US 5,586,032 AGranted

System for controlling a vehicle undercarriage based on road safety, travel comfort and standard modes of operation

AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH

InventorsRainer Kallenbach, Stefan Otterbein

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Abstract

A system for the generation of signals for control or regulation of a passenger car and/or truck undercarriage controllable or regulable in its sequences of movement, where a three-step operation is provided. In a safety mode, particular allowance is made for road safety, and in a comfort mode for travel comfort. Moreover, a predetermined undercarriage setting is selected in a standard mode. These selections are based on the movements determined between the wheels and the vehicle superstructure, such as spring deflection movements. Furthermore, based on the determined spring deflection movements, the actual value P of the wheel load fluctuations and the movements of the vehicle superstructure are inventionally determined. By query of certain criteria it is determined whether the undercarriage, controllable or regulable in its sequences of movement, will be adjusted in view of minimizing the wheel load fluctuations (safety mode) or in view of minimizing the superstructure movements (comfort mode) or whether a predetermined, specifically soft undercarriage setting will be selected (standard mode).

Claims10

Dependent claims

A system for control of an undercarriage of a vehicle, the vehicle having a superstructure and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having at least two wheel units connected to the superstructure said wheel units subject to wheel load fluctuations, the undercarriage including adjustable means for affecting the sequences of movement of the undercarriage whereby the undercarriage selectively operates in one of a plurality of modes of undercarriage operation, the system comprising:

means for determining relative movements between the wheel units and the superstructure of the vehicle;
means for determining an amount of superstructure movement;
means for effecting a first mode of undercarriage operation defining a road safety operation of the undercarriage, said first mode of undercarriage operation dependent on said determined relative movements, said first mode of undercarriage operation controlling said adjustable means to minimize wheel load fluctuations;
means for effecting a second mode of undercarriage operation defining a travel comfort operation of the undercarriage, said second mode of undercarriage operation dependent on said determined relative movements, said second mode of undercarriage operation controlling said adjustable means to minimize superstructure movement;
means for effecting a third mode of undercarriage operation defining a standard predetermined operation of the undercarriage, said third mode of undercarriage operation controlling said adjustable means to maintain a predetermined adjustment characteristic of the undercarriage;
means for selecting one of said first mode effecting means, said second mode effecting means, and said third mode effecting means, dependent on said determined relative movements, and for controlling said adjustable means;
and
means for selecting one of said second mode effecting means, and said third mode effecting means, dependent on said amount of superstructure movement, and for controlling said adjustable means.

5 more elements

A system for control of an undercarriage of a vehicle, the vehicle having a superstructure and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having at least two wheel units connected to the superstructure, the undercarriage including adjustable means for effecting the sequences of movement of the undercarriage, whereby the undercarriage is capable of a plurality of modes of operation, the system comprising:

means for generating first signals representing the relative movements between the wheel units and the superstructure of the vehicle;
means for effecting a first mode of undercarriage operation based on said first signals for defining a road safety operation of the undercarriage;
means for effecting a second mode of undercarriage operation based on said first signals for defining a travel comfort operation of the undercarriage;
means for effecting a third mode of undercarriage operation defining a standard predetermined operation of the undercarriage;
and
means for determining actual values of the wheel load fluctuations dependent on said first signals and for utilizing said actual values as selection criteria for selecting one of said first mode effecting means, said second mode effecting means, and said third mode effecting means, whereby said first mode effecting means minimizes wheel load fluctuations and said second mode effecting means minimizes superstructure movements.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/332,425Filed 31 Oct 1994 · continuation
Priority: DE 41 15 481.911 May 1991
Granted: 17 Dec 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

B60G 17/018
The regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements: characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
B60G 2400/104
Acceleration; Deceleration: lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
B60G 2400/106
Acceleration; Deceleration: longitudinal with regard to vehicle, e.g. braking
B60G 2400/20
Indexing codes relating to detected, measured or calculated conditions or factors: speed