Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Other

John Allen Oliver

Joseph M Raad

Russell Lee Norton

Douglas Scott Rhode

Vladimir V Kokotovic

Roger W Gettel

Steven Adam Hermann

Jon Roland Watson

Michael Barry Goran

William P Gorman

Barry Howard Jacobs

Frederick Ray Dugard

Steven John Ferrari

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame. The vehicle frame includes two roof rails spaced apart and a rear header elongated along an axis transverse to the roof rails between the roof rails. The rear header includes an upper member and a lower member fixed to each other. The upper member is elongated from a first terminal edge to a second terminal edge. Each terminal edge has a wing and a cutout extending from the wing transverse to the axis.

Vehicle frame

A method of controlling a vehicle active tilt control system is provided for increasing the operating efficiency and improving operator/passenger comfort associated with the operation of a motor vehicle having an active tilt control system. The tilt control system includes a stabilizer bar adjustable by a hydraulic actuator which is movable in first and second opposing directions for adjusting vehicle body roll resistance provided by the stabilizer bar, and having a pressure control valve for controlling hydraulic pressure to the actuators. The method includes the following steps: a) obtaining a lateral acceleration magnitude signal; b) comparing the lateral acceleration magnitude signal to a first lateral acceleration threshold; c) enabling the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal exceeds the first lateral acceleration threshold; d) disabling the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal is less than the first lateral acceleration threshold; e) comparing the lateral acceleration magnitude signal to a third lateral acceleration threshold; and f) resetting the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal is less than the third lateral acceleration threshold continuously for at least a predetermined period of time.

Method of controlling a vehicle active tilt control system

A method of enhancing vehicle stability and response in a vehicle having an active roll control system with front and rear suspensions each including an anti-roll bar, and the control system including a hydraulic system for providing an anti-roll moment which acts on the vehicle by means of hydraulic cylinders connected to the anti-roll bars, includes the following steps: a) determining the vehicle speed; b) determining the steering wheel angle; c) calculating the desired vehicle yaw rate based upon the determined speed and steering wheel angle; d) sensing the actual yaw rate; e) comparing the desired yaw rate to the actual yaw rate; f) increasing the percentage of the anti-roll moment provided to the rear anti-roll bar if the actual yaw rate is less than the desired yaw rate, thereby decreasing understeer, increasing yaw rate, and enhancing vehicle response; and g) increasing the percentage of the anti-roll moment provided to the front anti-roll bar if the actual yaw rate is greater than the desired yaw rate, thereby increasing understeer, decreasing yaw rate, and enhancing vehicle stability. The anti-roll moment distribution is further adjusted for steering precision enhancement.

Method for enhancing vehicle stability

A method is provided for improving response time in a vehicle active tilt control system having front and rear stabilizer bars adjustable by front and rear hydraulic actuators which are movable in first and second opposing directions for adjusting vehicle body roll resistance provided by the stabilizer bars, and having a pressure control valve for controlling hydraulic pressure to the actuators. The method includes the following steps: a) operating only a single lateral accelerometer to determine the direction and magnitude of lateral acceleration during vehicle maneuvers; b) establishing the direction of movement of the front and rear hydraulic actuators in response to the determined direction of lateral acceleration; c) adjusting the pressure control valve in response to the determined magnitude of lateral acceleration; d) determining the rate of change of the magnitude of lateral acceleration as the magnitude of lateral acceleration decreases past a predetermined first threshold; and e) switching direction of movement of the front and rear hydraulic actuators in response to the determined rate of change of the magnitude of lateral acceleration, thereby anticipating directional changes in lateral acceleration to improve response time in adjusting vehicle body roll resistance during vehicle maneuvers.

Method of improving response time in a vehicle active tilt control system

A flow priority valve receives input fluid flow and divides the fluid flow between a primary device and a secondary device. The valve comprises a valve body have a bore formed therein, the bore having first and second ends and first and second annular channels formed in communication with the bore. The valve body further includes an input flow channel formed in communication with the bore for receiving the input fluid flow. A spool is movable within the bore and has a first land and a second land adjacent opposing ends of the spool. A spring is positioned within the bore for biasing the spool towards the first end of the bore. An electronically variable orifice (EVO) for electronically adjusting flow includes an EVO input portion in fluid communication with both the first annular channel and the first end of the bore, and an EVO output portion in fluid communication with both the second end of the bore and the primary device. The second annular channel is in fluid communication with the secondary device. The first and second lands are movable with the spool for selectively limiting flow from the bore to the first and second annular channels, respectively. The valve may be used for remote flow control, splitting between primary and secondary devices, and two such valves may be used to provide variable control to two devices.

Hydraulic flow priority valve

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Canton, MI, United States of America

John Allen Oliver