Turning control apparatus for vehicle

• US 20070222286A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Miura, Takami
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/140
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/16 Axle differentials, e.g. for dividing torque between left and right wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability

Abstract

The present invention provides a turning control apparatus for a vehicle to improve turning ability and to avoid degradation of acceleration ability.

The turning control apparatus comprises: a driving torque controller (31) for adjusting driving torque between a left and right wheels (14L and 14R); means (62) for calculating a necessary yaw momentum value indicating degree of necessary yaw momentum for the turning of the vehicle; and means (63) for clipping the necessary yaw momentum value as a target yaw momentum at a maximum yaw momentum value, which is defined according to difference between the inside-wheel rotation speed and the outside-wheel rotation speed (−), if the necessary yaw momentum value is over the maximum yaw momentum value.

The driving torque controller (31) adjusts between driving torque of the left and right wheels (14L and 14R) so as to generate target yaw momentum at the vehicle corresponding to the target yaw momentum value obtained by the necessary yaw momentum value clipping means (63).

Claims

1. A turning control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a driving torque controller for adjusting driving torque between a left wheel and a right wheel;

means for detecting turning direction of the vehicle;

means for determining which of the left wheel and the right wheel is an inside-wheel or an outside-wheel according to the turning direction detected by said turning direction detecting means;

means for sensing rotation speed of an inside-wheel which is opposite to the outside-wheel;

means for sensing rotation speed of the outside-wheel;

means for calculating a necessary yaw momentum value indicating degree of necessary yaw momentum for the turning of the vehicle; and

means for clipping the necessary yaw momentum value as a target yaw momentum at a maximum yaw momentum value, which is defined according to difference between the inside-wheel rotation speed sensed by said inside-wheel rotation speed sensing means and the outside-wheel rotation speed sensed by said outside-wheel rotation speed sensing means, if the necessary yaw momentum value is over the maximum yaw momentum value;

said driving torque controller adjusting between driving torque of the left wheel and the right wheel so as to generate target yaw momentum at the vehicle corresponding to the target yaw momentum value obtained by said necessary yaw momentum value clipping means.

2. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for calculating a brake yaw momentum value which indicates excess amount of the maximum yaw momentum value within the necessary yaw momentum value; and

a brake force controller for individually adjusting brake force of each wheel of the vehicle so as to generate brake yaw momentum corresponding to the brake yaw momentum value calculated by said brake yaw momentum value calculating means.

3. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means decreases the maximum yaw momentum value according to increments of the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed relative to the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed.

4. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means sets the maximum yaw momentum value to zero if the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is faster than the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed and any further difference between the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed and the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is higher than or equal to a differential speed threshold value.

5. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said necessary yaw momentum value calculating means calculates the necessary yaw momentum value that must be reached to prevent under-steering,

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means set constant at the maximum yaw momentum value,

when said necessary yaw momentum value calculating means calculates the necessary yaw momentum value that must be reached to prevent over-steering,

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means varies the maximum yaw momentum value according to the differential rotation speed between the inside-wheel rotation speed and the outside-wheel rotation speed.

6. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is faster than the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed,

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means sets constant at the maximum yaw momentum value,

when the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is faster than the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed,

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means varies the maximum yaw momentum value according to the differential rotation speed between the inside-wheel rotation speed and the outside-wheel rotation speed.

7. A turning control apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is faster than the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed,

said necessary yaw momentum clipping means sets the maximum yaw momentum value to be smaller than when the outside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed is faster than the inside-wheel'"'"'s rotation speed.