JP2006130987A - Vehicular behavior control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep natural and stable continuity of vehicular behavior control by considering a driver, even if the driver turns off a VDC system. <P>SOLUTION: When a VDC switch 29 is in an OFF state (S101) and an ignition switch is in an ON state (S102), in case that non-installing of a seat belt (S103), a door opening state (S104), non-seating of a driver (S105), and non-operation of a parking brake (S106) are detected, the VDC switch 29 is switched on (S107), and an automatic brake control is turned on (S108). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle behavior control device such as a braking force control device that can be selected from operation and non-operation.

In recent years, various vehicle behavior control devices have been developed and put into practical use in vehicles. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-161197, at the time of a lane change or turning on a slippery road surface, the vehicle slip is reduced by engine control by fuel cut and throttle opening and closing and four-wheel independent brake control. A vehicle dynamics control system (VDC system) is disclosed that controls both vehicle start and turn performance and controls vehicle behavior as intended by the driver. In this VDC system, a VDC off switch is provided so that the VDC system can be inactivated (off).
JP 2004-161197 A

  By the way, in a vehicle equipped with a VDC system as described in Patent Document 1 described above, after operating the VDC off switch to turn off the VDC system, to restore the VDC system again, turn on the VDC off switch again. There are only two ways to operate or restart the engine. For this reason, if the driver turns off the VDC system and then switches to another driver while the engine is running, the VDC system remains off unless the driver restores the VDC. Therefore, when the driver operates with the assumption that the VDC system operates, the vehicle behavior control support by the VDC system cannot be obtained, and the vehicle behavior is inconsistent with the driver. is there. Also, if the driver forgets that the seat belt is removed with the engine running, or if he / she forgets that the VDC system is off when he / she starts running after getting out of the car, etc. There is a risk of unexpected vehicle behavior due to the off state.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even when the driver turns off the VDC system, the continuity of the natural and stable vehicle behavior control can be maintained in consideration of the driver state. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle behavior control device.

  The present invention includes a vehicle behavior control means for controlling the behavior of the vehicle, a selection means for selectively setting the operation and non-operation of the vehicle behavior control means, a boarding state detection means for detecting the boarding state of the driver, When it is detected that the boarding state detected by the boarding state detecting unit is a preset state when the selection unit is set to non-actuated and the ignition switch is on, And switching means for switching the setting by the selection means to operation.

  According to the vehicle behavior control apparatus of the present invention, even when the driver turns off the VDC system, it is possible to maintain continuity of natural and stable vehicle behavior control in consideration of the state of the driver. Become.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle behavior control device, and FIG. 2 is an ON / OFF determination of vehicle behavior control executed by a main control unit. It is a flowchart of a program.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle such as an automobile. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel drive vehicle, and the driving force of the engine 2 of the vehicle 1 is transmitted from the transmission output shaft 5 to the center differential device 6 via the torque converter 3 and the transmission 4. Is done.

  The driving force transmitted to the center differential device 6 is input to the rear wheel final reduction device 10 via the rear drive shaft 7, the propeller shaft 8, and the drive pinion shaft 9, while the front wheel final deceleration via the front drive shaft 11. Is transmitted to the device 12. The center differential device 6 is configured such that the distribution ratio of the driving force transmitted to the front drive shaft 11 as the drive shaft and the rear drive shaft 7 can be variably controlled, for example, between 100: 0 to 50:50. ing.

  The driving force input to the rear wheel final reduction gear 10 is transmitted to the left rear wheel 14rl through the rear wheel left axle shaft 13rl, and is transmitted to the right rear wheel 14rr through the rear wheel right axle shaft 13rr. The driving force input to the front wheel final reduction gear 12 is transmitted to the left front wheel 14fl through the front wheel left axle shaft 13fl, and is transmitted to the right front wheel 14fr through the front wheel right axle shaft 13fr.

  On the other hand, reference numeral 15 denotes a brake drive unit of the vehicle, and a master cylinder (not shown) connected to a brake pedal operated by a driver is connected to the brake drive unit 15. When the driver operates the brake pedal, the master cylinder introduces brake pressure to the wheel cylinders (not shown) of the four wheels 14fl, 14fr, 14rl, and 14rr through the brake drive unit 15, and the brake pads 16fl and 16fr. , 16rl, 16rr are actuated, whereby the four wheels 14fl, 14fr, 14rl, 14rr are braked and braked.

  The brake drive unit 15 is a hydraulic unit including a pressurizing source, a pressure reducing valve, a pressure increasing valve, and the like. In addition to the brake operation by the driver described above, each brake driving unit 15 is configured according to an input signal from the main control unit 40 described later. The wheel cylinder is configured such that the brake pressure can be introduced independently of each other, and the brake can be independently applied to each of the four wheels 14fl, 14fr, 14rl, 14rr.

  The vehicle 1 includes wheel speed sensors 21fl, 21fr, 21rl, 21rr that detect wheel speeds of the wheels 14fl, 14fr, 14rl, 14rr, a handle angle sensor 22 that detects a handle angle, and a yaw rate sensor 23 that detects a yaw rate. Sensors are provided, and signals from these sensors are input to the main control unit 40.

  Further, in the vehicle 1, as a boarding state detection means, a seat belt mounting detection switch 24 for detecting a seat belt mounting state of a driver seat, a door opening / closing detection switch 25 for detecting an opening / closing state of a vehicle door, and a seating state of the driver seat A seating detection switch 26 for detecting the parking brake and a parking brake operation detection switch 27 for detecting whether or not the parking brake is operated are provided. Signals from these switches are input to the main control unit 40.

  Further, a signal from the ignition switch 28 is input to the main control unit 40, and a VDC switch 29 is connected as a selection means that can selectively set operation and non-operation of vehicle behavior control.

  Then, the main control unit 40 determines whether or not the vehicle behavior control is ON / OFF in accordance with the below-described vehicle behavior control ON / OFF determination program based on the inputs from the switches and sensors described above (that is, the main control unit 40). Has a function as a switching means), and when it is ON, vehicle behavior control is executed.

  The vehicle behavior control executed by the main control unit 40 includes the wheel speeds from the wheel speed sensors 21fl, 21fr, 21rl, and 21rr, the handle angle from the handle angle sensor 22, the yaw rate from the yaw rate sensor 23, and the vehicle specifications. Based on this, for example, the following control (automatic brake control) is performed.

  Calculates the differential value of the target yaw rate, the differential value of the predicted yaw rate for low-μ road traveling, and the deviation of both differential values, and calculates the deviation between the actual yaw rate (actual yaw rate) and the target yaw rate, and based on these values The target braking force for correcting the understeer tendency or the oversteer tendency of the vehicle is calculated. In order to correct the understeer tendency of the vehicle, the inner rear wheel in the turning direction is selected as the braking wheel for applying the braking force, and the outer front wheel in the turning direction is selected as the braking wheel for applying the braking force. Is output and the target braking force is added to the selected wheel to control the braking force. As described above, the main control unit 40 is also configured to have a function of vehicle behavior control means as braking force control means for controlling the braking force independently of the four wheels.

Next, the vehicle behavior control ON / OFF determination program executed by the main control unit 40 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as “S”) 101, it is determined whether the VDC switch 29 is in an ON state or an OFF state. If the VDC switch 29 is in an ON state, the process jumps directly to S108 to perform automatic brake control in the main control unit 40. To exit the program.

  On the other hand, if the VDC switch 29 is in the OFF state, the process proceeds to S102 to determine whether the ignition switch is in the ON state or the OFF state. If the result of this determination is that the ignition switch is in the OFF state, the routine jumps to S107 to switch the VDC switch 29 to ON, and proceeds to S108 where the automatic brake control in the main control section 40 is turned on and the program is exited.

  If the ignition switch is in the ON state as a result of the determination in S102, the process proceeds to S103, and it is determined whether the seat belt in the driver's seat is in the mounted state with reference to the signal from the seat belt mounting detection switch 24. If it is determined that the seat belt of the driver's seat is not attached as a result of the determination, the process jumps to S107 to switch the VDC switch 29 to ON, and proceeds to S108 to perform automatic brake control in the main control unit 40. To exit the program.

  As a result of the determination in S103 described above, when it is determined that the seat belt of the driver's seat is in the mounted state, the process proceeds to S104, and it is determined whether or not the door is in the open state with reference to a signal from the door open / close detection switch 25. If it is determined as a result of this determination that the door is in an open state, the process jumps to S107 to switch the VDC switch 29 to ON, and proceeds to S108 to turn on automatic brake control in the main control unit 40 and execute the program. Exit.

  As a result of the determination in S104, if it is determined that the door is closed, the process proceeds to S105, and it is determined whether or not the driver is seated by referring to a signal from the seating detection switch 26. If it is determined that the driver is not seated as a result of this determination, the process jumps to S107 to switch the VDC switch 29 to ON, and proceeds to S108, where the automatic brake control in the main control unit 40 is turned ON and the program is executed. Exit.

  If it is determined that the driver is seated as a result of the determination in S105 described above, the process proceeds to S106, and it is determined whether or not the parking brake is operated with reference to a signal from the parking brake operation detection switch 27. If the parking brake is activated, the process proceeds to S107, the VDC switch 29 is switched ON, and the process proceeds to S108, where the automatic brake control in the main control unit 40 is turned on and the program is exited.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S106 that the parking brake is not in operation, the process proceeds to S109, the automatic brake control is inactivated (OFF), and the program is exited.

  As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, even when the non-operation of the vehicle behavior control is selected by the VDC switch 29, the driver's seat belt is not attached and the door is open without restarting the engine. When the driver is not seated and the parking brake operation is detected, the VDC switch 29 switches the vehicle behavior control to the operation, so that the continuity of the natural and stable vehicle behavior control is considered in consideration of the driver state. It becomes possible to keep. In other words, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of unexpected vehicle behavior due to the inconsistency of vehicle behavior due to the vehicle behavior control being deactivated by the driver who has been replaced, or forgetting that the driver has deactivated vehicle behavior control by himself / herself, It can be a natural and easy-to-use system.

  In this embodiment, the vehicle behavior control is described by taking the generation of the yaw moment by the automatic brake control as an example. However, the vehicle behavior control is not limited to this, for example, lane change on a slippery road surface. It may be a combination of engine control by fuel cut or throttle opening / closing, so-called ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) control, and four-wheel drive control during turning or turning.

  In the present embodiment, the vehicle behavior control ON / OFF is determined by detecting the four states of the driver's seat belt wearing state, door opening / closing state, driver sitting state, and parking brake operating state. However, any one of these, any two, or any three states may be detected and determined.

  Furthermore, the processing order of S103 to S106 in the flowchart of the vehicle behavior control ON-OFF determination program of the present embodiment may be performed in another order.

Schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle behavior control device Flowchart of vehicle behavior control ON-OFF determination program executed by main control unit

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 14fl, 14fr, 14rl, 14rr Wheel 15 Brake drive part 16fl, 16fr, 16rl, 16rr Brake pad 21fl, 21fr, 21rl, 21rr Wheel speed sensor 22 Handle angle sensor 23 Yaw rate sensor 24 Seat belt installation detection switch (boarding state detection) means)
25 Door open / close detection switch (boarding state detection means)
26 Seating detection switch (boarding state detection means)
27 Parking brake operation detection switch (boarding state detection means)
28 Ignition switch 29 VDC switch (selection means)
40 Main control unit (vehicle behavior control means, switching means)
Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Ito

Claims (6)

Vehicle behavior control means for controlling the behavior of the vehicle;
Selection means capable of selectively setting operation and non-operation of the vehicle behavior control means;
Boarding state detection means for detecting the boarding state of the driver;
When it is detected that the boarding state detected by the boarding state detecting unit is a preset state when the selection unit is set to non-actuated and the ignition switch is on, Switching means for switching the setting by the selection means to operation;
A vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:   2. The vehicle behavior control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle behavior control means is a braking force control means for controlling the braking force independently of four wheels. The boarding state detection means is a seat belt wearing detection switch of the driver's seat,
When the selection means is set to inactive and the ignition switch is on, at least if the seat belt in the driver's seat is not detected, the switching means uses the selection means. 3. The vehicle behavior control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting is switched to operation. The boarding state detection means is a door open / close detection switch,
The switching means is set by the selection means when the selection means is set to be inactive and at least when the door is opened when the ignition switch is on. The vehicle behavior control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle behavior control device is switched to operation. The boarding state detection means is a seating detection switch for a driver's seat,
The switching means activates the setting by the selection means when at least a change in the seating state is detected in a state where the selection means is set to inactive and the ignition switch is on. The vehicle behavior control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle behavior control device is switched. The boarding state detection means is a parking brake operation detection switch,
The switching means activates the setting by the selection means when the selection means is set to inactive and at least when the operation of the parking brake is detected when the ignition switch is on. The vehicle behavior control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle behavior control device is switched.

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