Tripped rollover mitigation and prevention systems and methods

• US 8,108,104 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hrovat, Davor, Tseng, Eric, Fodor, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/560,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 701/38, 701/37, 701/36, 701/1, 701/41, 701/48, 180/21, 180/208, 180/282, 280/5.506, 280/5.509, 280/755, 280/767
• US Class Current: 701/38
• 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 2300/40 Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/064 Degree of grip
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/00 Steering deflectable wheels not otherwise provided for steering positon indicators B62D15/02

Abstract

A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include an object information device. An active suspension or an active steering system may be coupled to a wheel of the vehicle. The rollover system may include a lateral support system. A controller determines that an obstacle is an imminent tripping obstacle and raises or steers the wheel, to prevent the wheel from colliding with the obstacle, or deploys the lateral support system in response to a rollover notification signal and the determination. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle may include a chassis and a driving surface wheel. A wheel assembly is coupled to the chassis inward from the driving surface wheel relative to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The wheel assembly contacts the driving surface when a roll angle of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle before the obstacle contacts the vehicle;

an active suspension coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the active suspension, the controller receiving one or more sensor signals indicative of a status of the vehicle and operating in a normal stability control system operating mode or a tripped rollover operating mode,

wherein, when operating in the tripped rollover operating mode, the controller is configured to generate or receive a first rollover notification signal in response to the one or more sensor signals, identify an imminent tripping obstacle, and raise the at least one wheel to prevent the at least one wheel from contacting the obstacle in response to the first rollover notification signal and imminent tripping obstacle identification, and

wherein the controller operates in the tripped rollover operating mode when the vehicle is experiencing one or more of a specified roll angle and specified lateral slip angle as indicated by the one or more sensor signals,

wherein the tripped rollover operating mode is triggered by the controller in response to the first rollover notification signal, the first rollover notification signal generated or received in response to the imminent tripping obstacle identification.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one wheel is raised prior to the at least one wheel contacting the obstacle.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one wheel is raised to a level above the obstacle.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one object information device comprises at least one of an object indicator, a sensor, a global positioning system, a navigation system, a camera, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, or a radio frequency sensor.

5. A system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle status sensor generating a vehicle status signal, the controller raising the at least one wheel in response to the vehicle status signal.

6. A system as in claim 1 further comprising a lateral support system, the controller deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the first rollover notification signal and the determination.

7. A system as in claim 6 wherein the lateral support system is deployed subsequent to raising the at least one wheel.

8. A system as in claim 6 wherein the controller deploys the lateral support system subsequent to raising the at least one wheel and in response to a second rollover notification signal.

9. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle before the obstacle contacts the vehicle;

an active steering system coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the active steering system, the controller receiving one or more signals indicative of a status of the vehicle and operating in a normal stability control system operating mode or a tripped rollover operating mode,

wherein, when operating in the tripped rollover operating mode, the controller is configured to generate or receive a first rollover notification signal indicating identification of an imminent tripping obstacle in response to the one or more sensor signals, and steer the at least one wheel toward the obstacle in response to the first rollover notification signal,

wherein the at least one wheel is steered toward the obstacle when the first rollover notification signal is received while the vehicle is experiencing one or more of a specified roll angle and specified lateral slip angle as indicated by one or more of the sensor inputs.

10. A rollover stability control system as in claim 9 wherein the controller steers a plurality of wheels toward the obstacle in response to the first rollover notification signal and imminent tripping obstacle identification.

11. A system as in claim 9 further comprising a lateral support system, the controller deploying the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the first rollover notification signal and the determination.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein the lateral support system is deployed subsequent to the steering of the at least one wheel.

13. A system as in claim 11 wherein the controller deploys the lateral support system subsequent to the steering of the at least one wheel and in response to a second rollover notification signal.

14. A rollover stability control system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one object information device detecting an obstacle before the obstacle contacts the vehicle;

a lateral support system; and

a controller coupled to the at least one object information device and the lateral support system, the controller receiving one or more signals indicative of a status of the vehicle and operating in a normal stability control system operating mode or a tripped rollover operating mode,

wherein, when operating in the tripped rollover operating mode, the controller is configured to generate a rollover notification signal indicating identification of an imminent tripping obstacle in response to the one or more sensor signals, and deploy the lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the rollover notification signal,

wherein the lateral support system is deployed when the first rollover notification signal is received while the vehicle is experiencing one or more of a specified roll angle and specified lateral slip angle as indicated by the one or more sensor signals.

15. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system comprises at least one retractable arm.

16. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system comprises:

at least one arm; and

at least one wheel set coupled to the at least one arm.

17. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system is deployed from a side of the vehicle.

18. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system is deployed from the undercarriage of the vehicle.

19. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system is passively released when deployed.

20. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system comprises:

at least one actuator; and

at least one deployable element coupled to the at least one actuator.

21. A rollover stability control system as in claim 14 wherein the lateral support system comprises an active tensegrity device.

22. A method of operating a rollover stability control system for a vehicle having at least four wheels, each wheel including an outer sidewall, the method comprising:

detecting an object that may cause the vehicle to experience a tripped rollover and generating a vehicle rollover notification signal based on sensor inputs; and

raising, in response to the vehicle rollover notification signal, at least one wheel of the vehicle when the vehicle is moving laterally toward the object such that none of the outer sidewalls of the wheel will strike the object,

wherein the at least one wheel of the vehicle is raised when the rollover notification signal is received while the vehicle is experiencing one or more of a specified roll angle and specified lateral slip angle as indicated by one or more of the sensor inputs.

23. A method as in claim 22 comprising:

deploying a lateral support system externally and outwardly from the vehicle in response to the rollover notification signal.