Control device for an adjustable chassis system

• US 8,812,191 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Rappelt, Stefan, Schuck, Toni, Kissner, Stefan, Frankenberger, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/615,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.8, 701/37, 701/38, 701/48, 701/63, 701/69, 701/70, 340/425.5, 737/94
• 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 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/052 Angular rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/10 Acceleration; Deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/1042 using at least two sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/1062 using at least two sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/904 the sensor being an xyz axis sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/912 Attitude Control; levelling control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/905 the sensor being an xyz axis sensor

Abstract

A control device for an adjustable chassis system includes a connection to at least one sensor arrangement which provides at least one vehicle condition parameter of a vehicle. The measured vehicle condition parameter is spatially related to a position outside of the control device. The sensor arrangement is arranged inside the control device and forms a virtual miniature measurement plane which is extrapolated to an actual measurement plane.

Claims

1. A control device (15) for an adjustable chassis system (3) comprising:

at least one sensor arrangement (17, 23) providing at least one vehicle body movement condition parameter of a vehicle, wherein the measured vehicle body movement condition parameter is spatially related to a position outside of the control device (15);

a connection between said at least one sensor arrangement and said control device,

wherein said sensor arrangement (17, 23) is arranged inside said control device (15) and forms a virtual miniature measurement plane (19) which is extrapolated to an actual measurement plane (21).

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor arrangement (17) provides an acceleration signal with respect to a vehicle longitudinal axis (X), a vehicle transverse axis (Y) and a vehicle vertical axis (Z).

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor arrangement comprises a rate of rotation sensor (23) for providing a rate of rotation signal (φ

) with respect to a vehicle longitudinal axis (X), a vehicle transverse axis (Y) and a vehicle vertical axis (Z).

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein said acceleration signal for all three vehicle axes is provided by a single sensor.

5. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said rate of rotation signal for all three vehicle axes is provided by a single sensor.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said acceleration signal and said rate of rotation signal are provided by a single sensor.

7. The control device according to at least one of claim 1, wherein said control device (15) further comprises an algorithm which compensates for an angular position of said control device (15) relative to the actual measurement plane (21).

8. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said sensor arrangement comprises a rate of rotation sensor (23) for providing a rate of rotation signal (φ

) with respect to a vehicle longitudinal axis (X), a vehicle transverse axis (Y) and a vehicle vertical axis (Z).

9. The control device according to claim 2, wherein said acceleration signal and said rate of rotation signal are provided by a single sensor.