JPH08207541A - Electric controller for vehicle damping force imparting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To effectively limit shifting vibrations occurring in a car body during traveling on a winding road by controlling the damping coefficient of a damping force imparting mechanism based on a sky hook damper theory and setting a damping coefficient large when the peak value of a speed ratio is large. CONSTITUTION: An electric controller is provided with acceleration sensors 21a to 21d and 23a to 23d for detecting the speeds of a sprung member in the vertical direction with respect to an absolute space as the absolute velocity and stroke sensors 23a to 22d and 24a to 24d for detecting the speeds of the upper member in the vertical direction against an unsprung member as relative speeds. When detected relative velocity is less than a specified fine value, the relative velocity is changed to be the fine value and when the detected relative velocity is the same or higher than the fine value, this relative velocity is corrected to be maintained. By continuously calculating the ratio of detected absolute velocity against this corrected relative velocity as speed change ratio and determining a real damping coefficient based on a speed ratio when a change in the displacement direction of the sprung member and the continuously calculated speed ratio, the damping forces of shock absorbers 10A to 10D are adjusted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle damping force applying mechanism which is disposed between an unsprung member and an unsprung member of a vehicle and applies a damping force to vibration of the unsprung member with respect to the unsprung member. The present invention relates to an electric control device for a vehicle damping force applying mechanism that controls the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism to an actual damping coefficient based on the skyhook damper theory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the vertical speed of a sprung member with respect to the absolute space is detected as an absolute speed, and
The vertical speed of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member is detected as a relative speed, the ratio of the detected absolute speed to the detected relative speed is calculated as a speed ratio, and the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism is calculated as described above. An electric control device for a vehicle damping force applying mechanism using the skyhook damper theory, which controls the actual damping coefficient to be increased as the speed ratio is increased, is well known. Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-294122, the vibration of the sprung member is further detected, and a low frequency component (2 to 3 Hz) corresponding to the tilt of the vehicle body during the detected vibration is extracted by using a filter. When the extracted low frequency component is large, the actual damping coefficient based on the skyhook damper theory is corrected to increase, and the swinging vibration of the vehicle body traveling on the swell road (the sloping road with a large cycle) is corrected. An electric control device for a damping force applying mechanism for a vehicle, which effectively suppresses the noise and secures a good riding comfort of a vehicle traveling on a bad road (a traveling road having many fine irregularities), is shown. ing.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, a filter is required to effectively suppress the tilt of the vehicle body, and the damping coefficient is controlled due to the phase delay of the signal by the filter. There is a problem that there is a delay.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle damping force applying mechanism that effectively controls the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism with a simple structure and without delay. It is to provide an electric control device for.

[0005]

[Principle for solving the problem] The inventors of the present application have confirmed the following phenomena as a result of experiments and simulations.
When the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member changes, the relative speed becomes almost zero, so the speed ratio of the absolute speed to the relative speed has a discontinuous peak value for a moment. If the accuracy of the calculation of the speed ratio is not limited, the speed ratio should be infinite, but in the actual calculation of the speed ratio, the relative speed corrects its minimum value to a finite small value. The peak value is a finite large value proportional to the absolute speed. Then, this peak value shows a large value on a road surface with a large undulation that causes swinging vibration of the vehicle body, and a small value on a road surface with a small undulation (see FIG. 5).

The present invention has been made in view of the above phenomenon, and detects the peak value of the speed ratio and controls the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism according to the magnitude of the peak value,
It is intended to effectively suppress the swinging vibration of the vehicle body in a vehicle running on a swell road.

[0007]

In order to achieve the object of the present invention by using the above principle of solution, the structural feature of the present invention is that it is arranged between an unsprung member and an unsprung member of a vehicle. An electric control device for controlling a damping coefficient of a damping force imparting mechanism (10A to 10D) for imparting a damping force to vibration of an unsprung member with respect to an unsprung member, the velocity of the sprung member in a vertical direction with respect to an absolute space. Absolute speed detecting means (21a to 21d, 23a to 23d) for detecting as an absolute speed,
Relative speed detection means (22a-22) for detecting the vertical speed of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member as relative speed.
d, 24a to 24d) and a control means (25) for controlling the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism based on the detected absolute speed and the detected relative speed. In the electric control device, the control means changes the relative speed to the minute value when the detected relative speed is less than a predetermined minute value, and the detected relative speed is equal to or more than a predetermined minute value. Correction means (step 104) for correcting the relative speed to keep the same value as it is, and calculation means (step 104) for continuously calculating the ratio of the detected absolute speed to the corrected relative speed as a speed ratio. 108), direction change detection means (steps 110 and 114) for detecting that the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member has changed, and the direction change detection means. Based on the speed ratio calculated by the calculating means at the time when the change in the displacement direction is detected and the speed ratio continuously calculated by the calculating means, the speed ratio at the time when the change in the displacement direction is detected is large. Determining means (step 11) for continuously determining the actual damping coefficient, which increases with increasing speed and increases with the continuously calculated speed ratio.
6 to 126) and output means (step 128) for outputting a control signal representing the determined actual damping coefficient to the damping force applying mechanism to control the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism to the determined actual damping coefficient. It consists of.

[0008]

In the present invention constructed as described above, as described in the above-mentioned "Principle for Solving the Problem", when the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member changes, the absolute speed relative to the relative speed is changed. Since the speed ratio has a peak value,
The speed ratio calculated at the time when the change in the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member is detected by the direction change detecting means represents a peak value. And the determining means
The actual damping coefficient increases as the speed ratio calculated when the displacement direction changes and increases as the continuously calculated speed ratio increases. Therefore, the actual damping coefficient is determined by the skyhook damper. It is determined based on the theory, and the determined actual damping coefficient is corrected so as to increase as the peak value of the speed ratio increases. The control signal representing the actual damping coefficient thus determined is output to the damping force applying mechanism by the output means, and the output means controls the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism to the actual damping coefficient.

[0009]

As can be understood from the above description of the operation,
According to the present invention, the damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism is controlled based on the skyhook damper theory, and the damping coefficient is set to a large value when the peak value of the speed ratio is large, so that the vehicle travels on a swell road. The tilting vibration of the vehicle body generated inside is effectively suppressed. Further, when the peak value of the speed ratio is small, the damping coefficient is not set so large, so that a good ride comfort of the vehicle is secured when the vehicle is traveling on a bad road. Further, according to the present invention, the swing vibration state of the vehicle body is detected and the swing vibration is detected by detecting the change in the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member without using a filter as in the above-described conventional device. Therefore, the swing vibration of the vehicle body can be effectively suppressed easily and without delay.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 conceptually shows shock absorbers 10A to 10D as a vehicle damping force applying mechanism according to the present invention, and shock absorber 10A. 10D is a block diagram showing an electric control device 20 for controlling 10D.

The shock absorbers 10A to 10D are respectively arranged between the unsprung member (lower arm) and the sprung member (vehicle body) connected to each wheel. Each of the shock absorbers 10A to 10D includes hydraulic cylinders 12a to 12d that are partitioned into upper and lower chambers by pistons 11a to 11d, and the cylinders 12a to 12d are supported by unsprung members. Piston rods 13a to 13d are connected to the pistons 11a to 11d at their lower ends, and the rods 13a to 13d respectively support sprung members at their upper ends. In addition, shock absorber 1
0A to 10D may be arranged upside down so that the piston rods 13a to 13d are supported by the unsprung member and the sprung members are supported by the cylinders 12a to 12d.

The upper and lower chambers of the hydraulic cylinders 12a to 12d are electromagnetic valves 14a to 14d constituting a damping coefficient variable mechanism.
Through the shock absorbers 10A to 1
The damping coefficient of 0D is changed according to the opening degree of the electromagnetic valves 14a to 14d. When the opening degree of the electromagnetic valves 14a to 14d is large, the damping coefficient of the shock absorbers 10A to 10D is set to be small (soft side), and the damping coefficient increases as the opening degree decreases (shifts to the hard side). ). In each lower chamber of the hydraulic cylinders 12a to 12d,
Gas spring unit 15 for absorbing the volume change of the upper and lower chambers due to the vertical movement of the piston rods 13a to 13d
a to 15d are respectively connected.

The electric control unit 20 includes an acceleration sensor 21a.
-21d and stroke sensors 22a-22d. The acceleration sensors 21a to 21d are respectively mounted on sprung members (vehicle bodies) at respective wheel positions of the vehicle body, detect vertical accelerations of the sprung members with respect to absolute space, and output detection signals representing the same accelerations, respectively. To do. These acceleration sensors 21a-21d have integrators 23a-23
d are connected to each other, and the integrators 23a to 23d are connected.
By integrating the detection signal representing each acceleration,
The same acceleration is converted into a vertical velocity Vz (hereinafter referred to as absolute velocity Vz) of the sprung member at each wheel position with respect to the absolute space. The stroke sensors 22a to 22d are provided between the sprung member (vehicle body) and the unsprung member (lower arm) at each wheel position, and detect the vertical displacements of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member. A detection signal indicating the same displacement amount is output. Differentiators 24a to 24d are connected to the stroke sensors 22a to 22d, respectively, and the differentiators 24a to 24d differentiate the detection signals representing the respective displacement amounts, so that the same displacement amounts with respect to the unsprung member. It is converted into a vertical speed Vy of the sprung member (hereinafter referred to as a relative speed Vy). The absolute velocity Vz and the relative velocity Vy both represent an upward velocity by a positive value and a downward velocity by a negative value, and detection signals representing both the velocity Vz and Vy are supplied to the microcomputer 25.

The microcomputer 25 has an absolute speed V
Shock absorber 10A-depending on z and relative speed Vy
It constitutes a control means for controlling the damping coefficient of 10D, and the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 is repeatedly executed every predetermined short time under the control of the built-in timer circuit. The microcomputer 25 includes a drive circuit 26a corresponding to each of the shock absorbers 10A to 10D.
To 26d are connected to each of the drive circuits 26a to 26d.
Responds to a control signal from the microcomputer 25 to switch the opening degrees of the electromagnetic valves 14a to 14d to change the damping coefficients of the absorbers 10A to 10D.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described. The microcomputer 25 controls the damping coefficient of the shock absorbers 10A to 10D corresponding to each wheel in accordance with a program. However, since the control of each shock absorber 10A to 10D is the same, in the following, the shock absorber 10A will be described. Only the control will be explained, and the other shock absorbers 10B-
A description of 10D control is omitted.

When the ignition switch is turned on, the microcomputer 24 starts executing the program in step 100 of FIG. 2, and the integrator 2 in step 102.
3a and differentiator 24a from absolute velocity Vz and relative velocity Vy
Input each detection signal that represents. Next, at step 104, the correction relative speed Vy with respect to the relative speed Vy is derived by referring to the correction conversion table built in the microcomputer 25. As shown in FIG. 3, this correction conversion table is used to correct the relative speed Vy relative to the relative speed Vy.
It stores ya, and if Vy ≤ -ε or Vy ≥ ε, then Vy
When a = Vy, −ε <Vy ≦ 0, Vya = −ε, 0 <Vy <ε
Then, Vya = ε is defined. In the processing of step 104, when the absolute value of the relative speed Vy is less than a predetermined minute value ε, the relative speed Vy is corrected so that the absolute value becomes the minute value ε, and step 108 to be described later.
This is a process normally performed in the skyhook damper theory to prevent the denominator from becoming "0" in the division of.

Next, at steps 106 and 108, the first speed ratio Vr1 representing the value of the speed ratio Vr of the absolute speed Vz to the corrected relative speed Vya at the previous processing is set to the first speed ratio Vr1 at the time of the current processing of the same speed ratio Vr. After updating to the second speed ratio Vr2 representing the value, the absolute speed Vz is divided by the corrected relative speed Vya, and the result of the division is newly set as the second speed ratio Vr2. After updating the first and second speed ratios Vr1 and Vr2 as described above, steps 110 to 1 are performed.
By the process of 28, the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A is controlled according to the first and second speed ratios Vr1 and Vr2.

If the second speed ratio Vr2 is "0" or negative,
It is determined to be “NO” in step 110, and step 11
In step 2, the actual damping coefficient C * is set to a predetermined small value C * s (value representing the soft state of the shock absorber 10A). Then, by the process of step 128, the microcomputer 25 causes the drive circuit 26a to have the actual damping coefficient C *.
Output a control signal that represents. The drive circuit 26a stores the supplied control signal until the arrival of a new control signal, and controls the opening degree of the electromagnetic valve 14a based on the stored control signal according to the control signal. Therefore, the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A is set small, and the shock absorber 10A exerts a small damping force on the vibration of the vehicle body.

The fact that the second speed ratio Vr2 is negative means that the directions of the absolute speed Vz and the relative speed Vy (corrected relative speed Vya) are opposite, that is, the sprung member is displaced upward with respect to the absolute space. The unsprung member is displaced upwards faster than the speed of the sprung member (shock absorber 10A is in a contracted state), or the sprung member is displaced downwards with respect to the absolute space. This means that the unsprung member is displaced downwards faster than the speed of the sprung member (shock absorber 10A is in an extended state) when the unsprung member is in the open position. Further, the fact that the second speed ratio Vr2 is "0" means the transient state. In such a case, the sprung member does not vibrate with respect to the unsprung member, and since the shock absorber 10A does not actually act to suppress the vibration of the sprung member, the ride comfort of the vehicle is good. In order to achieve this, it is desirable to set the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A small as described above.

On the other hand, if the second speed ratio Vr2 is positive, it is judged "YES" in step 110, and step 114
At, it is determined whether the first speed ratio Vr1 is "0" or negative. The processing of step 114 is the same as that of step 11 described above.
Together with the process of 0, it is a process of detecting that the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member has changed. Now, as shown from time t1 to t4 in FIG. 5, when the relative speed Vy (corrected relative speed Vya) passes near "0" and the speed ratio Vr changes from negative to positive, both are executed at steps 110 and 114. "YE
S ", and the program executes steps 116 to 124.
Proceed to.

The processing in steps 116 to 124 is a correction processing for changing the actual damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A based on the skyhook damper theory according to the magnitude of the peak value of the speed ratio Vr. Since the second speed ratio Vr2 calculated at the time when the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member changes represents the peak value of the speed ratio Vr that changes with time, the magnitude of the peak value is increased by the comparison processing in steps 116 and 118. If the peak value (second speed ratio Vr2) is larger than the predetermined first threshold value TH1, the control flag CF is set to "1" at step 120. In addition, the peak value (second speed ratio Vr2) is less than or equal to the first threshold value TH1 and the predetermined second threshold value TH2.
When it is larger than (TH2 <TH1), step 122
The control flag CF is set to "2". Further, when the peak value (second speed ratio Vr2) is less than or equal to the second threshold value TH2, the control flag CF is set to "3" in step 120.

This control flag CF designates the type of conversion characteristic of the speed ratio-damping coefficient conversion table of FIG. 4 used when determining the actual damping coefficient C * based on the continuously changing speed ratio Vr. The flag CF “1”,
“2” and “3” respectively correspond to the conversion characteristics Ca, Cb, and Cc in this order. The speed ratio / attenuation coefficient conversion table is built in the microcomputer 25.

After setting the control flag CF, step 1
At 26, the speed ratio-damping coefficient conversion table is referred to, and the actual damping coefficient C * corresponding to the second speed ratio Vr2 is determined according to the characteristic designated by the flag CF.
Then, by the processing of step 128 described above, the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A is set to the determined actual damping coefficient C *.

Further, when both the first and second speed ratios Vr1 and Vr2 are positive, that is, when the absolute speed Vz and the relative speed Vy have the same direction and the peak value of the speed ratio Vr is not detected, steps 110 and 114 are executed. The process proceeds to step 126 directly. In this case, the control flag CF is maintained at the previously set value, and the value of the control flag CF maintained at step 126 and the continuously changing second speed ratio Vr2 are used as described above. Then, the actual damping coefficient C * is determined. Then, by the processing of step 128, the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A is set to the determined actual damping coefficient C *.

The shock absorbers 10C to 10D
In order to control the damping coefficient of, the absolute speed Vz and the relative speed Vy are respectively input from the integrators 23b to 23d and the differentiators 24b to 24d in step 102, and the absolute values are input to the drive circuits 26b to 26d in step 128. A control signal representing the damping coefficient C * is output to control the opening degrees of the electromagnetic valves 14b to 14d according to the control signal.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the damping coefficient of the shock absorber 10A increases as the speed ratio Vr, which is the ratio of the absolute speed Vz to the corrected relative speed Vya, increases based on the skyhook damper theory. Is set to. Also, based on the speed ratio-damping coefficient conversion characteristic of FIG. 4, as the peak value of the speed ratio Vr increases, the actual damping coefficient C * that continuously changes with respect to the speed ratio Vr that continuously changes. While being set to a large value, the upper limit value of the actual damping coefficient C * is also set to a large value. As described in the section "Principles for solving problems", this peak value increases as the swinging vibration of the vehicle body generated on the vehicle traveling on the swell increases. According to the example, the swinging vibration of the vehicle body that occurs while the vehicle is traveling on the swell road is effectively suppressed. On the other hand, when the peak value of the speed ratio Vr is small, the actual damping coefficient C * that continuously changes with respect to the speed ratio Vr.
However, since the upper limit of the same actual damping coefficient C * is not set to a large value, a good ride comfort of the vehicle is secured when the vehicle is traveling on a bad road.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the change in the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member is detected, and the speed ratio Vr at the time of the change in the displacement direction is continuously changed. Since it is detected as a peak value to detect the swinging vibration state of the vehicle body and suppress the swinging vibration, the swinging vibration of the vehicle body can be effectively suppressed easily and without delay.

In the above embodiment, the absolute velocity V
Although the upward direction of z and the relative velocity Vy is treated as positive and the downward direction is treated as negative, the velocity ratio Vr that determines the actual damping coefficient C * is obtained by dividing the absolute velocity Vz by the corrected relative velocity Vya.
Even if the upward direction of the absolute velocity Vz and the relative velocity Vy are treated as negative and the downward direction is treated as positive, the same damping control of the shock absorbers 10A to 10D as in the above embodiment can be performed by the same processing as in the above embodiment. When one of the absolute speed Vz and the relative speed Vy treats the upward direction as positive and the downward direction as negative, and the other one treats the upward direction as negative and the downward direction as positive, the speed ratio Vr becomes Since the positive and negative signs are opposite to those in the above embodiment, step 1
In the processing of 10, 114 to 118, the first and second
It suffices to add a negative sign to the speed ratios Vr1 and Vr2 for processing.

Further, in the above embodiment, the absolute speed Vz of the sprung member is calculated by integrating the sprung acceleration, but the variation of the wheel speed is detected and the wheel speed previously observed is calculated. It is also possible to calculate the absolute speed Vz of the sprung member based on the detected fluctuation of the wheel speed using a predetermined relationship between the fluctuation amount and the behavior of the sprung member. In the above embodiment, the relative velocity Vy is calculated by differentiating the displacement amount of the unsprung member with respect to the unsprung member. However, the integrated value of the unsprung acceleration and the newly detected acceleration of the unsprung member are calculated. You may make it calculate the difference of the integral value of and use the same difference as relative velocity Vy.

Further, in the above embodiment, the positive peak value of the relative velocity Vy is detected immediately after the displacement direction of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member changes, that is, immediately after the relative velocity Vy passes "0". Then, the magnitude of the peak value is used to judge the swing vibration of the vehicle body. However, FIG.
As is clear from the above, when the swinging vibration of the vehicle body is large, the relative speed Vy immediately before the relative speed Vy passes “0”.
Since the negative peak value of is also increased, the actual damping coefficient C * may be increased as the negative peak value is increased. In this case, in steps 116 and 118, the absolute value of the first speed ratio Vr1 is set to the first and second threshold values TH.
1, it should be compared with TH2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the speed ratio Vr
Although the change characteristic of the actual damping coefficient C * with respect to the speed ratio Vr is determined by dividing the size of the peak value of 3 into three steps, the change characteristic may be determined by dividing the same peak value into multiple steps. Good. In this case, steps 116 and 118
It is sufficient to further increase the number of stages of the comparison process and prepare various types of change characteristics shown in FIG.

Further, in the above embodiment, after the change characteristic of the actual damping coefficient C * with respect to the speed ratio Vr is determined by the magnitude of the peak value, the actual damping coefficient C is changed according to the continuously changing speed ratio Vr. Although * is determined, a table of a three-dimensional matrix in which the actual damping coefficient C * increases as the peak value and the speed ratio Vr increase respectively is prepared, and the peak value and the speed ratio that continuously changes are prepared. The actual damping coefficient C * may be determined using the table of the three-dimensional matrix based on Vr. Further, even if the table is not used, the peak value and the speed ratio V
A function of the actual damping coefficient C * having the same characteristic as the above is prepared by using r as a variable, and the actual damping is performed only by the calculation process using the function based on the peak value and the continuously changing speed ratio Vr. The coefficient C * may be determined.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a shock absorber as a damping force applying mechanism has been described, but the application target of the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, to each wheel. The present invention can also be applied to a damping force applying mechanism provided in an active suspension that controls a vehicle body posture by changing a damping force (damping coefficient) by supplying and discharging a fluid to and from a correspondingly provided cylinder. Is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a shock absorber and an electric control device for the shock absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart corresponding to a program executed by the microcomputer of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing conversion characteristics of a conversion table for relative speed correction built in the microcomputer of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing conversion characteristics of a speed ratio-attenuation coefficient conversion table built in the microcomputer of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining changes in absolute speed, relative speed, and speed ratio.

[Explanation of symbols]

10A to 10D ... Shock absorbers, 12a to 12d
... hydraulic cylinders, 14a to 14d ... electromagnetic valves, 20 ...
Electric control device, 21a to 21d ... Acceleration sensor, 22a
22d ... Stroke sensor, 23a-23d ... Integrator, 24a-24d ... Differentiator, 25 ... Microcomputer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electric control for electrically controlling a damping force applying mechanism which is disposed between an unsprung member and an unsprung member of a vehicle and applies a damping force to vibration of the unsprung member with respect to the unsprung member. An apparatus, an absolute speed detecting means for detecting a vertical speed of the sprung member relative to an absolute space as an absolute speed, and a relative speed detecting means for detecting a vertical speed of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member as a relative speed And an electric control device for a vehicle damping force applying mechanism, comprising: a control means for controlling a damping coefficient of the damping force applying mechanism based on the detected absolute speed and the detected relative speed. When the detected relative speed is less than a predetermined minute value, the relative speed is changed to the minute value, and when the detected relative speed is a predetermined minute value or more, the same phase is changed. Compensation means for compensating to keep the speed as it is, calculation means for continuously calculating the ratio of the detected absolute velocity to the compensated relative velocity as a velocity ratio, and displacement of the sprung member with respect to the unsprung member. Direction change detecting means for detecting that the direction has changed, and the speed ratio calculated by the calculating means at the time when the change in the displacement direction is detected by the direction change detecting means and continuously calculated by the calculating means. Based on the speed ratio, the actual damping coefficient that increases as the speed ratio at the time of detecting the displacement direction change increases, and increases as the continuously calculated speed ratio increases. And a control signal representing the determined actual damping coefficient to the damping force applying mechanism to output the control signal to the damping force applying mechanism. Electric control apparatus for a vehicular damping force imparting mechanism, wherein a is constituted by an output means for controlling the actual attenuation coefficients same decision.