Vehicle behavior control apparatus and control method

• US 8,214,107 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck, Karen A
• Application Number:
  US12/416,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/124, 701/102, 701/36, 701/51, 701/53, 701/99, 701/3, 701/4, 701/5, 701/6, 701/13, 180/41, 180/291, 180/292, 180/298, 280/772, 74/52.2, 74/54
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/00 Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/02 with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, substantially in or parallel to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/04 with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, transversely to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1229 Gyroscope control

Abstract

A vehicle behavior control apparatus includes a rotary body formed as a part of a power plant installed in a vehicle, and a shaft deflection unit that sets a vehicle behavior target value for obtaining a target vehicle behavior, and deflects a direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary body relative to a vehicle body in accordance with the vehicle behavior target value. Thus, the vehicle behavior can be controlled appropriately by using a pre-existing vehicle constitutional component such as an engine or a motor as the rotary body, and using a gyro moment generated by deflecting the direction of the rotary shaft of the rotary body.

Claims

1. A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:

a rotary body formed as a part of a power plant installed in a vehicle; and

a shaft deflection unit that sets a vehicle behavior target value for obtaining a target vehicle behavior, and deflects a direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary body which is provided between the rotary body and a wheel of the vehicle, by adjusting an angle of the rotary shaft relative to a short axis of the vehicle body, in accordance with the vehicle behavior target value, wherein

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is disposed in a right-left direction of the vehicle, and the shaft deflection unit deflects the direction of the rotary shaft by varying a pitch angle of the rotary body relative to the short axis of the vehicle body.

2. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft deflection unit deflects the rotary shaft on the basis of a rotation speed of the rotary body.

3. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft deflection unit sets a speed at which the rotary shaft is deflected on the basis of a rotation speed of the rotary body.

4. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft deflection unit sets the vehicle behavior target value on the basis of steering performed by a driver in order to obtain a target vehicle behavior in relation to a yaw direction of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shaft deflection unit comprises a controller that sets the vehicle behavior target value, and a power plant movement control apparatus that is controlled by the controller.

10. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the power plant movement control apparatus is an engine mount.

11. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the power plant movement control apparatus is a mount having a built-in actuator.

5. A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:

a rotary body formed as a part of a power plant installed in a vehicle; and

a shaft deflection unit that sets a vehicle behavior target value for obtaining a target vehicle behavior, and deflects a direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary body which is provided between the rotary body and a wheel of the vehicle, by adjusting an angle of the rotary shaft relative to a long or short axis of the vehicle body, in accordance with the vehicle behavior target value, wherein

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is disposed in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the shaft deflection unit deflects the direction of the rotary shaft by varying a yaw angle of the rotary body.

6. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the shaft deflection unit sets the vehicle behavior target value on the basis of an attitude of the vehicle in order to obtain a target vehicle behavior in relation to a pitch direction of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:

a rotary body formed as a part of a power plant installed in a vehicle; and

a shaft deflection unit that sets a vehicle behavior target value for obtaining a target vehicle behavior, and deflects a direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary body which is provided between the rotary body and a wheel of the vehicle, by adjusting an angle of the rotary shaft relative to a long or short axis of the vehicle body, in accordance with the vehicle behavior target value, wherein

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is disposed in a right-left direction of the vehicle, and the shaft deflection unit deflects the direction of the rotary shaft by varying a yaw angle of the rotary body.

8. The vehicle behavior control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the shaft deflection unit sets the vehicle behavior target value on the basis of steering performed by a driver in order to obtain a target vehicle behavior in relation to a roll direction of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle behavior control method comprising:

calculating a rotation speed of a rotary body formed as a part of a power plant installed in a vehicle;

setting a vehicle behavior target value for obtaining a target behavior on the basis of the rotation speed; and

deflecting a direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary body which is provided between the rotary body and a wheel of the vehicle, by adjusting an angle of the rotary shaft relative to a short axis of the vehicle body, in accordance with the vehicle behavior target value, wherein

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is disposed in a right-left direction of the vehicle, and the shaft deflection unit deflects the direction of the rotary shaft by varying a pitch angle of the rotary body relative to the short axis of the vehicle body.

13. The vehicle behavior control method according to claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a steering direction and a steering speed of the vehicle, wherein

the vehicle behavior target value is set in relation to a yaw direction vehicle behavior of the vehicle on the basis of the steering direction and the steering speed, and

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is deflected in a pitch direction of the rotary body.

14. The vehicle behavior control method according to claim 12, further comprising:

estimating an attitude of the vehicle, wherein

the vehicle behavior target value is set in relation to a pitch direction vehicle behavior of the vehicle on the basis of the attitude of the vehicle, and

the rotary shaft of the rotary body is deflected in a yaw direction of the rotary body.