Roll over stability control for an automotive vehicle having an active suspension

• US 20040041358A1
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Hrovat, Davorin David, Fodor, Michael Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/5.502
• 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 17/0195 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 2400/0521 Roll rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0522 Pitch rate
• 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 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/214 by varying the load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution

Abstract

A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle as includes a plurality of sensors (28-37) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle to determine imminent rollover. A controller (26) coupled to an active suspension (49) controls a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension.

Claims

1. A rollover control system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

an active suspension having independently adjustable unloading side and a loading side;

a rollover sensor generating a rollover signal for detecting an imminent rollover of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to said rollover sensor for controlling the active suspension to generate a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal.

2. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller controls the loading side to a loaded condition and controls the unloading side to an unloaded condition to provide the restoring torque.

3. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller controls the loading side to a loaded condition and simultaneously controls the unloading side to an unloaded condition to provide the restoring torque.

4. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor comprises a speed sensor generating a first signal corresponding to wheel speed of the vehicle.

5. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor is selected from the group of a speed sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a roll rate sensor, a yaw rate sensor and a longitudinal acceleration sensor.

6. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rollover sensor is selected from the group of a speed sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a roll rate sensor, a yaw rate sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor.

7. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a sensor selected from the group of a steering angle sensor, acceleration sensor and a pitch rate sensor.

8. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller determines vehicle speed at a center of gravity of the vehicle in response to said steering angle and said steering sensor.

9. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a brake controller coupled to said controller, said brake controller controlling front brake force and rear brake force in response to said rollover signal.

10. A rollover control system as recited in claim 9 wherein said controller changes the restoring torque by changing the steering angle factor in combination with said brake force distribution.

11. A rollover control system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller changes the restoring torque by controlling the steered wheels.

12. A method of controlling rollover stability of a vehicle having an active suspension having a first side suspension and a second side suspension comprising the steps of:

sensing imminent rollover of the vehicle in response to a rollover signal;

generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises unloading the first side suspension.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension and a brake force distribution.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises generating a restoring torque in response to the rollover signal by controlling the active suspension and a steering angle.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of generating a restoring torque comprises simultaneously unloading the first side suspension and loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension.

18. A method of controlling rollover stability of a vehicle having a first side suspension and a second side suspension comprising the steps of:

sensing imminent rollover of the vehicle in response to a rollover signal;

determining a loading side and a unloading of the vehicle;

unloading the first side suspension corresponding to the unloading side suspension;

loading the second side suspension corresponding to the loading side suspension;

generating a restoring torque in response to the steps of unloading and loading.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing a steering angle of the vehicle.

20. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing a brake force distribution.

21. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein prior to the step of loading and unloading generating the restoring torque by changing the steering angle factor in combination with said brake force distribution.

22. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein the steps of loading and unloading are performed simultaneously.