238results about How to "Improve vehicle stability" patented technology

Improved methods of controlling the stability of a vehicle are provided via the cooperative operation of vehicle stability control systems such as an Active Yaw Control system, Antilock Braking System, and Traction Control System. These methods use recognition of road surface information including the road friction coefficient (mu), wheel slippage, and yaw deviations. The methods then modify the settings of the active damping system and/or the distribution of drive torque, as necessary, to increase/reduce damping in the suspension and shift torque application at the wheels, thus preventing a significant shift of load in the vehicle and/or improving vehicle drivability and comfort. The adjustments of the active damping system or torque distribution temporarily override any characteristics that were pre-selected by the driver.

An independent wheel torque control algorithm is disclosed for controlling motor torques applied to individual electric motors coupled to vehicle wheels in an electric vehicle. In a first range of vehicle states, vehicle steerability is favored so that the operator of the vehicle suffers little or no longitudinal propulsion loss while steering is enhanced. In a second range of vehicle states, vehicle stability is favored. According to embodiments of the disclosure, a desired yaw moment is computed and then may be reduced in magnitude due to system limitations, electrical or friction limits, which prevents the desired yaw moment from being fully realized.

An electronic control unit calculates a target yaw rate in accordance with a vehicle speed and a steering angle and calculates the yaw rate difference on the basis of the target yaw rate and an actual yaw rate. The electronic control unit estimates the grip factor of a front wheel to road surface and sets a distribution ratio for distribution of a vehicle-control target value among actuators of a steering system, a brake system, and a drive system in accordance with the estimated grip factor. The electronic control unit controls the actuators of the three systems in accordance with control instruction values distributed on the basis of the vehicle-control target value and the distribution ratio.

A loader type construction vehicle includes a chassis having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of wheeled ground-engaging structures pivotally coupled to the chassis, and a steering control system. Each of the plurality of ground-engaging structures includes a wheel pivotable about a steering axis and drivable about a drive axis, wherein each of the wheeled ground-engaging structures is shaped and configured so that the wheel of each of the ground-engaging structures can be pivoted from a first angular position in which the drive axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, to a second angular position that is at least 90° degrees from the first angular position. The steering control system is operatively connected to each of the ground engaging structures for pivoting the wheel of each of the ground-engaging structures about the steering axis. The steering system may be operable to selectively configure the ground engaging structures into a plurality of different steering configurations, such as crab steering and side steering. The loader vehicle may include a telescopic loader arm.

The present invention relates to a sensor module comprising a relative displacement sensor and an acceleration sensor, and a damper equipped with the same. The damper comprises a cylinder which is formed with a hollow portion therein; a piston rod which is inserted through an upper portion of the cylinder; a piston valve which is connected with an end of the piston rod so as to reciprocate in the cylinder, and which is formed with a fluid passing hole formed to be passed through the piston valve up and down; a rod guide which air-tightly closes an upper end of the cylinder and has a though-hole in which the piston rod is inserted; and a sensor module which is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration at least in a z-axial direction and a displacement sensor for detecting a displacement of the piston rod and which is coupled with the rod guide.

A suspension system for a vehicle provides a camber adjusting system that during a turn, lowers and draws inward the upper A-arm, or draws inward a strut head, which supports the outer front wheel, thereby providing more negative camber to that wheel in dynamic optimal proportion to the degree of the turn. The suspension system can be configured to remain at zero camber on the inner front wheel during the turn or can be configured to raise and move outward the upper A-arm, or move outward a strut head, which supports the inner front wheel, thereby providing more positive camber to that wheel in dynamic optimal proportion to the degree of turn.

Systems, methods, and machine-executable programming products adapted for the control of aircraft or other vehicles by receiving from at least one Inertial Reference System (IRS), including a plurality of Inertial Reference Units (IRUs), signals representing vehicle state data; receiving from at least one Augmented Direct Mode Sensor (ADMS) signals representing independently-acquired vehicle state data corresponding to at least a subset of the signals received from the IRS; performing signal selection and fault detection processes on the signals received from the at least one IRS and on the corresponding signals received from the ADMS; based at least partly on the signal and fault detection processes, determining whether at least one component of at least one of the IRS and ADMS is in a fault condition; and based on the fault condition, providing to at least one vehicle control system device one or more vehicle control command signals.

A pulse active steering control system and method for use in a motor vehicle for improving vehicle stability by reducing a likelihood for rollover and/or skidding sends pulses to the steerable wheels whenever a rollover coefficient and/or the difference between the estimated and actual yaw rate is outside a predetermined range. The pulses are asymmetrical in the form of a smooth curve with a gradually increasing rapid rising edge and a slower falling edge and provide steering input that, along with the driver steering input, returns the rollover coefficient and/or yaw rate to the predetermined range to reduce the likelihood of rollover and/or skidding.

A planetary gear train of claim of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, six control elements for selectively interconnecting rotation elements of the planetary gear sets and a transmission housing, a first connecting member directly connected to the transmission housing, a second connecting member selectively connected to the transmission housing, a third connecting member, a fourth connecting member selectively connected to the input shaft, a fifth connecting member directly connected to the input shaft, and selectively connected to the third connecting member, a sixth connecting member selectively connected to the transmission housing, a seventh connecting selectively connected the fifth connecting member, and selectively connected to the transmission housing, and an eighth connecting member directly connected to the output shaft.

A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle includes at least ten forward speeds and one reverse speed. The planetary gear train includes an input shaft, an output shaft, four planetary gear sets respectively having three rotational elements, and six control elements for selectively interconnecting the rotational elements and a transmission housing.

A steering apparatus for a vehicle is set to a steer-by-wire mode with an electromagnetic clutch being in a disconnected state. In response to steering operation applied to a steering wheel, first and second electric motors turn left and right front wheels. When a failure arises in one of first and second turning control systems including the first and second motors, the turning characteristic of the left and right front wheels is gradually changed from a turning characteristic for steer-by-wire to that for steer-by-mechanical connection. When a failure arises in the first and second turning control systems or after the turning characteristic is changed, the electromagnetic clutch is brought into a connected state, whereby the steering apparatus is switched to a steer-by-mechanical connection mode. Even when the steer-by-wire mode is switched to the steer-by-mechanical connection mode, a driver is not given an unnatural sensation, and excellent steering stability is maintained.

A method for improving the driving stability of a vehicle, including ascertaining a trajectory to be followed by the vehicle in a situation-specific manner, an active steering system and/or a braking device being set in the vehicle in such a way that at least one transverse dynamic state variable is within an associated limiting value.

Systems and techniques are provided for managing an interface between a machine or work vehicle and a surface that the machine/work vehicle travels on in order to provide an optimum work performance level that balances fuel efficiency and surface adversity. Fleet management and reporting capabilities pertaining to such interface management are also provided.