JPS59100064A - Integral control device for suspension and steering - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure those of responsiveness in steerage, stability and comfortability for driving, etc., according to a driver's choice, by integrally controlling a characteristically variable suspension and a steering gear. CONSTITUTION:A suspension system 60 is provided with a shock absorber 66 consisting of a spring 62 and an oleo-damper 64 and likewise an air spring 68 is formed by means of a diaphragm composed of a proper elastic material in and around the oleo-damper 64. When a solenoid 74a of a solenoid valve 74 is excited, interconnection is cut off. That is, when the interconnection between the air spring 68 and a control chamber 72 is cut off, effective capacity in an air chamber decreases so that a spring constant in the air spring grows large and therefore a suspension characteristic inherent in the suspension system comes hard enough. Like this, the suspension characteristic of the suspension system can be controlled in a way of operating these solenoids 69 and 74a by means of a signal out of a controller 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an integrated control device for a suspension device and a steering device with variable characteristics.

Heavy vehicle suspension equipment supports the weight of the vehicle,
It has the role of buffering road surface irregularities, and it not only improves ride comfort, but also improves riding comfort.
This has a serious effect on pitching and rolling while driving, as well as stability and responsiveness when turning. Therefore, by appropriately changing the characteristics of the suspension of the front and rear wheels of the vehicle, the dynamic characteristics can be varied in various ways. For example, Akira Miki! S'Otsu-/117107 uses a steering sensor that detects changes in steering angle and a vehicle speed sensor to detect roll speed, and controls the damping force of the shock absorbers on all wheels to be increased (hardened). A device is disclosed that prevents the roll speed from exceeding a predetermined value and achieves both maneuverability WA-1 and improved ride comfort.

On the other hand, in a steering device for steering a vehicle, a worth steering device is widely used, especially from the viewpoint of ease of steering, but this steering device also improves the running stability of the vehicle. Since this has a significant effect on steering performance and steering response, various improvements have been proposed in the past 4). For example, in JP-A No. 5.1.95039,
Hydraulic operation - Hydraulic pressure supply to the steering system - Oil pump 0 - Controls C control 1 to 1 in response to changes in vehicle speed, axle load of the steered wheels, or steering resistance - Supplying an appropriate amount of pressure oil to the P power steering system Therefore, a one-way control device has been proposed to stabilize the detailed operation.

These conventional devices improve the suspension device or steering device individually and achieve a certain degree of effectiveness, but there are limits to the effectiveness of devices that individually control the suspension device and steering device. . In particular, there are individual differences in driver preferences regarding dynamic characteristics of vehicle width, such as steering response and ride comfort, and the preferences vary widely from person to person. It was not a response to the

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to comprehensively control the suspension system and the steering system, which have variable characteristics, to obtain appropriate steering response, stability, ride comfort, etc. according to the driver's preference. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a control device for a suspension system and a steering device that can perform the following functions.

The structural features of the control device of the present invention include a suspension device that can switch the suspension characteristics to all-wheel bird or all-wheel soft, a steering device that can change the steering characteristics, and a The characteristic of the vehicle is that it is equipped with a controller that changes the steering characteristics of the steering device.

According to the present invention, by controlling the characteristics of the suspension device and the characteristics of the steering device in relation to each other, the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle can be varied over a wide range according to the driver's preference. For example, if the suspension device has a large spring constant or has a hard characteristic with relatively strong damping force, increasing the assist force of the Tsukwer steering device will improve the steering operation.
[You can get a sporty feeling that responds sensitively to On the other hand, when the spring constant of the suspension device becomes small or the suspension characteristics are changed so that the damping force is weakened,
Accordingly) the ance of the power steering device! - When controlled to reduce the force, the vehicle feels relatively gentle. When using a manual steering system, you can achieve a sporty feeling by increasing the steering gear ratio for hard suspension characteristics and improving steering sharpness, and by increasing the steering gear ratio for soft suspension characteristics. If you turn the steering relatively gently, you'll be much more gentle. Other combinations include weakening the unstuck force of the force steering device for soft suspension characteristics, or increasing the steering gear ratio [~, for soft suspension characteristics. The assist force of the power steering device may be increased, or the steering gear ratio may be decreased. In this case,
Since the change in vehicle dynamic characteristics due to switching h'a- does not appear very drastically, 1-5 is suitable when it is desired to change the dynamic characteristics in a relatively small range.

The characteristic control according to the present invention may be selectively performed by a manual switch, but it is also possible to automatically change the characteristic according to the driving conditions of the vehicle.

The suspension device uses, for example, a gas spring device, and a control gas chamber is connected to the gas chamber of the gas spring device via a solenoid valve, and the effective volume of the gas chamber is changed by opening and closing the solenoid valve. What is necessary is to change the characteristics of the gas spring. In addition, an oleodunno ξ in which a variable diameter orifice is provided on the piston may be used, and a means for varying the volume of the gas chamber of the gas spring and a means for changing the diameter of the piston orifice of the oleodunno e may be combined. May be combined.

Furthermore, any means may be used as long as the suspension characteristics can be varied between soft and soft. In the case of a power steering system, the means for varying the characteristics of the steering device may include changing the power assist force (a) in the case of a power steering system. Any type can be used, such as a 6-force type that changes the rotation speed, or a modern type that changes the amount of pressure oil. In the case of manual steering, a gear ratio switching mechanism that changes the steering gear ratio may be provided. In any case,
By employing such means, it is possible to change the steering characteristics by making the operating force of the steering device lighter or heavier.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG.
4 is connected to the pinion shaft 16. The pinion 14 meshes with a rack 20 on a stepping rack shaft 18, and the rack shaft 18 moves left and right according to the rotation of the pinion 14, and the front wheel
6.Transmit steering force to 28. In order to assist this steering force, a hydraulically operated knocker assist device 30 is provided.
In order to supply hydraulic pressure to the mother cylinder 32, an oil pump f36 connected to the engine 34 is provided. Pressure oil from the pump 36 is introduced into the control pulp 31 through the oil pressure supply passage 38, is switched by the valve 31 according to the operation of the handle 10, and is supplied to the power cylinder 32 via the oil field passage 40 or 42.
A hydraulic chamber 32b or 32 partitioned by a piston 32a
c and moves the piston 32a to assist the steering force. At this time, the oil field passage to which pressure oil is not supplied communicates with a hydraulic return passage 44 and returns the hydraulic oil in the cylinder 32 to the pump 36. The hydraulic pressure return passage 44 is provided with a solenoid valve 4G that adjusts the amount of oil returned to the pump 36 through the passage 44, and the hydraulic pressure supply passage 38 is provided with a valve 4G that communicates with the solenoid pulp 46.
A space passage 50 is provided. - The solenoid 46a of the valve 46 is connected to a controller 50, and the controller 50 receives power from a power source 51, and controls the solenoid valve 46 by inputting signals from a vehicle speed sensor 52 and a manual switch 54. send a signal. valve 46
The silane gloss 46b is displaced by an amount responsive to the current or power from the controller 50, thereby causing the passageway 38
The hydraulic pressure, that is, the assist force within the cylinder 32 is controlled by changing the flow rate within the cylinder 32.

A suspension device 60 is provided associated with the front wheels 26.28 and the rear wheels 56.58. A shock assono 966 consisting of the suspension device hapane 62 and an oleo damper e64 is provided, and an air gusset 68 is formed around the damper 64 by a diaphragm made of a suitable elastic phase. Also Shock Abun/Gu6
The orifice provided in the piston 6 has a variable diameter, and in order to change the diameter, there is a
A solenoid jack 1 is provided which is driven by a solenoid 69, and when the solenoid 69 is energized, the silan jack rotates to reduce the diameter of the orifice, strengthen the damping force, and harden the suspension characteristics of the suspension device. It is configured. In addition, the air spring 6B is connected to the air pipe γ0
is connected to the controlled air chamber 72, and this chamber 72
The communication state between the air gun 68 and the control chamber γ2 is controlled by the operation of the solenoid valve 74 provided at the zero inlet. In this example, the solenoid 74a of the solenoid valve 74
When 6 is excited, communication is cut off. air no 4 ne 68
When the communication between the control chamber 72 and the air chamber 72 is cut off, the effective volume of the air chamber decreases, so that the air-gun constant increases, and the suspension characteristics of the suspension system become hard. In this manner, the suspension characteristics of the suspension system can be controlled by operating the solenoids 69, 74a in response to signals from the controller 50.

As mentioned above, the controller 50 receives the vehicle speed signal as input, and the solenoid valve 46 is input from the controller 50.
The control signal given to the vehicle changes depending on the vehicle speed. That is, when the vehicle speed is low, the solenoid group 46 is controlled so that the amount of pressure oil supplied from the second pump 36 to the control pulp 31 becomes smaller σ as the vehicle speed increases. When the manual switch 54 is operated, the controller 50
As a result, the level of the signal applied to the solenoid valve 46 decreases, the opening degree of the valve 46 becomes smaller, and the assist force is strengthened as a whole. At the same time, the controller 50
A signal is given to the solenoid 69.74a of the suspension suspension device, and the characteristics of the suspension suspension device for the front and rear wheels become the node.

3 and 4 show an embodiment of the invention using a manicial steering system.

In the device of this example, the steering device/device includes a gear mechanism 80 with a variable gear ratio so that the steering characteristics can be changed. This gear mechanism 80 is STEN'I')! Sha 7
) 12, so that the gear ratio between the shaft part on the handle 10 side, that is, the input till 12a, and the shaft part on the binion shaft side, that is, the output shaft 12b, can be changed by a signal from the controller 5o. It has become.

A gear 82 is formed integrally with the input shaft 12aK, and the gear 82 meshes with a gear 84. The gear 84 connects a bearing device 86 attached to the input shaft 12a and the output shaft 1.
The shafts 12a and 112b are housed in a gear song 9o that supports these shafts 12a and 112b via a bearing device 88 attached to the casing 9o, and are rotatably attached to a calafta shirt 92 attached to the casing 9o substantially parallel to the input and output shafts. ing. A gear 94 having a smaller number of teeth than the gear 84 is provided integrally with the gear 84, and the gear 94 meshes with a gear 96 rotatably attached to the output shaft 12b.

A gear 98 is attached to the input shaft 12a and a gear 100 is attached to the output shaft at the distal ends of the input shaft 12a and the output shaft 121) that are close to each other.
is formed, and the gear 1o.

A gear 102 is provided integrally with the gear 96 adjacent to the gear 96 . A coupling sleeve 104 is spline engaged with these gears 9L IOL 102. A shift fork 106 for moving the sleeve is engaged with the sleeve 104.

The shift fork 106 is fitted with a 70 lance gear 112KJ, also housed in the casing 108, actuated by a nodule 110 housed in the casing 1o8, which is supported by bearing devices 86,88. Excitation or demagnetization of the solenoid 1ioi is controlled by a signal from the i controller 50, and when the solenoid 110 is not energized, the plunger 112 is pressed to the lower position in FIG. 7 by the spring 114. At this time, the sleeve 104 is engaged with both the gear 1oo of the output shaft 12b and the gear 102 integrated with the gear 96, and the output shaft 12b rotates together with the gear 96. Therefore, by rotating the human power shaft 12b, 7J huff,
, + The steering force of Le 10 is gear 82, gear 84, gear 9
4. The signal is transmitted to the gear 96 in this order, and rotates the output shaft. In this case, the ratio of the steering angle of the output shaft to the input shaft (gear ratio)
The steering force of the steering wheel 1o is relatively small. The solenoid 11o is energized, and the plunger 112 is activated by the spring 11.
When the shift fork 106 is pulled upward against the force of 4, the shift fork 106 moves upward together with the sleeve 104, and the sleeve 10411, the gear 100 of the output shaft 1, and the gear 9G
Release the engagement with the gear 102 which has become integrated with Vr (l-) and the human power @ I112 a (7) Gear 981 output @ 112 b and the key y 100 (c):, engagement 1' (a). As a result, the crowd reached 12a.

12b is rectified, and the human power axis is rotated σ zero, and the steering force is f
It is transmitted to the output shaft 12b. In this case, the above-mentioned gear ratio becomes smaller, and at the same time, the steering response becomes higher and a relatively large steering force is required. Controller 5 in this example
The input to o and the suspension device are the same as in the previous example. Therefore, the driver can obtain the desired motion characteristics by simultaneously changing the suspension characteristics and the steering characteristics by operating the manual switch 54 from 1 to 1.

The above examples are illustrative of specific combinations of steering characteristics and suspension characteristics of the suspension system, and combinations according to the invention include all other combinations.

Figures S and 6 show a combination of steering characteristics and suspension adjustment device according to the present invention with IW frame characteristics (it's 411'); Some of the characteristics are shown.

m5 The diagram shows the steering force of the handle 10 and -1-use no.1
It shows the relationship of 1, where the line ", b is 14" knee,
When using an assessment device! H-sexual, iN
1-Respension device all-wheel suspension on a! Characteristics are 7/
Tozu 75 - In other words, the damping force is small, and the line is all-wheel suspension.
I) -'j fit is controlled to become . In this case, the steering force and yaw rate are almost directly proportional [~, suspension lt)], and when the steering force is the same, the yaw rate is thicker in the hard case. Lines C,, d are used as a P worth daring device, and assist it./]
This is a case where the control is held low, and the line ctrl
, the all-wheel suspension characteristics are soft, and line d is the all-wheel suspension characteristics...
- The figure shows the control to achieve - mode. In this case as well, yaw 1
The steering force also increases as the weight increases, but this tendency is slower than that of line a1b. This is because the assist force of the Tsukwer Steering device is acting. In general, the control valve of a steering system is of a torque-sensitive type, and the amount of pressure oil supplied to the steering cylinder increases as the steering resistance increases.When the steering force exceeds the point indicated by A or B, When the assist force starts to occur. Regarding the line cXd, if the yaw rate is the same, a softer all-wheel suspension characteristic requires a larger steering force4). Lines e and f show the case where a power steering device is similarly used and control is performed to increase the assist force, where line e shows a soft all-wheel suspension characteristic and line f shows a case where the suspension characteristic becomes hard. This is the case when it is controlled. The trend of mel f is the same as the trend of line C1d, but since the assist is large, the overall steering force is small. Even in this case, the assist force is cut off from point C1D to -1.so that the driver can obtain an appropriate steering feeling. By arbitrarily combining the suspension characteristics of the l-suspension and the steering characteristics of the steering wheel, it is possible to obtain a steering feeling f4) according to the driver's preference. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the steering characteristics and 1, 2, d, , G are selected I-
This is done in accordance with the hard and soft changes in the suspension characteristics.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the steering angle of the steering wheel and the yaw rate when a manual steering device is used. The line aXb does not directly connect the human power shaft 12a of the steering shaft 12 to the output shaft 12b, but transmits the steering force to the output shaft 121 via a predetermined gear mechanism.

It is also a case of control. In this case, the output shaft 12
The ratio of the steering angle of the input shaft to the steering angle of t), that is, the gear ratio, is large, and the steering force of the steering wheel is relatively small. 1 on line a
The all-wheel suspension characteristics are soft, and the wires are all-wheel suspension inertia barred.
This is the case when controlled to On the other hand, lines c, d are human power axis 1
2a and the output shaft 121), that is, when the gear ratio is slightly increased, the line cfd shows the all-wheel suspension characteristics to be soft, and the line d shows the all-wheel suspension characteristics to the node. This is the case when it is controlled. In either case, the steering angle and yaw rate are almost directly proportional. Furthermore, when the steering angle of the steering wheel is the same, the yaw rate is larger when the gear ratio is smaller, that is, when the steering wheel is directly coupled, and the suspension characteristics of the suspension system are lower.
- The yaw 4h is larger when the vehicle is in the - mode. By arbitrarily combining the suspension characteristics of the suspension and the steering characteristics of the manual steering, it is possible to obtain a steering feeling according to the driver's preference (τ).In other words, by selecting the steering characteristics aXb, C, or d, 9. Soft (J) with its switching suspension characteristics.
This is done in response to one change.

-As mentioned in 1. (Changes in the suspension characteristics and steering characteristics of the Beloku suspension system change the vehicle's dynamic characteristics in various ways.The driver can adjust the dynamic characteristics according to his/her preference by operating a manual switch. ?(I can do it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a suspension device and a steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control circuit diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. Figure 4 is a graph showing the relationship between steering angle and yaw rate. Explanation of symbols 10°''゛° Handle 18... Rack Φ extension 30
...] Guwaaa 7 stroke device 3G...Oil pump 0 5 () - Controller l-c+-ra 54 - Manual switch 6 (] ...Suspension/reverse device 66 ...Shock absorber 72...・Controlled air chamber 80... Gear mechanism patent applicant Tot [, Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A suspension device that can immediately switch at least one of damping force or spring constant for all wheels at the same time, and a steering device that can change steering characteristics;
A comprehensive control device for a suspension device and a steering device, comprising: a controller that controls the steering device to change its steering characteristics in response to the switching of the SASS suspension device.