JP2010163041A - Alignment control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alignment control device setting the wheel alignment for allowing a vehicle running straight to run with the best fuel economy. <P>SOLUTION: The alignment control device includes: a vehicle control ECU 10 determining wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle V running straight; and a toe-in angle changing device 120 changing the toe-in angles of right and left rear wheels 2L, 2R. The vehicle control ECU 10 determines the wheel alignment allowing toe-in angles of right and left rear wheels 2R, 2L to be set to the toe-in angles making the speed decreasing rate lowest, while the vehicle V runs straight in a state of no braking force generated, to be the wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle V running straight. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an alignment control device that can change the setting of wheel alignment of a vehicle.

  Vehicle wheels are attached to the vehicle at various angles such as camber angle, caster angle, and toe angle. These angles are factors that greatly affect the running performance (straight ahead performance, turning performance, braking performance, etc.) and fuel consumption of the vehicle, and the wheel alignment is set so that each becomes a suitable angle.

  Further, a vehicle including a toe angle changing device that can arbitrarily set a toe angle of a rear wheel is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a toe angle of a rear wheel is “0” during constant speed driving or acceleration driving. A technique for improving the fuel efficiency of a vehicle traveling straight by setting to the above is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-077626

  However, for example, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 calculates the toe angle from the stroke amount of the rod of the actuator that drives the toe angle changing device, and controls the calculated toe angle to be “0”. Thus, for example, the toe angle may not be accurately set to “0” due to a deviation (error) between the stroke amount of the rod of the actuator and the actual toe angle. In such a case, even if the actuator is controlled so that the calculated value of the toe angle becomes “0”, the actual toe angle is not set to “0”, and the vehicle traveling straight may travel with the best fuel efficiency. Can not.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an alignment control device that can be set to wheel alignment that allows a vehicle traveling straight ahead to travel with the best fuel efficiency.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an alignment control device that controls wheel alignment. And determining means for determining wheel alignment suitable for a straight traveling vehicle, and setting means for setting wheel alignment suitable for the straight traveling vehicle when the vehicle travels straight. The wheel alignment in which the speed reduction rate is lowest when the vehicle goes straight in a state where no driving force is generated is determined as wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle that goes straight.
The braking / driving force is a notation when the braking force and the driving force are collectively described.

According to the present invention, the determination means provided in the alignment control device can determine wheel alignment suitable for a vehicle traveling straight. When the vehicle goes straight, the setting means can set the wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle going straight. Therefore, a vehicle traveling straight can travel with wheel alignment suitable for straight traveling.
The wheel alignment suitable for the straight traveling can be a wheel alignment in which the speed reduction rate of the vehicle traveling straight in a state where no braking / driving force is generated is the lowest, and the traveling resistance can be minimized. Therefore, a straight traveling vehicle can travel with the best fuel efficiency.

  In addition, the present invention provides an alignment control device including a toe angle changing device that can arbitrarily set a toe angle of a rear wheel. Then, the determination means sets the wheel alignment in which the toe angle of the rear wheel is set to the toe angle at which the speed reduction rate is the lowest when the vehicle goes straight in a state where braking / driving force is not generated, It is determined that the wheel alignment is suitable for the vehicle to be operated.

  According to the present invention, the alignment control device is provided with a toe angle changing device that can arbitrarily set the toe angle of the rear wheel, and the determination means is set when the toe angle of the rear wheel is set to a toe angle suitable for a vehicle that goes straight. The wheel alignment can be determined as wheel alignment suitable for a vehicle traveling straight. And a vehicle can drive | work by setting the toe angle suitable for a straight drive to a rear wheel. The rear wheel toe angle suitable for a straight traveling vehicle is a toe angle at which the rate of decrease in speed is the lowest when traveling straight in a state where braking / driving force is not generated, and the traveling resistance can be minimized. Therefore, a straight traveling vehicle can travel with the best fuel efficiency.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the alignment control apparatus which can be set to the wheel alignment which can drive | work a straight vehicle with the best fuel consumption can be provided.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle provided with a toe angle changing device according to the present embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the toe angle change apparatus with which a vehicle is provided in the left toe angle change apparatus as an example. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure which determines a reference | standard toe angle.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle V includes four wheels including left and right front wheels 1L and 1R and left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R. The left and right front wheels 1L and 1R are steered wheels that determine the traveling direction of the vehicle V. The driver steers the front wheels 1L and 1R by steering the steering handle 3, and turns the vehicle V in the left-right direction. When the vehicle V is front wheel drive, the left and right front wheels 1L and 1R are also drive wheels. The following description is based on the front-wheel drive vehicle V.

The left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R are provided with a toe angle changing device 120 that can arbitrarily set a toe angle. Two toe angle changing devices 120 are provided corresponding to the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R, respectively. The toe angle changing device 120 corresponding to the left rear wheel 2L corresponds to the left toe angle changing device 120L and the right rear wheel 2R. The toe angle changing device 120 is a right toe angle changing device 120R.
The left toe angle changing device 120L and the right toe angle changing device 120R can be individually driven, and the corresponding toe angles of the rear wheels 2 can be individually set.

The toe angle changing device 120 sets the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R to the toe angles calculated by the vehicle control ECU 10 according to the vehicle speed and the turning angles of the left and right front wheels 1L, 1R (steered wheels). To work.
The left and right toe angle changing devices 120 are provided with corresponding toe angle changing control ECUs 37 and are connected to the vehicle control ECU 10 so as to be able to perform data communication.
When the toe angle changing control ECU 37 receives the toe angle calculated by the vehicle control ECU 10 as data, the toe angle changing control ECU 37 gives a command to the actuator 30 of the corresponding toe angle changing device 120 to set the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R to the vehicle. The toe angle calculated by the control ECU 10 is set.

The vehicle V includes a steering angle sensor 4 that detects the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 1L and 1R that are steered wheels, and a vehicle speed sensor 6 that detects a vehicle speed.
Further, the engine E of the vehicle V is provided with a throttle opening sensor 7 for detecting the throttle opening and a brake operation sensor 8 for detecting an operation amount of a brake pedal (not shown).
The rudder angle sensor 4 is composed of, for example, a rack position sensor that detects an operation amount of the rack shaft 5 that steers the left and right front wheels 1L and 1R, and outputs a rudder angle signal θs.
The vehicle speed sensor 6 detects the vehicle speed as the number of pulses per unit time, and outputs a vehicle speed signal Vs.
The throttle opening sensor 7 is composed of, for example, an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a throttle valve (not shown) of the engine E, and outputs a throttle opening signal Ss.
The brake operation sensor 8 includes a stroke sensor that detects an operation amount (stroke) of a brake pedal (not shown), for example, and outputs a brake signal Bs.

  The steering angle sensor 4, the vehicle speed sensor 6, the throttle opening sensor 7, and the brake operation sensor 8 are connected to the vehicle control ECU 10, and the steering angle signal θs, the vehicle speed signal Vs, the throttle opening signal Ss, and the brake signal Bs are respectively transmitted to the vehicle. It is comprised so that it may input into control ECU10.

Next, the configuration of the toe angle changing device 120 (see FIG. 1) will be described by taking the left toe angle changing device 120L as an example.
As shown in FIG. 2, an end portion in the vehicle width direction of the cross member 12 extending substantially in the vehicle width direction is elastically supported on the rear side frame 11 of the vehicle body. The front end of the trailing arm 13 extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is supported near the end in the vehicle width direction of the cross member 12, and the left rear wheel 2 </ b> L is fixed to the rear end of the trailing arm 13. The trailing arm 13 is configured by connecting a vehicle body side arm 13a attached to the cross member 12 and a wheel side arm 13b fixed to the left rear wheel 2L via a rotation shaft 13c in a substantially vertical direction. Yes. Thereby, the trailing arm 13 can be displaced in the vehicle width direction.

  One end of the actuator 30 is attached to the front end portion on the front side of the rotating shaft 13c of the wheel side arm 13b via the ball joint 16, and the other end is attached to the cross member 12 via the ball joint 17. The actuator 30 is configured with an electric motor, a speed reduction mechanism, and a feed screw portion, although a detailed configuration is not shown.

A ball joint 16 provided at one end of the actuator 30 is rotatably connected to the wheel side arm 13b of the trailing arm 13, and a ball joint 17 provided at the other end is rotatably connected to the cross member 12. Has been. When the screw shaft (not shown) is rotated by the power of the electric motor (not shown) of the actuator 30 and the rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 extends leftward, the wheel side arm 13b is moved outward in the vehicle width direction. When pressed (leftward), the left rear wheel 2L turns leftward. Further, when the rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 is contracted in the right direction, the wheel side arm 13b is pulled inward in the vehicle width direction (right direction), and the left rear wheel 2L turns in the right direction.
Further, the actuator 30 is provided with a stroke sensor 30a for detecting a stroke amount of a rod (not shown).
Hereinafter, the stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 may be referred to as the stroke amount of the actuator 30.

  In addition, the actuator 30 is integrally configured with a toe angle change control ECU 37. For example, the toe angle changing control ECU 37 is fixed to the case body of the actuator 30 and connected to the stroke sensor 30a via a connector or the like. The toe angle changing control ECU 37 and the stroke sensor 30a are supplied with electric power from a power source such as a battery (not shown) mounted on the vehicle V.

  The right toe angle changing device 120R (see FIG. 1) is configured in the same way as the left toe angle changing device 120L shown in FIG.

The vehicle control ECU 10 shown in FIG. 1 calculates the vehicle speed of the vehicle V based on the vehicle speed signal Vs input from the vehicle speed sensor 6, and determines that the vehicle V is traveling at a constant speed when the vehicle V is constant.
Further, the vehicle control ECU 10 calculates the turning angle of the front wheels 1L, 1R based on the steering angle signal θs input from the steering angle sensor 4, and when the turning angle of the front wheels 1L, 1R is “0”, that is, the front wheel When 1L and 1R are not turning, it is determined that the vehicle V is traveling straight.
Then, the vehicle control ECU 10 calculates “0” as the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R and transmits the data to the toe angle change control ECU 37 when the vehicle V is traveling straight at a constant speed.
When the toe angle changing control ECU 37 of the toe angle changing device 120 gives a command to the actuator 30 and the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R are set to “0”, the running resistance of the vehicle V is reduced and the fuel consumption is reduced. improves.

At this time, the toe angle change control ECU 37 calculates the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R based on the stroke amount of the actuator 30, and controls the actuator 30 so that the calculated toe angles become “0”. Yes.
Specifically, the toe angle changing control ECU 37 acquires the stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 by a signal input from the stroke sensor 30a (see FIG. 2).
Further, the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R are calculated based on a preset relationship between the stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 and the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R. The toe angle changing control ECU 37 controls the actuators 30 provided in the left and right toe angle changing devices 120L and 120R so that the calculated toe angle becomes “0”.

  However, for example, if a deviation (error) occurs between the stroke amount of the actuator 30 and the actual toe angle, the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R may not be accurately set to “0”. If the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R cannot be accurately set to “0”, there is a problem that the fuel consumption of the vehicle V cannot be optimized.

  Therefore, the vehicle control ECU 10 according to the present embodiment determines the wheel alignment that allows the vehicle V to travel straight with the best fuel efficiency, and stores the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R at that time. When the vehicle V goes straight, the stored toe angle is set to the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R.

  For example, the vehicle control ECU 10 detects the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R via the toe angle change control ECU 37 when the vehicle V goes straight in a state where no driving force or braking force is generated (idle running state). Is arbitrarily changed to calculate the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V, and the toe angle at which the speed reduction rate is the lowest is stored as the “reference toe angle”. That is, the vehicle control ECU 10 determines the wheel alignment at which the rate of decrease in the speed of the vehicle V traveling straight in the idle state is the lowest, and determines the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R at that time as the reference toe angle. To do.

  When the vehicle V travels straight, the vehicle control ECU 10 drives the toe angle changing device 120 provided on the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R via the toe angle changing control ECU 37, and the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R are driven. Set the corner to the standard toe angle.

A decrease in the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V in the idle running state where no driving force or braking force is generated is equivalent to a reduction in the running resistance of the vehicle V. When the running resistance is reduced, the fuel consumption of the vehicle V is improved. To do. Therefore, it can be said that the reference toe angle at which the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V traveling straight in the idling state is the lowest is the toe angle at which the vehicle V traveling straight can travel with the best fuel efficiency.
Then, the vehicle control ECU 10 according to the present embodiment determines that the wheel alignment in which the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R are set as the reference toe angle is the wheel alignment that allows the vehicle V that goes straight to travel with the best fuel efficiency.
In the present embodiment, the wheel alignment that allows the vehicle V that travels straight to travel with the best fuel efficiency is the wheel alignment that is suitable for the vehicle V that travels straight.

Thus, vehicle control ECU10 concerning this embodiment has a function which judges wheel alignment suitable for vehicle V which goes straight, and serves as a judgment means given in a claim.
Further, the toe angle changing control ECU 37 has a function of driving the toe angle changing device 120 to arbitrarily set the toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R.
And the alignment control apparatus as described in a claim is comprised including vehicle control ECU10 (determination means), toe angle change control ECU37 (setting means), and toe angle change apparatus 120. FIG.

Hereinafter, a procedure in which the vehicle control ECU 10 (see FIG. 1) determines the wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle V going straight and determines the reference toe angle will be described with reference to FIG. 3 (see FIGS. 1 and 2 as appropriate). ).
This procedure may be configured to be incorporated in a program executed by the vehicle control ECU 10, for example.

The vehicle control ECU 10 ends the procedure for determining the reference toe angle when the vehicle V is not traveling straight (step S1 → No), but the processing is performed when the vehicle V is traveling straight (step S1 → Yes). To step S2.
The vehicle control ECU 10 determines that the vehicle V is traveling straight when the turning angles of the front wheels 1L and 1R calculated based on the steering angle signal θs input from the steering angle sensor 4 are “0”.

The vehicle control ECU 10 ends the procedure for determining the reference toe angle when the braking / driving force is generated (step S2 → No), but when the braking / driving force is not generated (step S2 → Yes). Then, the process proceeds to step S3.
The vehicle control ECU 10 determines that no driving force is generated in the vehicle V when the throttle opening calculated based on the throttle opening signal Ss input from the throttle opening sensor 7 is in the idle opening state. judge.
The idle opening is a throttle opening when the engine E performs an idle operation, and is a preset value.

Further, the vehicle control ECU 10 determines that no braking force is generated in the vehicle V when the operation amount of a brake pedal (not shown) calculated based on the brake signal Bs input from the brake operation sensor 8 is “0”. To do.
The vehicle control ECU 10 determines that the braking / driving force is not generated when neither the braking force nor the driving force is generated.

  If the “reference toe angle (left)” that is the reference toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L has not been determined (step S3 → No), the vehicle control ECU 10 advances the process to step S4. "Is determined (step S3 → Yes), the process proceeds to step S7.

  When Step S3 is No, the vehicle control ECU 10 gives a command to the toe angle changing control ECU 37 of the left toe angle changing device 120L to change the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L (Step S4). Calculate the rate of speed reduction.

When starting the procedure for determining the reference toe angle, the vehicle control ECU 10 sets the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L to the most toe-in side, for example, and each time step S4 is executed, the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L For example, by 1 °.
Then, while maintaining the changed toe angle state, the vehicle speed of the vehicle V is calculated at predetermined time intervals based on the vehicle speed signal Vs input from the vehicle speed sensor 6, and the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V (speed reduction at a predetermined time) ) Is calculated. What is necessary is just to set the predetermined time at this time suitably.

  The vehicle control ECU 10 repeats steps S1 to S4 while the speed reduction rate is not minimized (step S5 → No), and when the speed reduction rate is minimized (step S5 → Yes), the left rear wheel at that time The 2L toe angle is determined as the “reference toe angle (left)” (step S6). Then, the vehicle control ECU 10 stores the determined “reference toe angle (left)” in, for example, a storage unit (not shown). Specifically, the vehicle control ECU 10 stores a stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 when the left rear wheel 2L is set to the “reference toe angle (left)” in a storage unit (not shown).

  For example, when the speed reduction rate after changing the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L is smaller than the speed reduction rate before changing the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L, the vehicle control ECU 10 selects the toe angle after the change. Remember as an angle. Further, the vehicle control ECU 10 updates the candidate angle when the speed reduction rate when the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L is changed from the candidate angle is smaller than the speed reduction rate when the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L is the candidate angle. To do. In this way, the vehicle control ECU 10 sequentially updates the candidate angle to the toe angle at which the speed reduction rate becomes small, and determines the candidate angle when the speed reduction rate becomes the minimum as the “reference toe angle (left)”. .

  Before the vehicle control ECU 10 executes step S6, that is, before the “reference toe angle (left)” is determined, the vehicle V turns (step S1 → No), or braking / driving force is generated in the vehicle V. When it does (step S2-> No), vehicle control ECU10 interrupts the procedure which determines a standard toe angle. And the structure which memorize | stores in the memory | storage part which is not shown in figure the candidate angle of the left rear wheel 2L at the time of interrupting the procedure which determines a reference | standard toe angle, for example as a "temporary toe angle" is suitable.

Furthermore, when the vehicle V goes straight again in an idle running state in which no braking / driving force is generated, the vehicle control ECU 10 starts the reference toe from the state where the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L is set to the “temporary toe angle”. What is necessary is just to set it as the structure which starts the procedure which determines an angle | corner.
With this configuration, even when the procedure for determining the reference toe angle is interrupted, the vehicle control ECU 10 can execute the procedure for efficiently determining the reference toe angle without wasting the process before the interruption.

In step S7, the vehicle control ECU 10 gives a command to the toe angle change control ECU 37 of the right toe angle changing device 120R to change the toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R, and calculates the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V.
The vehicle control ECU 10 executes the same process as the process for the left rear wheel 2L on the right rear wheel 2R while the speed decrease rate of the vehicle V is not minimized (step S8 → No), and the speed decrease rate is the minimum (Step S8 → Yes), the toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R at that time is determined as the “reference toe angle (right)” that is the reference toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R (step S9). The vehicle control ECU 10 stores the determined “reference toe angle (right)” in, for example, a storage unit (not shown). Specifically, the vehicle control ECU 10 stores a stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 when the right rear wheel 2R is set to the “reference toe angle (right)” in a storage unit (not shown).

  Note that before the vehicle control ECU 10 executes step S9, that is, before the “reference toe angle (right)” is determined, the vehicle V turns (step S1 → No), or braking / driving force is generated in the vehicle V. If so (step S2 → No), the vehicle control ECU 10 interrupts the procedure for determining the reference toe angle. Also in this case, the vehicle control ECU 10 may store the candidate angle of the right rear wheel 2R at the time when the procedure for determining the reference toe angle is interrupted, for example, as a “temporary toe angle” in a storage unit (not shown).

Further, when the vehicle V goes straight again in an idle running state where no braking / driving force is generated, the vehicle control ECU 10 starts the reference toe from the state where the toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R is set to the “temporary toe angle”. What is necessary is just to set it as the structure which starts the procedure which determines an angle | corner.
With this configuration, even when the procedure for determining the reference toe angle is interrupted, the vehicle control ECU 10 can execute the procedure for efficiently determining the reference toe angle without wasting the process before the interruption.

  In the procedure for determining the reference toe angle, step S5 and step S8 (the step in which the vehicle control ECU 10 determines that the speed reduction rate of the vehicle V has become minimum) are suitable for the vehicle V in which the vehicle control ECU 10 goes straight. This corresponds to the step of determining the wheel alignment.

As described above, the vehicle control ECU 10 (see FIG. 1) according to the present embodiment is suitable for the wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle V (see FIG. 1) that goes straight, that is, the wheel alignment that allows the vehicle V to travel with the best fuel efficiency. And the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L (see FIG. 1) at that time is determined as “reference toe angle (left)”, and the toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R (see FIG. 1) is determined as “reference toe angle”. “Corner (right)”.
Then, when the vehicle V travels straight, the vehicle control ECU 10 transmits “reference toe angle (left)” as data to the toe angle changing control ECU 37 of the left toe angle changing device 120L, and determines the toe angle of the left rear wheel 2L. The “reference toe angle (left)” is set, and the “reference toe angle (right)” is transmitted as data to the toe angle change control ECU 37 of the right toe angle changing device 120R to set the toe angle of the right rear wheel 2R to “reference”. Set toe angle (right) ”.

The reference toe angle minimizes the running resistance of the vehicle V traveling straight without being affected by the stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 and the actual toe angle shift (error) of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R. This is a toe angle at which the vehicle V traveling straight can travel with the best fuel efficiency.
Therefore, for example, when the vehicle V goes straight, the vehicle control ECU 10 sets the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R to the reference toe angle via the toe angle change control ECU 37, so that the fuel efficiency of the vehicle V that goes straight can be optimized. There is an excellent effect.

  In the procedure for determining the reference toe angle shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle control ECU 10 shown in FIG. 1 is configured to set the “reference toe angle (left)” of the left rear wheel 2L first. It is not limited, and it goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even if the “reference toe angle (right)” of the right rear wheel 2R is set first.

Further, in the procedure for determining the reference toe angle, the vehicle control ECU 10 determines that no driving force is generated when the throttle opening of the engine E is in the idle opening state, but this is limited. It is not something.
For example, the vehicle control ECU 10 determines that a driving force is not generated in the vehicle V by detecting that a shift lever (not shown) of the manual transmission or a selector lever (not shown) of the automatic transmission is in the neutral position. There may be.

  Further, in the case of the vehicle V having a manual transmission, the vehicle control ECU 10 detects that a driving force is not generated in the vehicle V by detecting that a clutch pedal (not shown) is operated (depressed). The structure which determines may be sufficient.

Further, as described above, a deviation (error) may occur between the stroke amount of the rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 and the actual toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L, 2R. May occur due to an error in assembling the vehicle V, for example.
The error that occurs when the vehicle V is assembled is an eigenvalue for each vehicle V. Therefore, for example, after the assembly of the vehicle V is completed, a procedure for determining the reference toe angle is executed by the vehicle control ECU 10 of the vehicle V traveling on the test course, and the reference toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R are determined. By operating, it is possible to determine a reference toe angle that is not affected by errors that occur during assembly.
Since the test course has a stable road surface condition, the reference toe angle can be determined with high accuracy.

  Further, due to a change with time, there may be a deviation (error) between the stroke amount of a rod (not shown) of the actuator 30 and the actual toe angles of the left and right rear wheels 2L and 2R. In order to deal with such an error, the vehicle control ECU 10 may execute a procedure for determining a reference toe angle at a predetermined time interval such as a half year. Or the structure which performs the procedure which determines a reference | standard toe angle at the time of vehicle control ECU10 having determined that the fuel consumption of the vehicle V which goes straight is reduced may be sufficient.

  Further, for example, since the road exclusively for automobiles has a stable road surface and there are many opportunities for the vehicle V to go straight, the vehicle control ECU 10 determines that the vehicle V is on the road for automobiles according to information from a navigation system or the like mounted on the vehicle V. When it determines with driving | running | working, the structure which performs the procedure which determines a reference | standard toe angle may be sufficient. With such a configuration, the reference toe angle can be determined with high accuracy.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering angle sensor 4, the vehicle speed sensor 6, the throttle opening sensor 7, and the brake operation sensor 8 are mounted on the vehicle V. It is good also as a structure which detects the speed of the vehicle V, an acceleration, a advancing direction, etc. by the sensor with which it is equipped. In this case, if the vehicle control ECU 10 provided in the vehicle V can receive data detected by the sensors provided in the test course or the like, the steering angle sensor 4, the vehicle speed sensor 6, the throttle opening sensor 7, and the brake operation sensor 8 are used. Even if the vehicle V does not include the vehicle V, the vehicle control ECU 10 can determine that the vehicle V is traveling straight or that no braking / driving force is generated.

1L, 1R Front wheel 2L, 2R Rear wheel 4 Rudder angle sensor 6 Vehicle speed sensor 7 Throttle opening sensor 8 Brake operation sensor 10 Vehicle control ECU (determination means, alignment control device)
37 Toe angle change control ECU (setting means, alignment control device)
120 Toe angle changing device (alignment control device)
V vehicle

Claims (2)

An alignment control device for controlling wheel alignment,
Determination means for determining wheel alignment suitable for a vehicle traveling straight;
Setting means for setting the wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle traveling straight when the vehicle travels straight;
The determination means determines that the wheel alignment having the lowest speed reduction rate when the vehicle goes straight in a state where no braking / driving force is generated is a wheel alignment suitable for the vehicle that goes straight. Alignment control device. Equipped with a toe angle changing device that can arbitrarily set the toe angle of the rear wheel,
The determination means includes a vehicle that travels straight in a wheel alignment in which a toe angle of the rear wheel is set to a toe angle at which a speed reduction rate is lowest when the vehicle travels straight in a state where no braking / driving force is generated. The alignment control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wheel alignment is determined to be suitable for the vehicle.

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