JP5109875B2 - Damping force control device and damping force control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a damping force control device and a damping force control method for controlling a damping force, which is a suspension characteristic, to a damping force corresponding to a damping force mode selected by a driver.

Recently, how to match the behavior of the vehicle with the driver's sense has become an important issue. For example, the driver feels the acceleration feeling at the time of starting and accelerating by the engine sound and acceleration G, and also by the behavior change of the vehicle.
As a technique for controlling the suspension characteristics, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1. In this technology, the damping force is controlled at the time of starting and accelerating so that the suspension characteristics are softer than those during steady running. In this way, the driver aims to make the driver feel positively and to match the change in vehicle behavior with the driver's feeling.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-266012

In the above-described conventional technology, only when it is detected that the vehicle is in a start / acceleration state, the suspension characteristics are changed to give the driver a corresponding experience. However, other than that, a corresponding experience cannot be given to the driver.
Therefore, even if the suspension characteristics are changed according to the driver's instruction, there is a possibility that the driver cannot have a corresponding experience.
An object of the present invention is to enable a driver to experience a change in suspension characteristics according to the driver's will.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention controls the damping force of the suspension device capable of changing the damping force to a damping force corresponding to the damping force mode selected by the driver. At this time, if switching of the damping force mode is detected, the amount of change from the damping force before switching before switching to the damping force after switching in the damping force mode after switching is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Correct the damping force. Further, when an additional switching is detected during the correction of the damping force, the post-switching damping force before the additional switching is detected is used as the pre-switching damping force, and the post-switching damping force is used. The damping force in the damping force mode after the additional switching is used.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to ensure that the amount of change at the time of mode switching is a predetermined value or more. Thus, the driver can be surely experienced that the mode has been changed to the damping force mode (the generation range of the damping force) selected according to the driver's will.

(First embodiment)
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a device configuration of the present embodiment.
(Constitution)
The axle 1 supports the wheel 2 rotatably. A suspension link 3 connects the axle 1 and the vehicle body side member 4 so as to be swingable up and down.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a shock absorber. The shock absorber 5 is arranged with its axis facing up and down. The lower end of the shock absorber 5 is connected to the axle 1 or the suspension link 3. In FIG. 1, the case where the lower end part of the shock absorber 5 is connected to the suspension link 3 is illustrated. The upper end portion of the shock absorber 5 is connected to the vehicle body side member 4.
The shock absorber 5 can change the damping force at the time of expansion and contraction. Reference numeral 6 denotes an actuator that adjusts the damping force. The damping force is adjusted, for example, by changing the opening area of the orifice. The actuator 6 individually changes the damping force at the time of expansion and contraction according to the command value from the controller 7.

  Vehicle state quantity detection means 8 is provided. The vehicle state quantity detection means 8 detects vehicle state quantity information and outputs it to the controller 7. The vehicle state quantity information includes vehicle speed, steering angle, accelerator opening, road surface condition, and the like. Such information is acquired from a wheel speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an accelerator opening sensor, a G sensor, or the like. Note that these pieces of detection information are values used for changing and controlling the damping force. It is not necessary to use all of this information.

A mode selection device 9 is also provided. The mode selection device 9 is operated by the driver. Then, the damping force mode (suspension characteristic) selected by the driver is output to the controller 7.
The controller 7 has a plurality of damping force modes according to the selection by the mode selection device 9.
In this embodiment, it is assumed that two damping force modes, that is, an AUTO mode and a SPORT mode are provided. There may be more than two modes. The AUTO mode is set as the initial value. That is, when the driver does not operate the mode selection device 9, it is considered that the driver has selected the AUTO mode.

  The damping force mode is for setting the generation range of the damping force to be controlled. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the SPORT mode has a higher damping force range or a reference damping force. That is, the suspension specification can be made hard by using the SPORT mode. The damping force mode may be defined as setting a reference damping force instead of the damping force generation range.

  Then, the controller 7 controls the damping force according to the state of the vehicle and the road surface within the damping force generation range corresponding to the damping force mode selected by the driver. For each mode, for example, the damping force is controlled to be higher as the vehicle speed is higher based on the signal from the wheel second speed sensor. In each mode, the damping force is controlled to be higher as the steering angle is larger or the steering speed is larger based on a signal from the steering angle sensor. Further, for each mode, the damping force is controlled to be higher as the accelerator opening is larger based on the signal from the accelerator opening sensor.

As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 7 includes a damping force calculation means 7A and a damping force correction means 7B. The damping force correction unit 7B includes a switching correction unit 7Ba and a correction release unit 7Bb.
The damping force calculation means 7A calculates the damping force generated by the shock absorber 5 and outputs a signal corresponding to the calculated damping force to the actuator 6. That is, the damping force F in the current damping force mode is calculated, and a damping force signal for obtaining the damping force is output to the actuator 6. However, the damping force calculating means 7A corrects the calculated damping force F by a correction increase / decrease ΔF.

When the switching correction means 7Ba detects the selection switching of the damping force mode, if the damping force difference before and after the switching is less than a predetermined value, the correction increase / decrease for making the difference in damping force before and after the switching equal to or greater than the predetermined value. ΔF is calculated and set.
On the other hand, when the switching correction unit 7Ba determines that the predetermined release condition is satisfied after the correction increase / decrease ΔF is set, the correction cancellation unit 7Bb gradually decreases the set correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero.

Next, the process of the controller 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The controller 7 operates every predetermined sampling period.
First, in step S10, based on the signal from the mode selection device 9, it is determined whether the current damping force mode is different from the damping force mode selected this time. That is, it is determined whether the selection of the damping force mode has been switched. If it is determined that there is an operation for switching the damping force mode, the process proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no operation for switching the damping force mode, the process proceeds to step S70.

Next, in step S20, the mode selection device 9 is operated to switch the mode used when calculating the damping force to the damping force mode selected by the driver. For example, the mode map used for the calculation is switched.
Next, in step S30, the damping force corresponding to the current vehicle state quantity information is calculated with reference to the pattern map corresponding to the damping force mode after switching.
In step S40, it is determined whether or not the difference between the calculated damping force F and the previous damping force F (n-1) is less than a predetermined value F0. If it is less than the predetermined value F0, the process proceeds to step S50. If it is equal to or greater than the predetermined value F0, the process proceeds to step S45.
Here, instead of the previous damping force F (n−1), the damping force in the mode before switching is calculated, and a value obtained by adding the current correction increase / decrease ΔF to the calculated damping force may be used. good.

In step S45, it is determined that the correction of the damping force is unnecessary, and the correction is initialized. Then, the process proceeds to step S130.
As an initialization process for correction, the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is set to OFF and the correction increase / decrease ΔF is set to zero. This process takes into account the case where correction is being executed in the state before the mode switching.
In step S50, a correction increase / decrease amount ΔF is calculated.
That is, a difference Δ obtained by subtracting the previous damping force F (n−1) from the calculated damping force F is obtained.
Δ = F−F (n−1)

Then, a correction increase / decrease ΔF is obtained by subtracting the absolute value of the difference Δ from the reference predetermined value F0. The reference value may be set to a value larger than the predetermined value F0. The predetermined value F0 is a value that the driver will notice when the change amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined value F0. What is necessary is just to obtain | require beforehand by experiment etc.
ΔF = F0− | Δ |
However, if the difference Δ is a negative value, the sign of the correction increase / decrease ΔF is inverted to a negative value. In this embodiment, when the SPORT mode is switched to the AUTO mode, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is a negative value.

Next, in step S60, the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is turned ON, and the counter RLS_CNT is cleared to zero. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S130.
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that the mode selection switching operation has not been performed, the process proceeds to step S70. In step S70, it is determined whether correction is being executed.
Specifically, it is determined whether or not the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is ON. When the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is ON, the process proceeds to step S80. On the other hand, when the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is OFF, the process proceeds to step S130.

In step S80, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the selection of the damping force mode has been switched. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the counter RLS_CNT is equal to or greater than a predetermined value N. If the counter RLS_CNT is greater than or equal to the predetermined value N, the process proceeds to step S100. On the other hand, when the counter RLS_CNT is less than the predetermined value N, the process proceeds to step S90. The value of N described above is set according to a predetermined time. The predetermined time is set to 5 seconds, for example.
In step S90, after counting up the counter RLS_CNT, the process proceeds to step S130.
In step S100, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is subtracted by a predetermined decrease δ, and the process proceeds to step S110. Note that the decrease δ may be changed according to the magnitude of the correction increase / decrease ΔF.
ΔF = ΔF−δ

In step S110, it is determined whether or not the correction increase / decrease ΔF has become zero or less. When the correction increase / decrease ΔF has become zero or less, the process proceeds to step S120. On the other hand, if the corrected increase / decrease ΔF is greater than zero, the process proceeds to step S130.
In step S120, after the correction cancellation process is performed, the process proceeds to step S130. As the cancellation processing, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is set to zero. Further, the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is turned OFF.
Next, in step S130, the pattern map corresponding to the current damping force mode is referred to, and the damping force F corresponding to the current vehicle state quantity information is calculated. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S140.

Here, for example, the pattern map is set so that the damping force changes according to the state of the vehicle within the range of the damping force in the corresponding damping force mode. The damping force F corresponding to the current vehicle state quantity information changes within the generated damping force range corresponding to the mode according to the vehicle state quantity information. For example, the damping force to be generated is relatively increased as the vehicle speed is higher. Further, the damping force is relatively increased as the steering angle or the steering angular velocity is faster. Further, the damping force is relatively increased as the acceleration increases.
This damping force F becomes the damping force in the damping force mode selected by the driver.

Next, in step S140, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is corrected. In other words, a correction increase / decrease ΔF is added to the damping force in the damping force mode to calculate the damping force corresponding to the damping force mode. The correction increase / decrease ΔF is obtained by the switching correction means. If the correction increase / decrease ΔF is a negative value, the damping force F is corrected to be decreased accordingly.
F = F + ΔF
Next, in step S150, a signal corresponding to the calculated damping force F is output to the actuator 6. Then return.

(Operation / Action)
In this embodiment, the case where two modes “AUTO” and “SPORT” are selected by switching the switch is illustrated.
FIG. 4 shows the transition of the damping force for each mode when the vehicle is driven under the same driving conditions (the same road surface is driven under the same time series driving operation) for each mode. is there. Here, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the damping force control value.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the change pattern of the damping force due to the change in the vehicle state quantity is set to the same tendency. However, the generation range of the damping force is different for each damping force mode. In this example, the generation range of the damping force is set higher in the SPORT mode than in the AUTO mode. That is, the generation range of the damping force is set so that the SPORT mode is always on the hardware side than the AUTO mode. In addition, the change pattern of the damping force due to the change in the vehicle state quantity may be different for each mode.

“Case where damping force is not corrected”
First, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, it is assumed that the mode selection switching operation is performed at time T1. In FIGS. 5 and 6, changes in damping force at the time of mode switching are illustrated by broken lines.
In this case, since the amount of change in the damping force before and after the mode switching is sufficiently larger than the predetermined value F0, the driver can feel that the behavior of the vehicle has changed without correcting the increase or decrease in the damping force. Can do.
That is, even if it is determined in step S10 that the mode selection switching operation has been performed, the process proceeds from step S40 to step S45, and the correction increase / decrease ΔF is set to zero, so that the damping force is not corrected.

"Case of correcting damping force"
FIG. 7 shows how the damping force changes when the mode is switched from AUTO to SPORT at time T2. FIG. 7A shows the transition of the damping force when correction is not performed. The change amount of the damping force at the time of mode switching is small, and there is a possibility that the driver cannot feel the mode difference.
The transition of the damping force in this embodiment is shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, when the change amount of the damping force after switching is less than a predetermined value from the damping force before switching, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is calculated (steps S40 and S50).
For this reason, a value obtained by increasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF with respect to the damping force calculated corresponding to the mode after switching is set as the damping force as the control amount (see step S140).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 7B, the amount of change in damping force at the time of mode switching is increased, and the amount of change at the time of mode switching is set to a predetermined value F0 or more to intentionally create a mode difference.
This makes it possible for the driver to experience that the behavior of the vehicle has changed according to the driver's will.
Further, even after the mode is switched to the SPORT mode, the damping force increased by the correction increase / decrease ΔF is calculated as a control amount for a predetermined time. Then, when the predetermined time α has elapsed after the mode switching, the correction increase / decrease amount gradually decreases toward zero by the process of step S100.

Then, the correction process is canceled when the correction increase / decrease amount becomes zero.
FIG. 8 shows how the damping force changes when the mode is switched from SPORT to AUTO at time T2. FIG. 8A shows the transition of the damping force when correction is not performed, and the change amount of the damping force at the time of mode switching is small, and there is a possibility that the driver cannot feel the mode difference.
The transition of the damping force in this embodiment is shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, when the change amount of the damping force after switching is less than a predetermined value from the damping force before switching, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is calculated (steps S40 and S50).
For this reason, the value obtained by subtracting the correction increase / decrease ΔF from the damping force calculated corresponding to the mode after switching is set as the damping force as the control amount (see step S140).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8B, a mode difference is intentionally created by subtracting the amount of change in damping force at the time of mode switching to set the amount of change at the time of mode switching to a predetermined value F0 or more.
This makes it possible for the driver to experience that the behavior of the vehicle has changed according to the driver's will.
Further, even after the mode is switched to the AUTO mode, the damping force subtracted by the correction increase / decrease amount ΔF is used as a control amount to calculate for a predetermined time. Then, when the predetermined time α has elapsed after the mode switching, the correction increase / decrease amount gradually decreases toward zero by the process of step S100.

Then, the correction process is canceled when the correction increase / decrease amount becomes zero.
As described above, the driver can feel that the driver has changed to the damping force mode (the generation range of the damping force) selected according to the driver's will. In the example of this embodiment, it is a case where the sport mode which generate | occur | produces in the range with a large damping force and the soft mode which generate | occur | produces in the range with a small damping force can be selected. Each time the driver switches between the sport mode and the soft mode, the damping force is clearly different, so that the driver can experience mode switching.

In each mode, the damping force is switched according to the state of the vehicle.
Here, the present embodiment is not intended to change the damping force according to the driving situation to make it feel. According to the driver's willingness to the damping force, the damping force is switched so as to be experienced. The driver feels that the vehicle behavior matches his / her will if it matches the vehicle's own will. For this reason, according to the present embodiment, in all driving situations, the vehicle behavior can be matched to the driver's senses according to the driver's will.

"When there is a mode change during the correction process"
When the mode is switched again during the correction processing, the damping force during the correction processing is compared with the damping force after the mode switching, and if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the premium is canceled (step S45). If it is less than the predetermined value, the correction process is started again (steps S50 and S60). That is, even during an increase, the damping force is changed so that the difference due to the mode switching can be experienced as before.

Examples thereof are shown in FIGS.
In FIG. 9, at time T2, the mode is switched from AUTO to SPORT mode, and correction is performed so that the amount of change in damping force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Furthermore, it is an example when mode switching is detected again at time T2 ′ during correction processing.
In the case shown in FIG. 9, since the difference between the damping force Fa before switching at time T2 ′ and the damping force Fb after switching is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the correction process is canceled by switching, and after time T2 ′. No correction has been made.

On the other hand, FIG. 10 switches from AUTO to SPORT mode at time T2 in the same manner as FIG. 9, and performs correction so that the amount of change in damping force becomes a predetermined value or more. Furthermore, it is an example when mode switching is detected again at time T2 ″ during the correction process.
In the case shown in FIG. 10, the difference between the damping force Fa before switching at time T2 ″ and the damping force Fb after switching is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Is calculated and corrected with the newly calculated corrected damping force with respect to the damping force in the mode after switching.
Here, steps S10 to S120 constitute the damping force correction means 7B. Of these, steps S10 to 60 constitute the switching correction means 7Ba, and steps S70 to S120 constitute the correction cancellation means 7Bb. Steps S130 to S150 constitute damping force calculation means 7A. The corrected increase / decrease ΔF constitutes the increase / decrease.

(Effect of this embodiment)
(1) When the damping force correction means 7B detects the switching of selection to a different damping force mode by the driver, the change from the damping force before switching before switching to the damping force after switching in the damping force mode after switching. When the amount is less than a predetermined value, the post-switching damping force is corrected.
It is possible to ensure that the amount of change at the time of mode switching is more than a predetermined value. Thus, the driver can be surely experienced that the mode has been changed to the damping force mode (the generation range of the damping force) selected according to the driver's will.

(2) When a new switching is newly detected during the correction of the damping force, the post-switching damping force before the additional switching is detected is used as the pre-switching damping force. As above, the damping force in the damping force mode after the additional switching is used. That is, the damping force being corrected in the additional damping force mode before switching is used as the damping force before switching. That is, during the correction of the damping force, the damping force to which the correction increase / decrease ΔF before the additional switching is added is the damping force before the switching.

When mode switching (additional switching) is performed again when the mode switching is performed immediately after the mode switching, for example, when the mode switching has been performed and correction for adding the correction increase / decrease ΔF is performed. The amount of change is determined in consideration of the previous correction.
This achieves the purpose of making the driver feel that the behavior of the vehicle has changed as a result of mode switching.
Further, by taking into account the correction before switching, it is possible to prevent the correction processing after switching from being performed more than necessary.

(3) The damping force correction means 7B decreases the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero when a predetermined time has elapsed after the switching of the damping force mode.
As a result, after the purpose of causing the driver to experience the behavior change of the vehicle due to mode switching is achieved, the additional amount of change in damping force is returned to zero. As a result, it is possible to return to the control value (normal value) of the damping force set to be optimal according to the traveling scene.

(Modification)
(1) In the above embodiment, it is determined whether or not the counter RLS_CNT is equal to or greater than a predetermined value in step S80. That is, whether or not to cancel the correction is determined based on whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after switching.
Instead, the damping force correction means 7B may decrease the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero when the vehicle travels a predetermined distance after the switching of the damping force mode.
That is, in step S80, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance after switching, and when it is determined that the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance, the process may proceed to step S110.

In this case, in step S90, processing for calculating a predetermined distance after switching is performed, for example, by integrating the vehicle speed.
In this case, after achieving the purpose of letting the driver experience the behavior change of the vehicle due to the mode switching, when the vehicle travels a predetermined distance after the switching, the additional amount of change in the damping force is returned to zero. As a result, it is possible to return to the control value (normal value) of the damping force set to be optimal according to the traveling scene.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, about the apparatus similar to the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and demonstrated.
The basic configuration of the present invention is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the correction cancellation process in the process of the controller 7 is different.
In the first embodiment, after the mode is switched, when a predetermined time has elapsed or the vehicle has traveled more than a predetermined distance, a process of decreasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero is performed.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment, after the mode is switched, if the control damping force changes more than a predetermined frequency, a process of decreasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero is performed.

Further, the process of decreasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero is performed in synchronization with the control of the damping force to be controlled.
As shown in FIG. 11, the process of the controller 7 of the present embodiment differs from the process of the controller 7 of the first embodiment in the process between step S70 and step S100. Since other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

In step S70, it is determined whether correction is being executed. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is ON. When the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is ON, the process proceeds to step S80. On the other hand, when the correction execution flag RLS_FLG is OFF, the process proceeds to step S130.
In step S80, if there is a selection switching of the damping force mode, and it is determined that changing the damping force with a magnitude greater than or equal to a predetermined frequency has occurred more than a predetermined regulation, for example, it has occurred twice or more. The process proceeds to S83. On the other hand, when it is less than the predetermined regulation that the damping force is changed by a magnitude greater than or equal to the predetermined level, the process proceeds to step S90.

Note that a change in the control force to be controlled occurs when the vehicle state or the road surface state changes.
In step S90, when the damping force exceeding a predetermined value is changed, it is counted. This process is preferably performed in step S130 in which the damping force is calculated.
In step S83, it is determined whether or not the damping force to be controlled is changing or changing. If it is determined that the damping force is changing, the process proceeds to step S86. On the other hand, if the damping force does not change, the process proceeds to step S130.

The change in the damping force is detected as follows, for example. Based on the signal from the G sensor, it is determined that the damping force is changing or changing when there is an upper and lower G above a predetermined level.
Next, in step S86, a decrease δ is calculated. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S100.
For example, the larger the correction increase / decrease ΔF is, the larger the decrease δ is set, and the correction increase / decrease ΔF is set to zero as much as possible during the change of the damping force.
In addition, it is good also as a fixed value, without calculating reduction part (delta). Although there is a possibility that the correction increase / decrease ΔF does not become zero during one change of the damping force, the correction increase / decrease ΔF decreases each time the damping force changes, and finally the correction increase / decrease ΔF becomes zero. Become.

(Operational action)
In the case of this embodiment, in a scene where the damping force changes, the correction is canceled by decreasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero accordingly. For this reason, the change in the damping force for canceling the correction blends into the change in the damping force due to the vehicle behavior, and the correction is canceled more smoothly.
An example of this is shown in FIGS. In this example, when the damping force is changed twice, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is decreased toward zero in accordance with the timing of the second change.

Further, in this example, a change in the damping force as the control amount is detected by detecting that the detection value changes largely by a predetermined value or more with the G sensor. Then, the increase / decrease amount is decreased toward zero in accordance with the timing when the predetermined number of times is reached.
FIG. 12 shows an example when the mode is switched from AUTO to SPORT at time T2. That is, in the case of FIG. 12, the mode is switched at time T2, and correction is performed so that the amount of change in damping force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Furthermore, since significant changes in the G sensor value are detected at time T4 and time T5, respectively, the extra is set to zero in accordance with time T5 ′, which is the end point of the second change.

Note that although the damping force slightly changes at time T3, the change in the value of the G sensor is not counted because it is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
In this case, the decrease δ of the correction increase / decrease ΔF is adjusted so that the correction increase / decrease ΔF becomes zero during the period from T5 to T5 ′.
FIG. 13 shows an example when the mode is switched from SPORT to AUTO at time T2. That is, in the case of FIG. 13, the mode is switched at time T <b> 2 and correction is performed so that the amount of change in the damping force becomes a predetermined value or more. After that, since significant changes in the G sensor value were detected at time T3 and time T4, respectively, the premium is set to zero in accordance with time T4 ′ which is the end point of the second change.
Also in this case, the decrease δ of the correction increase / decrease ΔF is adjusted so that the correction increase / decrease ΔF becomes zero during the period from T4 to T4 ′.

(Effect of 2nd Embodiment)
(1) When the damping force correcting means 7B detects that the damping force to be controlled is changed by one or more after the switching of the damping force mode, the damping increase / decrease unit 7B turns the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero. Decrease.
The change in the damping force may be an actual change in the damping force. Alternatively, the behavior that causes the change in the damping force may be detected, and the determination may be made based on the number of times.

For example, the determination is made using detection signals from an up / down G sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, a brake pressure sensor, and the like.
As a result, after the purpose of causing the driver to experience the behavior change of the vehicle due to mode switching is achieved, the additional amount of change in damping force is returned to zero. As a result, it is possible to return to the control value (normal value) of the damping force set to be optimal according to the traveling scene.
In addition, since the correction increase / decrease ΔF is decreased toward zero while the damping force is easily changed, it is difficult to understand the decrease in the correction increase / decrease ΔF.

(2) When the damping force to be controlled 7B is changed, the damping force correcting means 7B decreases the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero.
Since the correction increase / decrease ΔF is reduced toward zero in accordance with the change in the damping force due to a change in the vehicle state or the like, the correction cancellation process becomes difficult to understand.
Here, also in the process of decreasing the correction increase / decrease ΔF toward zero in the first embodiment, the correction increase / decrease ΔF is decreased toward zero in accordance with a change in the damping force due to a change in the vehicle state or the like. You may let them.

It is a figure which shows the vehicle structure which concerns on embodiment based on this invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the controller which concerns on 1st Embodiment based on this invention. It is a figure explaining the process of the controller which concerns on 1st Embodiment based on this invention. It is a figure explaining two modes. It is a figure which shows the example which does not need correction | amendment, when switching from AUTO to SPORT. It is a figure which shows the example which does not need correction | amendment, when switching from SPORT to AUTO. It is a figure which shows the example which needs correction | amendment, when switching from AUTO to SPORT. It is a figure which shows the example which needs correction | amendment when switching from SPORT to AUTO. It is a figure which shows the example when it switches from AUTO to SPORT and mode switching is performed again. It is a figure which shows the example in case correction | amendment is required at the time of mode switching again after switching from AUTO to SPORT. It is a figure explaining the process of the controller which concerns on 2nd Embodiment based on this invention. It is a figure explaining the operation example of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the operation example of 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Axle 3 Suspension link 4 Car body side member 5 Shock absorber 6 Actuator 7 Controller 7A Damping force calculating means 7B Damping force correcting means 7Ba Time correcting means 7Bb Correction releasing means 8 Vehicle state quantity detecting means 9 Mode selection device F Damping force F0 Predetermined value ΔF Correction increase / decrease δ Decrease RLS_CNT Counter RLS_FLG Correction execution flag

Claims (6)

A damping force control device that controls the damping force of the suspension device that can change the damping force to a damping force according to a damping force mode selected by the driver,
When switching to a different damping force mode by the driver's selection is detected, if the amount of change from the damping force before switching before switching to the damping force after switching in the damping force mode after switching is less than a predetermined value, A damping force correcting means for correcting the post-switching damping force;
The correction of the damping force is carried out by adding the increase / decrease to the post-switching damping force by an increase / decrease that causes the change amount to be not less than the predetermined value.
When the damping force correcting means detects the additional switching to a different damping force mode while correcting the damping force, the damping force correcting means detects the additional switching as the damping force before switching. A damping force control apparatus using the post-switching damping force before switching and using the damping force in the additional post-switching damping force mode as the post-switching damping force.   2. The damping force control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the damping force correcting means decreases the increase / decrease toward zero when a predetermined time elapses after the damping force mode is switched.   3. The damping force control according to claim 1, wherein the damping force correction means decreases the increase / decrease toward zero when the vehicle travels a predetermined distance after switching the damping force mode. apparatus.   The damping force correcting means reduces the increase / decrease toward zero when the damping force to be controlled is changed by one or two or more after the switching of the damping force mode. The damping force control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The attenuation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the damping force correcting means decreases the increase / decrease toward zero in accordance with a change in the damping force to be controlled. Force control device. When controlling the damping force of the suspension device that can change the damping force to the damping force according to the damping force mode selected by the driver,
When switching of the damping force mode is detected, the post-switching damping force is corrected so that the amount of change from the pre-switching damping force before switching to the post-switching damping force in the post-switching damping force mode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. And
If additional switching is detected while correcting the damping force,
The post-switching damping force before detecting the additional switching is used as the pre-switching damping force, and the damping force in the post-switching damping force mode is used as the post-switching damping force. A characteristic damping force control method.

Images