JP2009274550A - Turning system and fuel cell powered vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the entry of an colliding object into a vehicle when the vehicle collides with other object. <P>SOLUTION: This fuel cell powered vehicle 10 is provided with a turning device 14 making each wheel 12 turned independently, an collision sensor 15 detecting a collision to a vehicle body 11, and an ECU 17 executing turning control upon a vehicle collision for making each wheel 12 turned respectively independently based on information on a collisional position included in a collision detecting signal and information of the position of each wheel 12 when the collision detecting signal is received from the collision sensor 15. The ECU 17 makes each wheel 12 turned so that the direction of each wheel 12 is respectively brought into line with the tangential direction of a concentric circle having a collided place as its center in the turning control upon the vehicle collision. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering system and a fuel cell vehicle.

The following Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique for reducing the impact caused by the collision and occupant injury by changing the traveling direction of the host vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle cannot avoid the collision. .
JP 2006-188129 A JP 2006-273266 A

  By the way, in recent years, development of a fuel cell vehicle (FCHV; Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) on which a fuel cell is mounted as an in-vehicle power generation system has been promoted. A fuel cell is a system that generates electricity by reacting hydrogen and oxygen as fuel. Therefore, there is a possibility that the fuel cell vehicle collides and the fuel cell is damaged by the impact caused by the collision. In particular, in the case of a collision with a columnar object, the load concentrates at the collision location, so that there is a high possibility that the colliding object will enter the inside of the vehicle and damage the fuel cell.

  In many cases, the fuel cell is arranged in the lower part of the floor in the center of the vehicle, and the arrangement range extends to the vicinity of the side surface of the vehicle. In general, an automobile body has lower durability against a collision from the side than a collision from a front or rear side. Therefore, even if the impact at the time of collision is reduced using the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, when a columnar object collides with the side surface of the vehicle, the colliding object reaches the inside of the vehicle. There is a risk of intrusion and damage to the fuel cell.

  The present invention provides a steering system and a fuel cell vehicle that can suppress the intrusion of a colliding object into the vehicle when the vehicle collides with another object in order to solve the above-described problems caused by the prior art. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the steering system according to the present invention includes a plurality of wheels that can be steered independently, a collision detection unit that detects a collision, and a collision detected by the collision detection unit. And a steering control means for turning each wheel independently so that the vehicle can rotate around the collision point when the vehicle is viewed from above.

  According to the present invention, when the vehicle collides, the vehicle can be easily rotated around the collision location, and the situation where the collision object enters the vehicle due to the rotation of the vehicle can be suppressed. it can.

  In the steering system, the steering control means controls each wheel so that the direction of each wheel coincides with the tangential direction of a concentric circle centering on the collision point when each wheel is steered independently. It is good.

  Thereby, since the direction of each wheel can be matched with the tangential direction of the concentric circle centering on the collision location, the vehicle state can be shifted to a state where it is most likely to rotate around the collision location.

  In the steering system, the collision detection unit may detect a collision on a side surface of the vehicle.

  As a result, it is possible to suppress a situation in which a collision object enters the vehicle due to a collision with a vehicle side surface that is generally inferior to the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle.

  A fuel cell vehicle according to the present invention includes the above-described steering system, and a fuel cell that receives supply of an oxidizing gas and a fuel gas, which are reaction gases, and generates electric power through an electrochemical reaction of the reaction gas. And

  According to the present invention, when the vehicle collides, the vehicle can be easily rotated around the collision location, and the situation where the collision object enters the vehicle by rotating the vehicle can be suppressed. it can. Therefore, the situation where the fuel cell is damaged due to the collision can be suppressed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when a vehicle collides with another object, the penetration | invasion to the vehicle of a collision object can be suppressed.

  Hereinafter, with reference to an accompanying drawing, a suitable embodiment of a steering system concerning the present invention is described. Embodiment demonstrates the case where the steering system which concerns on this invention is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle (FCHV; Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle).

  First, the configuration of a fuel cell vehicle equipped with the steering system in the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram schematically showing a fuel cell vehicle.

  As shown in the figure, the fuel cell vehicle 10 corresponds to the vehicle body 11, the right front wheel 12FR, the left front wheel 12FL, the right rear wheel 12RR, and the left rear wheel 12RL constituting the four wheels 12. An in-wheel motor 13 and a steering device 14 that are respectively provided, a collision sensor 15 that is provided on both right and left sides of the vehicle body 11, a fuel cell system 16, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 17 that controls the entire vehicle. Have.

  The in-wheel motor 13 rotates each wheel 12 independently. The in-wheel motor 13 includes, for example, a rotor, a stator, and a speed reduction mechanism that are not shown.

  The steered device 14 steers each wheel 12 independently. The steered device 14 includes, for example, a steered motor and a tie rod (not shown).

  The collision sensor 15 is a sensor that detects a collision with the vehicle body 11. When a collision is detected, the collision sensor 15 transmits a collision detection signal including collision position information regarding the collision position to the ECU 17.

  The fuel cell system 16 includes a fuel cell that receives supply of an oxidizing gas and a fuel gas as reaction gases and generates electric power through an electrochemical reaction, an oxidizing gas piping system that supplies air as an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell, a fuel It has a hydrogen gas piping system that supplies hydrogen gas as gas to the fuel cell, and a power system that charges and discharges the power of the system.

  The fuel cell is, for example, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and has a stack structure in which a large number of single cells are stacked. The unit cell has a structure having a cathode electrode on one surface of an electrolyte made of an ion exchange membrane, an anode electrode on the other surface, and a pair of separators so as to sandwich the cathode electrode and the anode electrode from both sides. It has become. In this case, hydrogen gas is supplied to the hydrogen gas flow path of one separator, oxidizing gas is supplied to the oxidizing gas flow path of the other separator, and electric power is generated by the chemical reaction of these reaction gases.

  The fuel cell is arranged in the lower part of the floor of the center of the vehicle 10, and the arrangement range extends to the vicinity of the left and right side surfaces of the vehicle 10.

  When the ECU 17 receives a collision detection signal from the collision sensor 15, the ECU 17 turns each wheel 12 independently based on the collision position information included in the collision detection signal and the position information of each wheel 12. Execute steering control. The ECU 17 and the steering device 14 constitute a steering control means.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the steering control at the time of a vehicle collision is demonstrated concretely. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the vehicle collision turning control executed when the pole collides with the rear side of the right side surface of the vehicle. FIG. 2 is a diagram in which a plan view when the vehicle 10 is viewed from above is shown superimposed on a coordinate plane. In FIG. 2, the midpoint of the right front wheel 12FR and the right rear wheel 12RR is set as the coordinate origin on the right side surface of the vehicle. P indicates a pole that has collided with the vehicle. The pole corresponds to, for example, a traffic light, a sign, a post such as a street light, and a columnar object such as a utility pole. However, the object with which the vehicle collides is not limited to a columnar object, and any object can be used as long as the load on the vehicle concentrates at the collision location when the vehicle collides, and the vehicle can rotate around it.

  First, when the collision sensor 15 detects a collision of the pole P, the collision sensor 15 transmits a collision detection signal including collision position information to the ECU 17. The collision position information includes, for example, information on coordinates on the coordinate plane shown in FIG. 2 and coordinates indicating the center of the position where the pole P has collided (hereinafter referred to as collision coordinates).

  Subsequently, when the ECU 17 receives the collision detection signal, the ECU 17 steers each wheel 12 using the collision position information included in the collision detection signal and the position information of each wheel 12 registered in advance in the memory. Each angle is calculated. The position information of each wheel 12 is, for example, coordinates on the coordinate plane shown in FIG. 2, and coordinates indicating the respective reference positions of the wheels 12 (hereinafter, right rear wheel coordinates, right front wheel coordinates, left rear wheel). Information on coordinates and left front wheel coordinates).

  The procedure for calculating the turning angle of the right rear wheel 12RR will be described below. First, a circle CRR having a radius connecting the collision coordinate and the right rear wheel coordinate with the collision coordinate as the center is obtained. Next, a tangent line TRR having the right rear wheel coordinates on the circumference of the circle CRR as contact points is obtained. Next, an angle θRR between the tangent line TRR and a straight line indicating the right end of the vehicle body 11 is obtained. This angle θRR is the turning angle of the right rear wheel 12RR.

  Similarly, the turning angle of the right front wheel 12FR is the angle θFR between the tangent TFR of the circle CFR having a radius connecting the collision coordinate and the right front wheel coordinate and the straight line indicating the right end of the vehicle body 11. It is calculated by calculating | requiring. Note that the turning angles of the right front wheel 12FR and the right rear wheel 12RR shown in FIG. 2 are each 90 degrees.

  Further, the steering angle of the left rear wheel 12RL is obtained as an angle θRL between a tangent line TRL of the circle CRL having a radius connecting the collision coordinate and the left rear wheel coordinate and a straight line indicating the left end portion of the vehicle body 11. It is calculated by. Further, the turning angle of the left front wheel 12FL is obtained by calculating an angle θFL between a tangent line TFL of a circle CFL having a radius connecting the collision coordinate and the left front wheel coordinate and a straight line indicating the left end portion of the vehicle body 11. Calculated.

  Subsequently, the ECU 17 that has obtained the steering angle of each wheel 12 matches the direction of each wheel 12 (the direction in which the wheel moves when the wheel rotates) with the tangential direction of the concentric circle centering on the collision point. To control. More specifically, the ECU 17 transmits a control signal including the turning angle to each of the turning devices 14. Each turning device 14 sets the turning angle included in the control signal to a target value, and turns the wheels 12 corresponding to the self-turning device 14 so as to match the target value.

  As described above, when the vehicle collision turning control is executed, each wheel 12 turns independently, and the vehicle 10 rotates around the collision point when the vehicle is viewed from above. Become. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), when the vehicle 10 collides with a pole P in the right direction of the host vehicle, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), each wheel 12 is independent. And the vehicle 10 rotates in the direction of the arrow about the collision location.

  Thus, even when a columnar object collides with the side surface of the vehicle 10, the vehicle 10 can be rotated around the collision location, so that the collision object can be prevented from entering the inside of the vehicle 10. can do.

  Here, the ECU 17 physically includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM (memory) that stores a control program and control data processed by the CPU, and a RAM (mainly used as various work areas for control processing). Memory) and an input / output interface. These elements are connected to each other via a bus. Various sensors such as the collision sensor 15 are connected to the input / output interface, and various drivers for driving the motors of the in-wheel motor 13 and the steering device 14 are connected.

  The CPU receives the detection results of the various sensors via the input / output interface according to the control program stored in the ROM, and processes them using various data in the RAM, for example, for vehicle collision turning control. Etc. In addition, the CPU controls the entire vehicle 10 by outputting control signals to various drivers via the input / output interface.

  As described above, according to the steering system in the present embodiment, even if a columnar object collides with the side surface of the vehicle 10, which has inferior collision durability compared to the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle 10, The vehicle 10 can be easily rotated around the center. For example, when a columnar object collides with the side of the traveling vehicle 10, each wheel 12 moves while rotating according to the direction of the steered wheel 12, so that the vehicle 10 moves with the movement of each wheel 12. It will rotate around the collision location. On the other hand, when a columnar object collides with the side of the stopped vehicle 10, each wheel 12 can be moved to a movable state according to the direction of the steered wheel 12. When the vehicle 10 moves, the vehicle 10 can be rotated around the collision location. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the collision object from entering the vehicle.

  Moreover, the situation where the fuel cell arrange | positioned to the side surface vicinity of the vehicle 10 is damaged can be suppressed by suppressing the penetration | invasion to the vehicle inside of a collision object.

  Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can be shifted to a state where it can be rotated most easily by matching the direction of each wheel 12 with the tangential direction of a concentric circle centered on the collision location.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the collision point is the side surface of the vehicle is described. However, the present invention is applied to the case where the vehicle collides with the front surface or the rear surface of the vehicle in the same manner as when the vehicle collides with the side surface of the vehicle. can do.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the direction of each wheel is steered so as to match the tangential direction of the concentric circle centered on the collision location, but it is not always necessary to match the tangential direction of the concentric circle. It is only necessary that each wheel can be steered so that the vehicle can rotate around the collision point when the vehicle is viewed from above.

  Moreover, although embodiment mentioned above demonstrates the case where the steering system which concerns on this invention is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle, applying the steering system which concerns on this invention also to various vehicles other than a fuel cell vehicle. Can do.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram schematically showing a fuel cell vehicle in an embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating steering control at the time of a vehicle collision. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating steering control at the time of a vehicle collision.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell vehicle, 11 ... Vehicle body, 12 ... Wheel, 13 ... In-wheel motor, 14 ... Steering device, 15 ... Collision sensor, 16 ... Fuel cell system, 17 ... ECU.

Claims (4)

Multiple wheels that can be steered independently,
A collision detection means for detecting a collision;
When a collision is detected by the collision detection means, a steering control means for individually turning each wheel so that the vehicle can rotate around the collision location when the vehicle is viewed from above;
A steering system characterized by comprising:   The steering control means controls each wheel so that the direction of each wheel coincides with a tangential direction of a concentric circle centered on the collision point when each wheel is steered independently. The steering system according to Item 1.   The turning system according to claim 1, wherein the collision detection unit detects a collision on a side surface of the vehicle. The steering system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A fuel cell that receives supply of an oxidizing gas and a fuel gas, and generates electric power by an electrochemical reaction of the reactive gas;
A fuel cell vehicle comprising:

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