The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 05, 1998
Shoichi Shono, Nishikamo-gun, JP;
Atushi Sato, Susono, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
In a vehicle height adjust control apparatus and method for changing the vehicle height using actuators, the incidence of noises produced during the switching of actuators is reduced and good durability or long service life of the actuators is achieved. Based on a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor, a microcomputer calculates a forward-backward acceleration. If the forward-backward acceleration is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, a vehicle height deviating from a target vehicle height is adjusted by a normal operation. If the forward-backward acceleration is greater than the first predetermined value but not greater than a second predetermined value, the determination for starting vehicle height adjustment is prevented. If the forward-backward acceleration is greater than the second predetermined value, the vehicle height adjustment is suspended. Therefore, the apparatus allows the second predetermined value to be set to a large value so as to reduce the frequency of the suspension and restart of vehicle height adjustment while reliably preventing the start of vehicle height adjustment when necessary, thereby reducing the frequency of actuator switching operations.