio such that the basic roll stiffness distribution ratio of the front wheels to the rear wheels is set higher when the yaw movement control device operates abnormally as compared to when the yaw movement control device operates normally.