Vehicle active suspension system incorporating acceleration detecting means

Claim 2

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and a plurality of wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means for detecting acceleration of said body and for producing a signal representative thereof; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 3

A suspension system according to claim 1, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof.

Claim 4

A suspension system according to claim 1, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Claim 5

A suspension system according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body.

Claim 6

A suspension system according to claim 4, wherein said control means comprises a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 7

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and a plurality of wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means for detecting acceleration of said body and for producing a signal representative thereof; for each said wheel, load sensor means for detecting the value of the load between said wheel and said body and for outputting a signal representative thereof; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means and said signals representative of load from said plurality of load sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, and for operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and for bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 8

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and a plurality of wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means for detecting acceleration of said body and for producing a signal representative thereof; for each said wheel, load sensor means for detecting the value of the load between said wheel and said body and for outputting a signal representative thereof; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means and said signals representative of load from said plurality of load sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, and for operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and for bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 9

A suspension system according to claim 6, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof.

Claim 10

A suspension system according to claim 6, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Claim 11

A suspension system according to claim 6 or claim 8, wherein said accelerating detecting sensor means comprises a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body.

Claim 12

A suspension system according to claim 9, wherein said control means comprises a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 13

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to said certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 14

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to said certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 15

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to said certain ratio, based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 16

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a certain ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to said certain ratio, based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 17

A suspension system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said certain ratio is substantially equal to unity.

Claim 18

A suspension system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said certain ratio is substantially greater than unity.

Claim 19

A suspension system according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said certain ratio is substantially less than unity.

Claim 20

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a first ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a second ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 21

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a first ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a second ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels.

Claim 22

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said. body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a first ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a second ratio, based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 23

A suspension system for a vehicle comprising a body and two front and two rear wheels, comprising: a plurality of actuators, each of which supports said body from one of said wheels and is controllable to provide a variable force between said. body and said wheels; a sensor means, comprising a means for detecting acceleration of said vehicle body in the lateral direction thereof and a means for detecting roll angle acceleration of said vehicle body; and a control means for inputting said signal representative of said acceleration of said body from said sensor means, for calculating based thereupon fluctuations in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, and for controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, comprising a means for: (a) detecting whether or not the direction of lateral acceleration of said body as determined by said lateral acceleration detecting means is the same as or is the opposite to the direction of roll acceleration of said body as considered for a point above the center of gravity of said vehicle; and for: (b) if said directions are the same, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said roll angle acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said front and said rear wheels on each side and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a first ratio, and based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero; and for: (c) if said directions are opposite, calculating, based upon said signal representative of said lateral acceleration of said body from said sensor means therefor, the magnitude of the total fluctuation in load acting between said wheels and said body caused by said acceleration, performing a distribution calculation on said total fluctuation between said front and said rear wheels according to a second ratio, based thereupon controlling said actuators to increase or decrease forces provided thereby between said body and said wheels, operating by feedback action by comparing the actual fluctuation in the force between the respective wheel of each said actuator and said body as sensed by said load sensor means for said wheel with the calculated value therefor, and bringing the difference between said values to be zero.

Claim 24

A suspension system according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein said first and said second ratio are substantially different.