Abstract:
A system for providing enhanced force and motion stability and management for a tow-vehicle towing a trailer assembly is disclosed. The system includes a tow-vehicle with an electronic stability enhancing system in communication with a processor with memory, and sensors located on the tow-vehicle are used for detecting engagement with a trailer and communicating with a trailer electrical system and the processor. Computer instructions instruct the processor to identify specifications representing the tow-vehicle and the trailer and to calculate at least one force, at least one motion, and combinations thereof, affecting the tow-vehicle and trailer assembly. Computer instructions provide instructions for braking to at least one wheel of the tow-vehicle using the at least one force, the at least one motion, the electronic stability enhancing system, and the specifications of the tow-vehicle towing the trailer assembly.
Abstract:
A motion control device 10 for a vehicle exerts braking force only on the rear wheel at the inner side of the turning direction for generating a yawing moment on the vehicle only in the turning direction of the vehicle when an absolute value of an actual lateral acceleration Gy is not more than a value Gyth, i.e., when there is a small possibility of the occurrence of an excessive roll angle on the vehicle body, in case where the turning state of the vehicle is the understeer state. On the other hand, it exerts braking force not only on the rear wheel at the inner side of the turning direction, but also on the front and rear wheels at the outer side of the turning direction for generating a yawing moment in the direction opposite to the turning direction too, when the absolute value of the actual lateral acceleration Gy exceeds the value Gyth, i.e., when there is a great possibility of the occurrence of the excessive roll angle on the vehicle body, in case where the turning state of the vehicle is the understeer state.
Abstract:
A control system for a vehicle (10) is described for use in conjunction with the safety system (44) of the vehicle (10). A tire sensor or plurality of tire sensors generates tire force signals. The tire force signals may include lateral tire forces, longitudinal (or torque) tire forces, and normal tire forces. Based upon the tire force signals, a safety system (44) may be activated. The tire force sensors may be used to monitor various conditions including but not limited to sensing a roll condition, wheel lift detection, a trip event, oversteering and understeering conditions, pitch angle, bank angle, roll angle, and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A motion control device 10 for a vehicle exerts braking force only on the rear wheel at the inner side of the turning direction for generating a yawing moment on the vehicle only in the turning direction of the vehicle when an absolute value of an actual lateral acceleration Gy is not more than a value Gyth, i.e., when there is a small possibility of the occurrence of an excessive roll angle on the vehicle body, in case where the turning state of the vehicle is the understeer state. On the other hand, it exerts braking force not only on the rear wheel at the inner side of the turning direction, but also on the front and rear wheels at the outer side of the turning direction for generating a yawing moment in the direction opposite to the turning direction too, when the absolute value of the actual lateral acceleration Gy exceeds the value Gyth, i.e., when there is a great possibility of the occurrence of the excessive roll angle on the vehicle body, in case where the turning state of the vehicle is the understeer state.
Abstract:
A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A-C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.
Abstract:
A method for improving side roll, initially based on a conceivably unfavorable motor vehicle load to indicate a stability-critical transversal acceleration or related variable when the vehicle begins to travel. By observing the motor vehicle during travel, information on real mass distribution can be obtained. Whenever there is a danger of tilting during cornering, braking occurs in at least the front wheel that is located towards the outside of the bend, resulting in a reduction of lateral forces and transversal acceleration. An additional active motor vehicle suspension can also be provided.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a vehicle motion control system for maintaining vehicle stability, even in the case where the vehicle is tilted when the vehicle is in turning motion, wherein a braking force control unit is provided for controlling a braking force applied to each of front and rear wheels of the vehicle. The system includes a tilt detection unit which detects a tilt of a normal axis of the vehicle to its vertical axis, and a turn determination unit which determines a turning condition of the vehicle including a turning direction thereof. A yaw moment control unit is provided for controlling the braking force controlling unit to produce a yaw moment in a direction opposite to the turning direction of the vehicle in response to the tilt detected by the tilt detection unit when the turn determination unit determines that the vehicle is turning.
Abstract:
A vehicle braking system includes a pair of valve devices which compensate for variations in wheel load for each of the rear brakes. The valve devices are controlled by suspension travel through a resilient linkage assembly, but because the suspension is stiffer in roll than in bounce, the linkage is desirably more sensitive in roll. The resilient linkage includes a pair of torsion bars, each of which has a crank arm at one end and a bearing support adjacent to the crank arm. Each crank arm is connected to a respective suspension component, the torsion bars being arranged so that the reaction at the bearing support provides the main control force for the respective valve while the other end of the torsion bar is connected to the other valve to provide a compensating force which is subtractive in the bounce mode but additive in the roll mode.
Abstract:
A hydraulic braking system is provided for automatically apportioning braking of the wheels of a vehicle in accordance with the load on respective wheels. A plurality of brake control assemblies each dedicated to one of the wheels of the vehicle are coupled to produce braking of the corresponding wheel upon activation of the brake pedal. The degree of actuation of each brake control assembly is controlled by an element which senses load differences between all wheels on the vehicle (including load differences between wheels on either side of the vehicle and between front and rear wheels), and adjusts the degree of actuation of the corresponding brake control assembly accordingly. In an illustrative embodiment each brake control assembly includes a brake control cylinder having a piston movably disposed therein. The pistons are coupled to the brake pedal so as to be maximally advanced into the brake control cylinder when a maximum brake force is applied. The load sensing device is a pendulum which is mounted for displacement along the length and width of the vehicle from a predefined normal position. The pendulum is coupled to each of the pistons so that, in its normal position, all pistons are equally displaced within their corresponding cylinders so that, when a force is applied to the brake pedal, all wheels receive an equal braking force. In operation, when the wheels of the vehicle have unequal loads, such as on turns, the pendulum is displaced from its normal position and causes the various pistons to be displaced by different amounts in their corresponding cylinders. Thus, when a force is applied to the brake pedal, the braking force is apportioned unequally among the wheels and in proportion to the load on each wheel.
Abstract:
A liquid pressure braking system for a vehicle has a master cylinder which is connected to the brake operating motor cylinder on each front wheel of the vehicle through a respective liquid pressure intensifier. Each intensifier has a differential area piston. The differential liquid pressure on the piston, which tends to close the valve and render the intensifier effective to increase the liquid pressure at its outlet as compared with its liquid pressure inlet, is opposed by a spring which reacts against a stepped plunger. The plunger projects towards a link 18 of a mechanism which interconnects suspension components of the two front wheels. Load transfer from the inboard front wheel during cornering increases the spring load applied to the piston of the intensifier that controls the supply of liquid pressure to that front wheel so that the valve of that intensifier remains open after closure of the valve of the other intensifier and the brake pressure that acts on that inboard front wheel is lower than the brake pressure that acts on the outboard front wheel.