Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-05
2001-10-02
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
C280S006159, C280S791000, C280S791000, C280S777000, C073S011070, C073S118040, C188S299100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298292
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle height adjust control apparatus and method that maintains the vehicle height at a target vehicle height.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle height adjust control apparatus that adjusts the vehicle height so that the vehicle height is maintained at a target vehicle height, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. SHO 58-36712 and 58-36713, the vehicle height changing control is allowed when the vehicle acceleration in the fore-to-aft direction or a lateral direction is less than a predetermined value, and the vehicle height changing control is prevented when the vehicle acceleration becomes greater than the predetermined value.
Such an apparatus allows a certain reduction of the frequency of the performance of vehicle height adjustment in response to a temporary change in the vehicle height at various portions of the vehicle body which is caused by a change in the vehicle acceleration in the for-to-aft or lateral direction. If the predetermined value used for the determination regarding the acceleration is set to a reduced value, the frequency of the suspension and restart of vehicle height adjustment increases. Conversely, if the predetermined value is set to an increased value, the frequency of the performance of vehicle height adjustment caused by a change in the acceleration cannot be reduced. In either case, the frequency of actuator switching operations increases, so that the incidence of noises produced during the switching of actuators increases. Moreover, the durability or service life of the actuators decreases due to the frequent actuator switching operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle height adjust control apparatus and method wherein the incidence of noises produced during the switching of actuators is reduced and good durability or long service life of the actuators is achieved, by minimizing the frequency of actuator switching operations.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle height adjust control apparatus including an actuator capable of changing a height of a vehicle, a vehicle height detection device for detecting a vehicle height, and a start determining device for, if an amount of deviation of the vehicle height detected by the vehicle height detection device from a target vehicle height increases to a predetermined level, making a start determination that vehicle height adjustment is to be started. A vehicle height changing device is provided for, when the determination that vehicle height adjustment is to be started is made by the start determining device, changing the vehicle height by controlling the actuator so that the vehicle height detected by the vehicle height detection device becomes substantially equal to the target vehicle height. A physical quantity detection device is provided for detecting a physical quantity that indicates a movement of the vehicle that changes a posture of the vehicle. A start determination prevention device is provided for, if the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detection device is greater than a first predetermined value, preventing the start determination from being made by the start determining device. A suspension device is provided for, if the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detection device is greater than a second predetermined value that is greater than the first predetermined value, suspending the changing of the vehicle height by the vehicle height changing device.
The vehicle height adjust control apparatus may further have the following construction. That is, the start determining device is designed so that a value indicating the amount of deviation of the vehicle height detected by the vehicle height detection device from the target vehicle height is compared with a third predetermined value and, when the value indicating the amount of deviation becomes greater than the third predetermined value, it is determined that vehicle height adjustment is to be started. The start determination prevention device includes a comparison prevention device for, if the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detection device is greater than the first predetermined value, preventing comparison of the value indicating the amount of deviation with the third predetermined value from being performed by the start determining device.
In the vehicle height adjust control apparatus of the invention, if the detected physical quantity is greater than the first predetermined value but not greater than the second predetermined value, the start determination prevention device prevents the start determination that vehicle height adjustment is to be started from being made by the start determining device. That is, this operation does not suspend a vehicle height adjusting operation started when the physical quantity was smaller than the first predetermined value. However, if the physical quantity is greater than the first predetermined value, the start of a new vehicle height adjusting operation is prevented. If the physical quantity is greater than the second predetermined value, the vehicle height adjustment is suspended. Therefore, although the second predetermined value is set to a large value so as to reduce the frequency of the suspension and restart of vehicle height adjustment caused by the suspension device on the basis of changes in the physical quantity, the frequency of the performance of vehicle height adjustment in response to changes in the vehicle height accompanied by changes in the physical quantity can be reduced. Consequently, the invention reduces the frequency of actuator switching operations in total, and therefore reduces the incidence of noises produced during the actuator switching and achieves good durability or long service life of the actuator.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle height adjust control apparatus including an actuator capable of changing a height of a vehicle, a vehicle height detection device for detecting a vehicle height, a start determining device for comparing a value indicating an amount of deviation of the vehicle height detected by the vehicle height detection device from a target vehicle height with a third predetermined value and for, when the value indicating the amount of deviation becomes greater than the third predetermined value, making a start determination that vehicle height adjustment is to be started, a vehicle height changing device for, when the start determination that vehicle height adjustment is to be started is made by the start determining device, changing the vehicle height by controlling the actuator so that the vehicle height detected by the vehicle height detection device becomes substantially equal to the target vehicle height, a physical quantity detection device for detecting a physical quantity that indicates a movement of the vehicle that changes a posture of the vehicle, a comparison value changing device for, if the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detection device is greater than a first predetermined value, setting the third predetermined value used by the start determining device, to a value that is greater than a value that is set as the third predetermined value if the physical quantity is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, and a suspension device for, if the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detection device is greater than a second predetermined value that is greater than the first predetermined value, suspending the changing of the vehicle height by the vehicle height changing device.
In the vehicle height adjust control apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, if the detected physical quantity is greater than the first predetermined value, the comparison value changing device sets the third predetermined value used by the start determining device to a value
Sato Atushi
Shono Shoichi
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
To Tuan C
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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