Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Hideki Sakai

Yoji Kunihiro

Etsuo Katsuyama

Takahiro Kodaira

Motoshi Oki

Kentaro Horiuchi

A driver state estimation deviceincludes a steering angle sensordetecting a steering angle of a steering, a steering torque sensordetecting steering torque applied to the steering, and an ECUhaving a steering angle estimation unitand a driver state estimation unit. The steering angle estimation unitis input with a steering angle (steering angle detected value) MA detected by the steering angle sensorand steering torque (steering torque detected value) MT detected by the steering torque sensor, determines whether the steering angle detected value MA is 0 or not, when the steering angle detected value MA is 0, calculates a steering angle estimated value MAest by multiplying the steering torque detected value MT by the gradient of the steering angle (proportionality coefficient) &#x3b1; with respect to the steering torque, and when the steering angle detected value MA is not 0, sets the steering angle detected value MA as the steering angle estimated value MAest.

Driver state estimation device

A vehicle steering control apparatus () is provided with: a steering force applying device () for applying a steering force front wheels (); and a lateral force detecting device () for detecting a lateral force of each of the front wheels and rear wheels (), the steering force applying device applying, to the front wheels, a convergent steering force which steers the front wheels in a direction in which yaw oscillation converges, if a ratio of the lateral force (Fr) of the rear wheels to the lateral force (Ff) of the front wheels becomes a ratio of possibly causing the yaw oscillation in a vehicle ().

Vehicular steering control device

A vehicle braking force control device for executing a follow-up (or servo) control of braking force for individual wheels is improved for canceling the difference of braking force between left and right wheels especially during transient condition of braking force variation due to the difference of input-output response characteristics in braking force generating apparatuses and components associated therewith in a braking system. In the inventive control device, a relation between actual values of braking force on left and right wheels, such as the difference between braking force or pressure values on the left and right wheels, is fed back to these braking force generating apparatuses through the modification of target barking force or pressure values. The modification amounts of the target values may be determined so as to keep appropriate braking force distribution among front and rear wheels.

Vehicle braking force control device with feedback communication between wheels

A dynamic behavior estimate system of an automotive vehicle includes a parameter reading unit which reads an input signal indicative of one of vehicle behavior parameters when the vehicle operates in a curved path. A discriminating unit outputs a detection signal indicative of discrimination of an instability of the vehicle when an inference value from the above one of the vehicle behavior parameters exceeds a reference value. A slip angle detecting unit detects a maximum slip angle that can hold a lateral force of front or rear wheels of the vehicle below a critical value, and sets the reference value equal to the maximum slip angle. An inference value setting unit determines an inference value from the above one of the vehicle behavior parameters, and sets the value, used by the discriminating unit, equal to the inference value, thereby allowing the discriminating unit to detect whether the inference value exceeds the reference value.

Dynamic behavior estimate system of automotive vehicle

In a suspension device for a vehicle wheel in a vehicle having a carrier for supporting the vehicle wheel, an upper arm pivotably connected with an upper portion of the carrier at an outboard end thereof and connected with a body of the vehicle at an inboard end thereof to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal and longitudinal first axis of revolution, and a lower arm pivotably connected with a lower portion of the carrier at an outboard end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at an inboard end thereof, the forward and rearward movement of the outboard end of the lower arm is restricted by a quadrilateral link mechanism formed of the lower arm, a first strut member pivotably connected with an outboard portion of the lower arm at a rear end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at a front end thereof, a second strut member pivotably connected with an outboard portion of the lower arm at a rear end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at a front end thereof, and the vehicle body, wherein a first phantom straight line which passes the rear and front pivot points of the first strut member and a second phantom straight line which passes the rear and front pivot points of the second strut member substantially traverse a third phantom straight line passing a center of the pivotable connection of the inboard end of the lower arm with the vehicle body on a front side of the lower arm, the third phantom straight line substantially traversing the first axis of revolution on a rear side of the lower arm.

Growing community of inventors

Susono, Japan

Hideki Sakai