JP2008168839A - Yaw moment controller for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce noise effect of a command signal output from a sub-operation member, in a yaw moment generator of controlling the operation of the yaw moment generator by the operation of the sub-operation member provided in a main operation part for controlling a motion state of a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The turning of the vehicle is assisted or restrained concurrently in parallel to control of a motion state of a vehicle by the operation of a steering wheel 7, since the yaw moment generator generates a yaw moment in response to the operation in grips 9L, 9R, when a driver operates the grips 9L, 9R provided in the steering wheel 7. The noise effect is restrained to the minimum to prevent the yaw moment generator from generating an improper yaw moment, even when the grips 9L, 9R get to generate easily the noise in the operation thereof because of an increase of a holding force or an operation force of the steering wheel 7 by the driver, since a variation of the yaw moment with respect to a control input in grips 9L, 9R is therein changed in response to an increase of a vehicular speed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a main operation member that is operated by a driver to control the motion state of the vehicle, a sub operation member that is provided on the main operation member and is operated by the driver, and a yaw moment that generates a yaw moment in the vehicle. The present invention relates to a yaw moment control device for a vehicle including a generator and a control unit that controls a yaw moment generated by the yaw moment generator in response to an operation of the sub operation member.

  A pedal operated by the driver's feet is pivotally supported in the middle so that it can swing back and forth, and functions as an accelerator pedal when swinging forward from the neutral position, and brake pedal when swinging backward from the neutral position As described in Patent Document 1, a pair of switches are arranged on both the left and right sides of the pedal, and these switches are used for up / down down commands and left / right turn signal lighting commands. is there.

  In addition, it is possible to switch between the state where the brakes on the left and right rear wheels are operated independently by the left and right brake pedals, and the state where the brakes on the turning inner wheel side are automatically operated when the steering angle exceeds a predetermined value. This is known from Patent Document 2 below.

When the traveling speed is less than the predetermined value, the left and right rear wheel brakes are independently operated by the left and right brake pedals. When the traveling speed is the predetermined value or more, both the left and right rear brake pedals Patent Document 3 listed below discloses that the brakes are simultaneously operated.
JP 2004-352228 A Japanese Patent No. 3090858 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-193759

  By the way, the driver controls the braking force of the left and right wheels individually by operating the operation member with hands and feet and outputting a command signal to generate a yaw moment that assists turning and a yaw moment that suppresses turning. However, because the driver strongly grips or steps on the operating member at high vehicle speeds when the driver is in a tense state, the operating member moves unnecessarily by shaking the driver's hand or foot, making it easy to get noise on the command signal. Therefore, the yaw moment generated by the yaw moment generator may fluctuate due to this noise, and the vehicle may behave inappropriately.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and controls the operation of the yaw moment generating device by operating the sub operation member provided on the main operation member that controls the motion state of the vehicle. The purpose is to reduce the influence of noise of the command signal.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a main operation member that is operated by a driver to control the motion state of the vehicle, and is provided on the main operation member and operated by the driver. And a control means for controlling a yaw moment generated by the yaw moment generating device in response to an operation of the sub operating member. A yaw moment control device comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, wherein the control means reduces a change amount of a yaw moment with respect to an operation amount of the sub operation member in accordance with an increase in the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor. A vehicle yaw moment control device is proposed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the main operation member is a steering wheel, and the sub operation member is a grip that can rotate a part of the steering wheel body. There is proposed a yaw moment control device for a vehicle characterized by that.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, the main operation member is an accelerator pedal, and the sub operation member is provided on the pedal body so that it can swing left and right. A yaw moment control device for a vehicle is proposed.

  The hydraulic control device 4 of the embodiment corresponds to the yaw moment generator of the present invention, the steering wheel 7 and the accelerator pedal 18 of the embodiment correspond to the main operation member of the present invention, and the grip 9L of the embodiment. 9R and the stepped portion 23 correspond to the sub-operation member of the present invention, and the electronic control unit U of the embodiment corresponds to the control means of the present invention.

  According to the configuration of claim 1, when the driver operates the sub operation member provided on the main operation member, the yaw moment generating device changes the yaw moment of the vehicle according to the operation of the sub operation member. Simultaneously with controlling the motion state of the vehicle by operating the member, the turning of the vehicle can be assisted or suppressed by operating the sub-operation member. At this time, since the amount of change in the yaw moment with respect to the operation amount of the sub operation member is changed according to the increase in the vehicle speed, the holding force and operation force of the main operation member by the driver increase, so noise is generated in the operation of the sub operation member. Even if it becomes easy to ride, the influence of the noise can be minimized and the yaw moment generator can be prevented from generating an inappropriate yaw moment.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the auxiliary operation member is configured with a grip that allows a part of the steering wheel body of the steering wheel as the main operation member to be rotated, the vehicle is turned by operating the steering wheel. Rotating the grip can assist or suppress the turning. At this time, since the steering wheel body and the grip can be operated by the same hand of the driver, the operation burden on the driver is reduced.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the sub operation member is configured by the stepped portion provided on the pedal body of the brake pedal as the main operation member so as to be able to swing left and right, the brake pedal is operated to brake the vehicle. However, turning can be assisted or suppressed by swinging the stepped part to the left and right. At this time, both the pedal body and the stepped portion can be operated with the same foot of the driver, so the operation burden on the driver is reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle equipped with a yaw moment control device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the yaw moment control device. 3 is a perspective view of the steering wheel, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a map for searching for a correction coefficient, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a change in the command value of the yaw moment depending on the vehicle speed. .

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the four-wheel vehicle equipped with the yaw moment control device of the present embodiment has left and right front wheels WFL as drive wheels to which the driving force of engine E is transmitted via transmission T. WFR and left and right rear wheels WRL and WRR as driven wheels that rotate as the vehicle travels are provided. A brake pedal 1 operated by a driver is connected to a master cylinder 3 via an electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2. The electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2 mechanically boosts the depressing force of the brake pedal 1 to operate the master cylinder 3, and at the time of automatic braking, the braking command signal from the electronic control unit U is not used regardless of the operation of the brake pedal 1. Thus, the master cylinder 3 is operated. The input rod of the electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2 is connected to the brake pedal 1 through a lost motion mechanism, and the electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2 is actuated by a signal from the electronic control unit U so that the input rod is moved forward. The brake pedal 1 remains in the initial position even when moved to.

  A pair of output ports 3a, 3b of the master cylinder 3 are connected to brake calipers 5FL, 5FR provided on the front wheels WFL, WFR and the rear wheels WRL, WRR, respectively, via a hydraulic control device 4 as a yaw moment generator of the present invention. , 5RL, 5RR. The hydraulic control device 4 includes four pressure correctors 6 corresponding to the four brake calipers 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR, and each pressure corrector 6 is connected to the electronic control unit U. The operation of brake calipers 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR provided on the front wheels WFL, WFR and the rear wheels WRL, WRR is individually controlled.

  Therefore, if the brake hydraulic pressure transmitted to the brake calipers 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR of the wheels WFL, WFR, WRL, WRR is independently controlled by the pressure corrector 6 ..., the yaw moment of the vehicle is arbitrarily controlled. It is possible to assist or suppress turning, and to perform antilock brake control that suppresses locking of the wheels WFL, WFR, WRL, and WRR during braking.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the steering wheel 7 includes an annular steering wheel main body 8, and two places that the driver grips with the left and right hands are constituted by separate grips 9 </ b> L and 9 </ b> R. Each of the grips 9L and 9R can rotate around the rotation axes 10 and 10 extending in the tangential direction, and the rotation angle is detected by the grip rotation angle sensors SaL and SaR. The grips 9L and 9R are urged toward the neutral position by a return spring (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the electronic control unit U includes a left yaw moment command value calculating means M1L, a right yaw moment command value calculating means M1R, an adding means M2, a correction coefficient calculating means M3, and a multiplying means. M4 and actuator control means M5 are provided. The left yaw moment command value calculating means M1L and the right yaw moment command value calculating means M1R are connected to left and right grip rotation angle sensors SaL and SaR, respectively, and the correction coefficient calculating means M3 includes a vehicle speed sensor Sb for detecting the vehicle speed. The actuator control means M5 is connected to pressure correctors 6 of the hydraulic control device 4.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

  When the driver rotates the steering wheel 7 left and right, the front wheels WFL and WFR are steered left and right and the vehicle turns. When the driver normally rotates the left grip 9L provided at a position where the steering wheel body 8 is gripped with the left hand, the rotation angle of the left grip 9L detected by the left grip rotation angle sensor SaL is the left yaw moment of the electronic control unit U. It is input to the command value calculation means M1L. The left yaw moment command value calculation means M1L calculates a command value of the left yaw moment according to the rotation angle of the left grip 9L. Further, when the driver rotates the right grip 9R provided at a position where the driver normally holds the steering wheel body 8 with the right hand, the rotation angle of the right grip 9R detected by the right grip rotation angle sensor SaR is the right yaw of the electronic control unit U. It is input to the moment command value calculation means M1R. The right yaw moment command value calculation means M1R calculates a command value for the right yaw moment according to the rotation angle of the right grip 9R.

  The command values for the left and right yaw moments calculated by the left and right yaw moment command value calculating means M1L and M1R are added by the adding means M2. Normally, only one of the left and right grips 9L and 9R is operated. When the left and right grips 9L and 9R are operated simultaneously, the left yaw moment command value calculating means M1L calculates the command value of the left yaw moment. And the command value of the right yaw moment calculated by the right yaw moment command value calculation means M1R are added to cancel each other, and the command value of the difference yaw moment is output from the addition means M2.

  On the other hand, the correction coefficient calculation means M3 to which the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor Sb is input calculates the correction coefficient K based on the map of FIG. 5 using the vehicle speed as a parameter. The correction coefficient K takes a maximum value of 1 when the vehicle speed is 0, and gradually decreases from the maximum value when the vehicle speed increases from 0.

  The multiplication means M4 multiplies the yaw moment command value output by the adding means M2 and the correction coefficient K to calculate a final command value, and the actuator control means M5 determines the pressure of the hydraulic control device 4 based on the command value. The yaw moment corresponding to the final command value is generated by operating the correctors 6... And automatically and individually controlling the braking forces of the left and right wheels.

  For example, when the driver who has determined that the vehicle is understeering during a right turn rotates the right grip 9R, a braking force is applied only to the right wheel that is the turning inner wheel, and a yaw moment that turns the vehicle to the right is generated. This yaw moment can eliminate an understeer tendency. Conversely, when the driver who has determined that the vehicle is oversteering during a right turn rotates the left grip 9L, a braking force is applied only to the left wheel, which is the outer turning wheel, and a yaw moment that turns the vehicle to the left is generated. The oversteer tendency can be eliminated by this yaw moment.

  The yaw moment can be controlled by operating the left and right grips 9L and 9R in the same way even when turning left or traveling straight. The magnitude of the yaw moment generated at this time can be corrected according to the rotation angle of the grip 9.

  As described above, the yaw moment of any direction and any magnitude can be generated only by rotating the left and right grips 9L, 9R that allow part of the steering wheel body 8 to rotate. The left and right grips 9L and 9R can be rotated while turning the vehicle by operating to assist or suppress the turning. At this time, since the left and right grips 9L and 9R can be operated by the driver's hand attached to the steering wheel body 8, the operation burden on the driver is reduced.

  FIG. 6 shows the command value of the yaw moment when the left grip 9L or the right grip 9R is rotated from the neutral position to the limit position when the vehicle speed is high and when the vehicle speed is low. That is, when the vehicle speed is high, the driver is tense and grips the steering wheel 7, so that when the grips 9 </ b> L and 9 </ b> R are operated, the driver slightly shakes, and noise is easily applied to the yaw moment command value. However, since the correction coefficient K becomes small and the command value of the yaw moment becomes small at high vehicle speeds, fluctuations in the yaw moment due to the influence of noise can be reduced.

  On the contrary, when the vehicle speed is low, the driver does not hold the steering wheel 7 strongly, so that it is difficult for noise to ride on the command value of the yaw moment output by the operation of the grips 9L and 9R. At this low vehicle speed, the correction coefficient K is increased and the command value of the yaw moment is increased, so that it is possible to control the yaw moment sufficiently reflecting the driver's intention to operate the grips 9L and 9R.

  7 and 8 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the accelerator pedal, and FIG. 8 is a view taken in the direction of arrows 8A and 8B in FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the driver's intention to increase / decrease the yaw moment is input to the electronic control unit U by the left and right grips 9L, 9R provided on the steering wheel 7, but in the second embodiment, An accelerator pedal 18 is used instead of the grips 9L and 9R.

  The accelerator pedal 18 includes a pedal arm 21 pivotally supported at its upper end via a pin 20 disposed in the left-right direction on a bracket 19 fixed to the vehicle body, and the surface of the pedal body 22 provided on the lower end of the pedal arm 21 (driving) The stepped portion 23 to be stepped on by the driver's foot F is pivotally supported on the surface facing the driver via a pin 24 extending in the vertical direction. The stepped portion 23 is urged so as to be parallel to the pedal body 22 by a pair of return springs 25, 25 arranged between the pedal body 22. At the lower end of the pedal body 22, a stepped portion swing angle sensor Sc connected to a pin 24 swinging integrally with the stepped portion 23 is provided. The swing angle of the unit 23 is detected.

  When the driver puts his / her foot on the accelerator pedal 18, the tip of the toe often tilts to the right side. Therefore, by placing the upper portion of the pin 24 serving as the swing axis of the stepped portion 23 tilted to the right side, The operability of the unit 23 can be improved.

  When the accelerator pedal 18 is operated while the vehicle is running, the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated. At this time, if the stepped portion 23 of the accelerator pedal 18 is swung left and right around the pin 24 by the driver's foot F, The electronic control unit U separately controls the braking force of the left and right wheels via the electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2 and the hydraulic control device 4 based on the swing angle of the stepped portion 23 detected by the head swing angle sensor Sc. To do.

  For example, when a pedal force is applied to the right side of the stepped portion 23 when the accelerator pedal 18 is depressed, the brake hydraulic pressure transmitted to the right wheel among the brake hydraulic pressure generated by the master cylinder 3 by the operation of the electronically controlled negative pressure booster 2. Is increased by the hydraulic control device 4, and the brake hydraulic pressure transmitted to the left wheel is reduced by the hydraulic control device 4, so that a yaw moment in the right turn direction can be generated. On the contrary, when a pedal force is applied to the left side of the stepped portion 23 when the accelerator pedal 18 is depressed, the brake hydraulic pressure transmitted to the left wheel among the brake hydraulic pressures generated by the master cylinder 3 is increased by the hydraulic control device 4. In addition, the brake hydraulic pressure transmitted to the right wheel is reduced by the hydraulic control device 4, so that a yaw moment in the left turn direction can be generated.

  Therefore, a yaw moment of any direction and any magnitude can be generated during acceleration, constant speed running, or deceleration with the foot on the accelerator pedal 18, and only with the right foot. Since the deceleration and the yaw moment can be controlled simultaneously, the operation burden on the driver is reduced.

  When the vehicle speed is high, the pedaling force of the driver stepping on the accelerator pedal 18 increases, so that the pedal body 22 swings to the left and right, making it easier for noise to ride on the yaw moment command value. However, since the correction coefficient K is small and the command value of the yaw moment is small at high vehicle speeds, fluctuations in yaw moment due to the influence of noise can be reduced.

  On the contrary, when the vehicle speed is low, the pedaling force of the driver stepping on the accelerator pedal 18 is small, so that the pedal body 22 does not swing left and right, making it difficult to ride noise on the command value of the yaw moment. At this low vehicle speed, the correction coefficient K is increased and the command value of the yaw moment is increased, so that it is possible to control the yaw moment that sufficiently reflects the driver's intention to operate the accelerator pedal 18.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but various design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the embodiment, the hydraulic control device 4 (braking force left / right distribution device) that can arbitrarily distribute the braking force to the left and right wheels is exemplified as the yaw moment generation device of the present invention. Driving power left / right distribution device that can arbitrarily distribute engine driving force to left and right wheels, normal steering device that steers only front wheels, four wheel steering device that can steer rear wheels in addition to front wheels, A damping force variable device capable of individually controlling the hardness of the suspension damper can be employed.

  When a normal steering device is employed as the yaw moment generator, the grips 9L and 9R are superposed by steering the front wheels by operating the steering wheel 7 and the front wheels by operating the left and right grips 9L and 9R. The yaw moment can be increased or decreased by the amount of operation. Further, if the depressed portion 23 of the accelerator pedal 18 is operated, an arbitrary yaw moment can be generated by increasing or decreasing the steering amount of the front wheel by that amount.

  When a four-wheel steering device is employed as the yaw moment generating device, the rear wheels are steered according to the amount of operation of the grips 9L, 9R of the steering wheel 7 or the stepped portion 23 of the accelerator pedal 18, and according to the amount of steering. Yaw moment can be generated.

  When a damping force variable device that can individually control the hardness of the damper is used as the yaw moment generator, turning by centrifugal force is achieved by hardening the damper on the turning outer ring side and softening the damper on the turning inner ring side. It is possible to generate a yaw moment that assists turning by suppressing the body from falling outward in the direction.

  Further, the grips 9L and 9R of the steering wheel 7 or the stepped portion 23 of the accelerator pedal 18 may rotate or swing steplessly (continuously), or rotate or swing stepwise. May be.

  In the embodiment, the grips 9L and 9R of the steering wheel 7 or the stepped portion 23 of the accelerator pedal 18 are provided, but the present invention may be provided with both of them.

  The steering wheel 7 of the first embodiment is provided with left and right grips 9L and 9R, but a single grip that is operated with the right hand or the left hand is provided, and the grip is rotated in two directions forward and backward from the neutral position. The generation of the right yaw moment and the left yaw moment may be commanded.

  Further, if the grips 9L and 9R are made of a flexible material so that the steering wheel body 8 maintains a circular shape even when the grips 9L and 9R are rotated, the operability is further improved.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the vehicle carrying the yaw moment control apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Block diagram showing the configuration of the yaw moment control device Steering wheel perspective view Block diagram of control system The figure which shows the map which searches correction coefficient Diagram showing change in command value of yaw moment according to vehicle speed The exploded perspective view of the accelerator pedal which concerns on 2nd Embodiment 8A and 8B direction arrow views of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

4 Hydraulic control device (yaw moment generator, braking force left / right distribution device)
7 Steering wheel (main operating member)
8 Steering wheel body 9L Left grip (sub operation member)
9R Right grip (sub operation member)
18 Accelerator pedal (main control member)
22 Pedal body 23 Depressed part (sub operation member)
Sb Vehicle speed sensor U Electronic control unit (control means)

Claims (3)

Main operating members (7, 18) which are operated by the driver to control the motion state of the vehicle;
Sub operation members (9L, 9R, 23) provided on the main operation members (7, 18) and operated by a driver;
A yaw moment generator (4) for generating a yaw moment in the vehicle;
Control means (U) for controlling the yaw moment generated by the yaw moment generator (4) in response to the operation of the sub operation member (9L, 9R, 23);
A yaw moment control device for a vehicle equipped with
A vehicle speed sensor (Sb) for detecting a vehicle speed is provided, and the control means (U) responds to an operation amount of the auxiliary operation member (9L, 9R, 23) according to an increase in the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor (Sb). A yaw moment control device for a vehicle, characterized in that the amount of change in yaw moment is reduced. The main operation member is a steering wheel (7),
2. The vehicle yaw moment control device according to claim 1, wherein the sub operation member is a grip (9 </ b> L, 9 </ b> R) capable of rotating a part of a steering wheel body (8). The main operation member is an accelerator pedal (18),
2. The vehicle yaw moment control device according to claim 1, wherein the sub-operation member is a stepped portion (23) provided on the pedal body (22) so as to be able to swing left and right.

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