Control system, straddle type vehicle, control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique advantageous for the vehicle body stability of a straddle type vehicle in a predetermined operating state.SOLUTION: A control system for a straddle-type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, includes: detection means that detects a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; control means that controls a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; determination means that determines an operating state of the straddle-type vehicle; transition means that, when the determination means determines that the straddle type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, changes a control mode for the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed according to a detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed. According to a type of the predetermined operating state, the transition means changes a transition time taken for the transition of the control mode from the first mode to the second mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control technology. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses that when it is determined that the vehicle is jumping, the damping force generated between the vehicle body and the wheels by the damping device is greater than when it is not determined that the vehicle is jumping. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 077761 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a saddle-ride type vehicle, for example, the stroke speed of the rear suspension mechanism is estimated based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism, and the rear suspension mechanism is controlled based on the estimation result. However, when the saddle-ride type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, such as when the rear wheel is slipping or performing a wheelie, it may be difficult to estimate the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism. Even in such a case, it is desirable to appropriately control the rear suspension mechanism so as to ensure the vehicle body stability of the saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that is advantageous in terms of the vehicle body stability of a saddle-type vehicle in a predetermined operating state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a control system as one aspect of the present invention is a control system for a saddle-riding vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, comprising: a detection means for detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a control means for controlling a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; a determination means for determining an operating state of the saddle-riding vehicle; and a transition means for, when the determination means determines that the saddle-riding vehicle is in a predetermined operating state, transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with the detection result of the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, wherein the transition means changes a transition time used for transitioning the control mode from the first mode to the second mode in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technique that is advantageous in terms of the vehicle body stability of a saddle-type vehicle in a predetermined operating state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Left side view of a saddle-type vehicle [Diagram 2] A diagram showing an example of the control system configuration [Diagram 3] Vehicle configuration model [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of vibrations occurring in a vehicle in each operating state; [Diagram 5] Flowchart showing a method for controlling a rear suspension mechanism [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the transition of the control mode in a rear wheel slip state; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a transition of a control mode in a wheelie state; [Figure 8] Flowchart showing a method for determining the start of a predetermined operating state [Figure 9]Flowchart showing a process for determining whether a rear wheel is in a slipping state [Figure 10] Flowchart showing wheelie state determination process [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining each parameter value used in calculating the wheelie axis acceleration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and includes changes and modifications of the configuration within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential to the present invention. Note that the same components are given the same reference numbers and their description will be omitted.

[0010] [Straddle-type vehicle configuration] An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a left side view showing a saddle riding vehicle 1 of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions perpendicular to each other, with the X direction indicating the front-rear direction of the saddle riding vehicle 1, the Y direction indicating the vehicle width direction (left-right direction) of the saddle riding vehicle 1, and the Z direction indicating the up-down direction of the saddle riding vehicle 1. In the following, an example in which the control system according to the present invention is applied to a motorcycle as the saddle riding vehicle 1 will be described. However, the control system according to the present invention can also be applied to other types of saddle riding vehicles such as three-wheeled vehicles, and can also be applied to electric vehicles using a motor as a drive source, in addition to vehicles using an internal combustion engine as a drive source. In the following, the saddle riding vehicle 1 may be referred to as vehicle 1.

[0011] The vehicle 1 includes front wheels FW, rear wheels RW, and a power unit 2. The power unit 2 includes an engine 21 and a transmission 22. The driving force of the transmission 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels RW via a drive shaft (not shown), causing the rear wheels RW to rotate.

[0012] The power unit 2 is supported by a body frame 3. The body frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the X direction. A fuel tank 5 and an air cleaner box (not shown) are disposed above the main frames 31. A meter unit MU that displays various information to a rider is provided in front of the fuel tank 5.

[0013] A head pipe 32 is provided at the front end of the main frame 31, which rotatably supports a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by the handlebars 8. A pair of left and right pivot plates 33 is provided at the rear end of the main frame 31. A lower end of the pivot plate 33 and a front end of the main frame 31 are connected by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown), and the power unit 2 is supported by the main frame 31 and the lower arms. In addition, a pair of left and right seat rails (not shown) extending rearward are provided at the rear end of the main frame 31, and the seat rails support a seat 4a on which a rider sits, a seat 4b on which a passenger sits, a rear trunk 7b, etc.

[0014] A front end of a rear swing arm 34 extending in the front-rear direction is rotatably attached to the pivot plate 33. A rear wheel RW is rotatably supported at the rear end of the rear swing arm 34. The rear swing arm 34 is configured to be able to swing up and down by a rear suspension mechanism 11 provided between the rear swing arm 34 and the body frame 3 (main frame 31). The rear suspension mechanism 11 can be configured as an electronically controlled suspension capable of electronically controlling damping force. In addition, an exhaust muffler 6 that silences the exhaust of the engine 21 is provided on the side of the rear wheel RW along the X direction. In addition, left and right saddlebags 7a are provided on the side of the rear wheel RW.

[0015] A front suspension mechanism 9 that supports the front wheel FW so that it can swing freely is configured at the front end of the main frame 31. The front suspension mechanism 9 can be configured as an electronically controlled suspension that can electronically control the damping force. The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper link 91, a lower link 92, a fork support 93, a vibration reduction mechanism 94 (cushion unit), and a pair of left and right front forks 95. In the front suspension mechanism 9, the upper link 91, the lower link 92, the fork support 93, and the vibration reduction mechanism 94 configure a support mechanism that supports the front forks 95 of the vehicle 1.

[0016] The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are disposed above and below the front end of the main frame 31. The rear ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to the front end of the main frame 31. The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to a fork support 93.

[0017] The fork support 93 is cylindrical and inclined backward. A steering shaft 96 is supported by the fork support 93 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The steering shaft 96 has an axle portion (not shown) through which the fork support 93 is inserted. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 96, and a pair of left and right front forks 95 are supported by this bridge. The front forks 95 rotatably support the front wheel FW and also support the front brake FB. The upper end of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by the handlebars 8. The upper part of the front wheel FW is covered by a fender 10, and this fender 10 is supported by the front forks 95.

[0018] [Control system configuration] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system 100 (control device) of this embodiment. The control system 100 is a system that controls the suspension mechanisms (front suspension mechanism 9, rear suspension mechanism 11) of the vehicle 1, and may include a sensor group 110 and a processing unit 120. Note that the control system 100 may be configured as a system that controls only the rear suspension mechanism 11, or may be configured only by the processing unit 120 without including the sensor group 110.

[0019] The sensor group 110 is provided on the vehicle 1 to detect behavior information of the vehicle 1. The behavior information of the vehicle 1 is information indicating the behavior of the vehicle 1 (position, inclination, speed, acceleration, etc.). In the case of this embodiment, the sensor group 110 may include an inertial sensor 111, a stroke sensor 112, a front wheel speed sensor 113, and a rear wheel speed sensor 114. Each sensor included in the sensor group 110 may be understood as a detection unit that detects the behavior (information) of the vehicle 1.

[0020] The inertial sensor 111 includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) capable of measuring the behavior of the vehicle 1 by detecting the acceleration and angular velocity occurring in the vehicle 1 (vehicle body). The inertial sensor 111 (inertial measurement unit) is disposed at any suitable position of the vehicle 1, for example, near the center of gravity of the vehicle 1. The inertial sensor 111 detects translational acceleration in each of the X direction (front-rear direction), the Y direction (vehicle width direction), and the Z axis direction (up-down direction), and detects angular velocity in each of the ωX direction, the ωY direction, and the ωZ direction. The ωX direction is the rotation direction (roll direction) around the X axis, the ωY direction is the rotation direction (pitch direction) around the Y axis, and the ωZ direction is the rotation direction (yaw direction) around the Z axis. In this embodiment, the inertial sensor 111 can be used to detect the acceleration in the X direction (front-rear direction) of the vehicle 1, the acceleration in the Z direction (up-down direction) of the vehicle 1, and the yaw rate (change in yaw angle) of the vehicle 1.

[0021] The stroke sensor 112 detects the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 (front wheel FW) as a state change of the front suspension mechanism 9. The stroke sensor 112 may be configured to detect a stroke displacement (stroke amount) of the front suspension mechanism 9 (front wheel FW). In the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, only the stroke sensor 112 is provided in the front suspension mechanism 9, and no stroke sensor is provided in the rear suspension mechanism 11. This makes it possible to reduce vehicle costs.

[0022] The front wheel speed sensor 113 detects the wheel speed of the front wheels FW of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the front wheel speed sensor 113 can be used to calculate the speed of the front wheels FW of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the front wheel speed). Moreover, the rear wheel speed sensor 114 detects the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the rear wheel speed sensor 114 can be used to calculate the speed of the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter, may be referred to as the rear wheel speed).

[0023] The processing unit 120 is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and may be configured by a computer including a processor represented by a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an interface with an external device, and the like. An application program (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a control program) for controlling the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 of the vehicle 1 is stored in a storage device (memory) of the processing unit 120, and the processor of the processing unit 120 may read and execute the control program stored in the storage device. The control program includes a program for controlling the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 by controlling the value of a current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11. In addition, the control program may be stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, or a memory, and installed in the processing unit 120 from the storage medium, or may be downloaded from an external server via a network and installed in the processing unit 120.

[0024] The processing unit 120 of this embodiment may include an acquisition unit 121, a determination unit 122, a transition unit 123, and a control unit 124. The acquisition unit 121, the determination unit 122, the transition unit 123, and the control unit 124 are units for executing various functions of the processing unit 120, and may be configured by one processor or may be configured by different processors.

[0025] The acquisition unit 121 acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (each of the sensors 111 to 114). The determination unit 122 determines the operation state of the vehicle 1. For example, the determination unit 122 determines whether the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operation state. In the present embodiment, the determination unit 122 determines whether a predetermined operation state has started in the vehicle 1 and / or whether a predetermined operation condition has ended in the vehicle 1. The determination by the determination unit 122 may be made based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired by the acquisition unit 121 from the sensor group 110. Here, the predetermined operation state is a state of the vehicle 1 in which it is difficult to estimate a stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. In this embodiment, a rear wheel slip state in which the rear wheels RW of the vehicle 1 slip and a wheelie state in which the vehicle 1 is performing a wheelie are exemplified as the predetermined operation state, but other states of the vehicle 1 may be included in the predetermined operation state.

[0026] The transition unit 123 changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 by the control unit 124 when the determination unit 122 determines that the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state. In this embodiment, the transition unit 123 changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 by the control unit 124 when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has started and / or when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has ended. In addition, the control unit 124 controls the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11. In this embodiment, the control unit 124 controls the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 by controlling the current values ​​supplied to the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11. Specifically, from the viewpoint of improving the steering stability and ride comfort of the vehicle 1, the control unit 124 performs so-called skyhook control, which controls (adjusts) the damping forces of the front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 using the skyhook theory, which assumes that the vehicle 1 (vehicle body, etc.) is suspended in mid-air by a virtual line.

[0027] Here, the control unit 124 of the present embodiment may include a first mode and a second mode as control modes of the rear suspension mechanism 11. The first mode is a mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed according to the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. That is, the first mode is a mode in which the current value supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed according to the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. Specifically, in the first mode, a stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 is estimated based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112, and the current value supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is controlled (changed) based on the estimation result. The control of the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode may be understood as skyhook control. On the other hand, the second mode is a mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. That is, the second mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed, in other words, a mode in which a fixed current is supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11.

[0028] In addition, in the present embodiment, the transition unit 123 transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 from the first mode to the second mode when the determination unit 122 determines that a predetermined operating state has started. In addition, the transition unit 123 transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 from the second mode to the first mode when the determination unit 122 determines that the predetermined operating state has ended. Note that, hereinafter, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 controlled by the control unit 124 may be simply referred to as the "control mode".

[0029] 3 is a modeled diagram of the configuration (front suspension mechanism 9, rear suspension mechanism 11) of the vehicle 1 in this embodiment. The front suspension mechanism 9 and the rear suspension mechanism 11 are mechanisms for reducing vibration transmitted from the road surface RS to the body BD of the vehicle 1. The front suspension mechanism 9 has an elastic member 9a and a viscous damping member 9b. Similarly, the rear suspension mechanism 11 has an elastic member 11a and a viscous damping member 11b.

[0030] The elastic members 9a, 11a are members having a spring constant. As the elastic members 9a, 11a, springs, rubber, etc., may be used, and in this embodiment, coil springs may be used. In addition, the viscous damping members 9b, 11b, although detailed illustration is omitted, are of a monotube type and may be configured using magnetorheological fluid (MRF) as hydraulic oil. A piston rod is slidably inserted in the axial direction into a cylindrical cylinder filled with MRF, and the inside of the cylinder is divided into an upper oil chamber and a lower oil chamber by a piston attached to the tip of the piston rod. When a current is supplied to a coil located inside a communication passage that communicates the upper oil chamber and the lower oil chamber, a magnetic field is applied to the MRF flowing through the communication passage, and ferromagnetic fine particles form clusters. This changes the viscosity of the MRF passing through the communication passage, and the damping force of the viscous damping members 9b, 11b can be changed. In other words, the control unit 124 can control (adjust) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 by controlling the value of the current supplied to the coils of the viscous damping members 9b, 11b to change the viscosity of the magnetic fluid inside the viscous damping members 9b, 11b.

[0031] Here, the viscous damping members 9b, 11b are not limited to a mechanism using a magnetorheological fluid (MRF), and may be a mechanism that adjusts the damping force by changing the amount of oil (hydraulic oil) passing through the orifice by varying the diameter of the orifice with an actuator such as a step motor. In this case, the control unit 124 controls the current value supplied to the actuator to change the diameter of the orifice of the viscous damping members 9b, 11b, thereby changing the amount of oil passing through the orifice, thereby controlling (adjusting) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11. In addition, the mechanism that controls (adjusts) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 may be a mechanism using a linear solenoid. In this case, the control unit 124 controls the current value supplied to the linear solenoid to control (adjust) the damping force of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11.

[0032] In the control system 100 of this embodiment, the front suspension mechanism 9 is provided with a stroke sensor 112, and the control unit 124 controls the front suspension mechanism 9 based on the detection result of the stroke sensor 112 (i.e., the stroke speed detected by the stroke sensor 112). On the other hand, providing a stroke sensor for the rear suspension mechanism 11 may be disadvantageous in terms of vehicle costs. Therefore, the control unit 124 estimates the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112 and the sprung motion detected by the inertial sensor (IMU), and controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the estimation result.

[0033] However, in the saddle riding type vehicle 1, when the vehicle is in a predetermined operating state such as a rear wheel slip state or a wheelie state, it may be difficult to estimate the stroke speed that may occur in the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9. In such a case, if the rear suspension mechanism 11 is controlled based on the detection result of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9, the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1 may be deteriorated. Therefore, when the control system 100 of the present embodiment determines that the vehicle 1 has started in a predetermined operating state, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed from the first mode to the second mode, and the current value supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed. Also, even if the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed from the first mode to the second mode abruptly, the current value supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 may be abruptly increased or decreased, causing an impact on the vehicle 1, and the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1 may be deteriorated. Therefore, in the control system 100 of the present embodiment, a transition time is provided for the transition of the control mode from the first mode to the second mode, and the control mode is gradually transitioned from the first mode to the second mode over this transition time.

[0034] Here, it is preferable that the transition time is determined in accordance with the vibration period of the vehicle 1. If the transition time includes too many vibration periods, the control of the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode will be performed for an unnecessarily long period of time, even though it is difficult to estimate the stroke speed of the rear suspension mechanism 11 based on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9. On the other hand, if the transition time includes too few vibration periods, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 will transition abruptly from the first mode to the second mode, causing an impact on the vehicle 1.

[0035] However, depending on the type of the predetermined operating state, the vibration period (vibration frequency) of the vehicle 1 may be different. For example, the lower side of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 of the vehicle 1 is the unsprung portion, and the upper side of the suspension mechanisms 9, 11 is the sprung portion. In this case, the type of the predetermined operating state may include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion. The first operating state may be understood as a state in which the vibration of the unsprung portion is the main one, for example, a rear wheel slip state. In the first operating state, as shown in FIG. 4, the vibration period of the vehicle 1 is relatively short. On the other hand, the second operating state may be understood as a state in which the vibration of the sprung portion is the main one, for example, a wheelie state. In the second operating state, as shown in FIG. 4, the vibration period of the vehicle 1 is relatively long. FIG. 4 shows an example of vibration occurring in the vehicle 1 in each of the first operating state (rear wheel slip state) and the second operating state (wheelie state).

[0036] Therefore, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the transition time taken to change the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 according to the type of a predetermined operating state. Specifically, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the transition time between the first operating state and the second operating state. Below, the control method for the rear suspension mechanism 11 of this embodiment will be described by taking the rear wheel slip state as an example of the first operating state and the wheelie state as an example of the second operating state.

[0037] [Rear suspension mechanism control method] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the rear suspension mechanism 11 in this embodiment. The flowchart in Fig. 5 can be executed by the processing unit 120. The flowchart in Fig. 5 can be started, for example, when the ignition of the vehicle 1 is turned on, and can be repeatedly executed until the ignition of the vehicle 1 is turned off. That is, when step S110 is completed, the process is started again from step S101.

[0038] In step S101, the processing unit 120 (control unit 124) controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the first mode. That is, the processing unit 120 changes the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 in accordance with the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112.

[0039] In step S102, the processing unit 120 (acquisition unit 121) acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (sensors 111 to 114). In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 may acquire, as the behavior information of the vehicle 1, the velocity and angular velocity (yaw rate) occurring in the vehicle 1 from the inertial sensor 111, the wheel speed of the front wheels FW from the front wheel speed sensor 113, and the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW from the rear wheel speed sensor 114.

[0040] In step S103, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) determines whether or not a predetermined operation state has started in the vehicle 1 based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S102. In this embodiment, the types of the predetermined operation state of the vehicle 1 include a rear wheel slip state and a wheelie state. If it is determined that the predetermined operation state has not started in the vehicle 1, the process returns to step S101, and if it is determined that the predetermined operation state has started, the process proceeds to step S104. A specific method for determining whether or not the predetermined operation state has started in step S103 will be described later.

[0041] In step S104, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) determines a transition time (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a first transition time) to be spent for transitioning the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode. In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 changes the first transition time according to the type of a predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state). The processing unit 120 may change the first transition time according to the type of the predetermined operating state so that the first transition time is shorter in the rear wheel slip state (first operating state) than in the wheelie state (second operating state). In addition, when determining the first transition time, the processing unit 120 changes an index value used to change the first transition time, among the multiple types of index values ​​included in the behavior information acquired in step S102, according to the type of the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1. Examples of the multiple types of index values ​​include an angular velocity, an angular velocity (yaw rate), a front wheel speed, and a rear wheel speed acquired as the behavior information of the vehicle 1.

[0042] First, an example in which the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear-wheel slip state will be described. In the rear-wheel slip state, the processing unit 120 determines the first transition time by using the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 as an index value. Specifically, the processing unit 120 determines the slip coefficient from the yaw rate acquired in step S102 based on information showing the relationship between the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 and the slip coefficient shown in FIG. 6(a). This allows the processing unit 120 to determine the first transition time by the following formula (1). FIG. 6(b) shows an example of a transition between the first mode and the second mode in the rear-wheel slip state. First transition time = slip coefficient × 10 [msec] …(1)

[0043] Here, the slip coefficient is a coefficient used to determine the first transition time in the rear wheel slip state, and is set to be smaller as the yaw rate increases. In other words, the processing unit 120 can determine the first transition time so that the first transition time becomes shorter as the yaw rate increases. This is because, in the rear wheel slip state, the larger the yaw rate, the lower the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1 becomes, so it is preferable to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode more quickly as the yaw rate increases. The relationship between the yaw rate of the vehicle 1 and the slip coefficient can be set in advance by simulation, experiment, or the like.

[0044] Next, an example will be described in which the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 is a wheelie state. In the wheelie state, the processing unit 120 determines the first transition time by using the rear wheel speed as an index value. The rear wheel speed is the speed of the rear wheels RW as described above, and can be calculated from the detection result of the rear wheel speed sensor 114. Specifically, the processing unit 120 determines the wheelie coefficient from the rear wheel speed based on information showing the relationship between the rear wheel speed and the wheelie coefficient shown in FIG. 7(a). This allows the processing unit 120 to determine the first transition time by the following formula (2). FIG. 7(b) shows an example of a transition between the first mode and the second mode in the wheelie state. First transition time = Willie coefficient × 50 [msec] … (2)

[0045] Here, the wheelie coefficient is a coefficient used to determine the first transition time in a wheelie state, and is set to be smaller as the rear wheel speed is smaller. In other words, the processing unit 120 can determine the first transition time so that the lower the rear wheel speed (wheel speed of the rear wheels RW) is, the shorter the first transition time is. This is because, in a wheelie state, the lower the rear wheel speed (i.e., vehicle speed), the more likely the vehicle 1 is to perform a wheelie, so it is preferable to transition the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode as the rear wheel speed is lower. Note that the relationship between the rear wheel speed and the wheelie coefficient can be set in advance by simulation, experiment, or the like.

[0046] Returning to Fig. 5, in step S105, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) gradually transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the first mode to the second mode in the first transition time determined in step S104. As described above, the first transition time is determined in a different manner depending on the type of the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state). Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6(b) and Fig. 7(b), the first transition time can be changed between the rear wheel slip state and the wheelie state.

[0047] In step S106, the processing unit 120 (control unit 124) controls the rear suspension mechanism 11 in the second mode. That is, the processing unit 120 fixes the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11, regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112.

[0048] In step S107, the processing unit 120 (acquisition unit 121) acquires behavior information of the vehicle 1 from the sensor group 110 (each of the sensors 111 to 114). Next, in step S108, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) determines whether or not a predetermined operating state has ended in the vehicle 1 based on the behavior information of the vehicle 1 acquired in step S107. If it is determined that the predetermined operating state has not ended in the vehicle 1, the process returns to step S107, and if it is determined that the predetermined operating state has ended, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0049] In step S109, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) determines a transition time (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a second transition time) to be spent for transitioning the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the second mode to the first mode. In this embodiment, the processing unit 120 changes the second transition time according to the type of the predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state). Specifically, when the predetermined operating state is the rear wheel slip state, the processing unit 120 determines the second transition time to be a first value (e.g., 100 [msec]). On the other hand, when the predetermined operating state is the wheelie state, the processing unit 120 determines the second transition time to be a second value (e.g., 200 [msec]) different from the first value. In other words, the processing unit 120 can change the second transition time according to the type of the predetermined operating state so that the second transition time is shorter in the rear wheel slip state (first operating state) than in the wheelie state (second operating state).

[0050] Here, the reason for changing the second transition time depending on the type of the predetermined operating state is the same as the above-mentioned reason for changing the first transition time depending on the type of the predetermined operating state. That is, like the first transition time, it is preferable that the second transition time is also determined depending on the vibration period of the vehicle 1. This can improve the vehicle body stability of the vehicle 1 when returning from the predetermined operating state to the normal state. In addition, in this embodiment, the second transition time is set to a fixed value for each predetermined operating state, but like the first transition time, the second transition time may be determined so that the second transition time changes depending on an index value such as a yaw rate or a rear wheel speed.

[0051] In step S110, the processing unit 120 (transition unit 123) gradually transitions the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 from the second mode to the first mode in the second transition time determined in step S109. The second transition time can be changed depending on the type of a predetermined operating state of the vehicle 1 (rear wheel slip state, wheelie state), as shown in Fig. 6(b) and Fig. 7(b).

[0052] [Determining when a specific operating state begins] Next, a method for determining whether or not a predetermined motion state has started in step S103 will be described. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing a method for determining the start of a predetermined motion state. Here, an example will be described in which only a rear wheel slip state and a wheelie state are determined as the predetermined motion state.

[0053] In step S201, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) performs a process of determining whether a rear wheel is slipping. In addition, in step S202, the processing unit 120 (determination unit 122) performs a process of determining whether a wheelie is occurring. Note that the order of steps S201 to S202 is not limited to the example in FIG. 8, and the process of determining whether a wheelie is occurring may be performed before the process of determining whether a rear wheel is slipping.

[0054] The process of determining whether the rear wheel is in a slip state in step S201 of Fig. 8 may be performed according to the flowchart of Fig. 9. In the process of determining whether the rear wheel is in a slip state, the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW acquired as the behavior information of the vehicle 1 in step S102 of Fig. 5 may be used.

[0055] In step S301, the processing unit 120 calculates a rear wheel slip ratio based on the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. The rear wheel slip ratio is an index indicating how much the rear wheels RW are spinning, and can be calculated by the following formula (3). Rear wheel slip rate = (front and rear wheel speed difference / rear wheel speed) * 100 … (3)

[0056] In step S302, the processing unit 120 judges whether the rear wheel slip rate is greater than a threshold value. The threshold value is set so as to be able to judge that the rear wheels RW to which the power from the power unit 2 is transmitted are spinning, and the processing unit 120 can judge that the rear wheels RW are spinning when the rear wheel slip rate is greater than the threshold value. When the rear wheel slip rate is greater than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, when the rear wheel slip rate is equal to or less than the threshold value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S309, where the processing unit 120 judges that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not in a rear wheel slip state.

[0057] In step S303, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the front wheels FW based on the wheel speed of the front wheels FW. Next, in step S304, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value for the rear wheels RW based on the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW. The wheel speed buffering value is a differential value for a data group of the wheel speeds of the wheels (front wheels FW, rear wheels RW) obtained in a certain period of time (e.g., one second), and can be used to check whether the rotation of the wheel is accelerating or decelerating.

[0058] In step S305, the processing unit 120 determines whether or not rear wheel lock has occurred based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Rear wheel lock refers to a state in which the rear wheels RW are locked and not rotating. If it is determined that rear wheel lock has occurred, the process proceeds to step S308, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that rear wheel lock has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S306.

[0059] In step S306, the processing unit 120 determines whether or not rear wheel acceleration slip is occurring based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Rear wheel acceleration slip is a state in which the rear wheels RW are accelerating relative to the front wheels FW. If it is determined that rear wheel acceleration slip is occurring, the process proceeds to step S308, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that rear wheel acceleration slip is not occurring, the process proceeds to step S307.

[0060] In step S307, the processing unit 120 determines whether the front wheels FW are not slipping based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. Specifically, if the front wheels FW are not accelerating relative to the rear wheels RW, it can be determined that the front wheels FW are not slipping. If it is determined that the front wheels FW are not slipping, the process proceeds to step S308, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is in a rear wheel slip state. On the other hand, if it is determined that the front wheels FW are slipping, the process proceeds to step S309, where the processing unit 120 determines that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not in a rear wheel slip state.

[0061] The process of determining whether the rear wheel is in a slip state in step S202 of Fig. 8 may be performed according to the flowchart of Fig. 10. In the process of determining whether the rear wheel is in a slip state, the longitudinal acceleration, vertical acceleration, wheel speed of the front wheels FW, and wheel speed of the rear wheels RW acquired as behavior information of the vehicle 1 in step S102 of Fig. 5 may be used. Here, the longitudinal acceleration refers to the acceleration occurring in the vehicle 1 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (body axis) of the vehicle 1, and may be obtained from the detection result of the inertial sensor 111. Moreover, the vertical acceleration refers to the acceleration occurring in the vehicle 1 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (body axis) of the vehicle 1 (up-down direction), and may be obtained from the detection result of the inertial sensor 111.

[0062] In step S401, the processing unit 120 calculates a front wheel slip ratio based on the wheel speeds of the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. The front wheel slip ratio is an index indicating how much the front wheels FW are spinning, and can be calculated by the following formula (4). Front wheel slip rate = (front and rear wheel speed difference / front wheel FW wheel speed) * 100 ... (4)

[0063] In step S402, the processing unit 120 judges whether the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than a threshold value. The threshold value is set so as to be able to determine that the front wheels FW to which power is not transmitted from the power unit 2 are spinning, and the processing unit 120 can determine that the front wheels FW are spinning when the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than the threshold value. When the front wheel slip ratio is smaller than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S403. On the other hand, when the front wheel slip ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S411, where the processing unit 120 judges that the operating state of the vehicle 1 is not a wheelie state.

[0064] In step S403, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW based on the wheel speed of the front wheels FW. Next, in step S404, the processing unit 120 calculates a wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW based on the wheel speed of the rear wheels RW. Steps S403 to S404 are similar to steps S303 to S304 in Fig. 9 described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0065] In step S405, the processing unit 120 judges whether the rotation of the front wheels FW is decelerating and the rotation of the rear wheels RW is accelerating based on the wheel speed buffering value of the front wheels FW and the wheel speed buffering value of the rear wheels RW. In a wheelie state, the rotation of the front wheels FW to which power is not transmitted from the power unit 2 usually tends to decelerate because they are not in contact with the ground, and the rotation of the rear wheels RW to which power is transmitted from the power unit 2 tends to accelerate because they lift the front part of the vehicle 1. If it is judged that the rotation of the front wheels FW is decelerating and the rotation of the rear wheels RW is accelerating, the process proceeds to step S406, and otherwise proceeds to step S411.

[0066] In step S406, the processing unit 120 calculates the acceleration of the vehicle 1 in the longitudinal direction (the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) based on the longitudinal acceleration. Next, in step S407, the processing unit 120 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 is accelerating based on the acceleration of the vehicle 1 calculated in step S406. In order to lift the front of the vehicle 1 and make the vehicle 1 perform a wheelie, it is necessary to accelerate the vehicle 1. If it is determined that the vehicle 1 is accelerating, the process proceeds to step S408, and otherwise the process proceeds to step S411.

[0067] In step S408, the processing unit 120 calculates the wheelie axis acceleration. Next, in step S409, the processing unit 120 determines whether the wheelie axis acceleration calculated in step S408 is smaller than a specified value. The wheelie axis acceleration is an index for determining whether the vehicle 1 is doing a wheelie based on the force (acceleration) acting on the vehicle 1. For example, the processing unit 120 can calculate the wheelie axis acceleration Aw by the following equation (5). Aw= Az cosθ + Ax sin(-θ) …(5)

[0068] The parameter values ​​used in formula (5) will be explained with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11(a) shows the state before a wheelie, and FIG. 11(b) shows the state during a wheelie. In formula (5), "AW" is the wheelie axis acceleration, and indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of the vehicle 1 in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the rotation axis of the rear wheel RW and the center of gravity of the vehicle 1. "θ" indicates the angle between the line connecting the rotation axis of the rear wheel RW and the center of gravity of the vehicle 1 and the line connecting the rotation axis of the rear wheel RW and the rotation axis of the front wheel FW. "Ax" indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of the vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 (longitudinal acceleration). "Az" indicates the acceleration occurring at the center of gravity of the vehicle 1 in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1 (vertical acceleration).

[0069] When the vehicle 1 performs a wheelie, the vehicle 1 rapidly accelerates, increasing the longitudinal acceleration Ax, and the vehicle 1 changes its attitude, decreasing the vertical acceleration Az. As a result, the wheelie axis acceleration Aw decreases. Therefore, if the wheelie acceleration Aw is smaller than the specified value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S410 and can determine that the motion state of the vehicle 1 is in a wheelie state. On the other hand, if the wheelie acceleration Aw is equal to or greater than the specified value, the processing unit 120 proceeds to step S411 and determines that the motion state of the vehicle 1 is not in a wheelie state.

[0070] As described above, the control system 100 of this embodiment changes the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 between the first mode and the second mode depending on whether the vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state (for example, a rear wheel slip state, a wheelie state). The first mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is changed depending on the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. The second mode is a mode in which the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism 11 is fixed regardless of the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism 9 detected by the stroke sensor 112. The control system 100 changes the transition time (first transition time, second transition time) spent for changing the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism 11 depending on the type of the predetermined operating state. According to the control system 100 of this embodiment, the vehicle body stability can be improved even when the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is in a predetermined operating state.

[0071] <Summary of the embodiment> 1. The control system of the above embodiment is A control system (e.g., 100) for a saddle-type vehicle (e.g., 1) having a front suspension mechanism (e.g., 9) and a rear suspension mechanism (e.g., 11), A detection means (e.g., 112) for detecting the stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; A control means (e.g., 124) for controlling the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; A determination means (e.g., 122) for determining the operating state of the saddle riding type vehicle; a transition means (e.g., 123) for transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with a detection result by the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed when the determination means determines that the saddle riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state; Equipped with The transition means changes a transition time taken for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state. According to this embodiment, when the saddle riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state such as a rear wheel slip or a wheelie, the value of the current supplied to the rear suspension mechanism is fixed and the transition time is appropriately changed for each type of predetermined operating state having different vibration frequencies, thereby improving the vehicle body stability of the saddle riding type vehicle in the predetermined operating state.

[0072] 2. In the above embodiment, When the lower side of the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism of the saddle riding type vehicle is defined as an unsprung portion and the upper side is defined as a sprung portion, the types of the predetermined operating state include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion, The transition means changes the transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state such that the transition time in the first operating state is shorter than that in the second operating state. According to this embodiment, in the first operating state in which the vibration of the relatively light unsprung portion is the main component, the vehicle body state changes faster (i.e., the vibration frequency is high) than in the second operating state, and the number of times attenuation occurs is increased, so that the transition time can be shortened to suppress the vehicle body vibration more quickly. On the other hand, in the second operating state in which the vibration of the relatively heavy sprung portion is the main component, the vehicle body state changes slower (i.e., the vibration frequency is low) than in the first operating state, and even if the vehicle body state changes temporarily, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed, so the transition time is made as long as possible to more appropriately determine whether or not to transition to the second mode. In other words, the transition time is appropriately changed according to the type of the predetermined operating state classified by the vibration relationship between the unsprung portion and the sprung portion, so that the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle in the predetermined operating state can be improved.

[0073] 3. In the above embodiment, the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, The second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie. According to this embodiment, in the rear wheel slip state where the vibration of the relatively light unsprung part is the main component, the vehicle body state changes faster (i.e., the vibration frequency is high) than in the wheelie state, and the number of times damping occurs is increased, so that the transition time can be shortened to suppress the vehicle body vibration more quickly. On the other hand, in the wheelie state where the vibration of the relatively heavy upper sprung part is the main component, the vehicle body state changes slower (i.e., the vibration frequency is low) than in the rear wheel slip state, and even if the vehicle body state changes temporarily, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed, so by making the transition time as long as possible, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether or not to transition to the second mode. In other words, since the transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of the predetermined operating state, such as the rear wheel slip state or the wheelie state, the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle in the predetermined operating state can be improved.

[0074] 4. In the above embodiment, The vehicle further includes an acquisition unit (e.g., 121) that acquires information from a sensor group (e.g., 110) provided in the saddle-ride type vehicle, The transition means changes the transition time for each type of the predetermined operating state based on the information acquired by the acquisition means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed (determined) for each type of predetermined operating state.

[0075] 5. In the above embodiment, The transition means changes an index value used to change the transition time, among a plurality of types of index values ​​included in the information acquired by the acquisition means, in accordance with the type of the specified operating state. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed by using an index value according to the type of a predetermined operating state.

[0076] 6. In the above embodiment, the type of the predetermined operating state includes a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, The sensor group includes a first sensor (e.g., 111) that detects a yaw rate of the saddle riding type vehicle, When the determining means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquiring means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed by using the index value (yaw rate of the saddle riding type vehicle) according to the type of the predetermined operating state (rear wheel slip state).

[0077] 7. In the above embodiment, When the determination means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started, the transition means determines the transition time such that the transition time becomes shorter as the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means becomes larger. According to this embodiment, in a rear wheel slip state in which the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle decreases as the yaw rate increases, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism can be transitioned from the first mode to the second mode more quickly when the yaw rate is large compared to when the yaw rate is small.

[0078] 8. In the above embodiment, the type of the predetermined operating state includes a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie, the sensor group includes a second sensor (e.g., 114) that detects a wheel speed of a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle; When the determining means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquiring means. According to this embodiment, the transition time can be appropriately changed by using the index value (the rear wheel speed of the saddle riding type vehicle) according to the type of the predetermined motion state (wheelie state).

[0079] 9. In the above embodiment, When the determination means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquisition means is smaller. According to this embodiment, in a wheelie state in which the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle decreases as the rear wheel speed decreases, the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism can be transitioned from the first mode to the second mode more quickly when the rear wheel speed is low compared to when the rear wheel speed is high.

[0080] 10. In the above embodiment, The determination means further determines whether or not the predetermined operating state has ended in the saddle riding type vehicle, When the determination means determines that the specified operating state has ended, the transition means transitions the control mode from the second mode to the first mode, and changes a second transition time taken for the transition of the control mode from the second mode to the first mode depending on the type of the specified operating state. According to this embodiment, the second transition time required to return the control mode of the rear suspension mechanism from the second mode to the first mode is appropriately changed for each type of predetermined operating state, thereby improving the vehicle body stability of the saddle riding type vehicle when returning from a predetermined operating state to the normal state.

[0081] 11. In the above embodiment, When the lower side of the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism of the saddle riding type vehicle is defined as an unsprung portion and the upper side is defined as a sprung portion, the types of the predetermined operating state include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion, The transition means changes the second transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state such that the second transition time is shorter in the first operating state than in the second operating state. According to this embodiment, in the first operating state in which the vibration of the relatively light unsprung portion is the main component, the vehicle body state changes faster (i.e., the vibration frequency is high) than in the second operating state, and the number of times attenuation occurs is increased, so that the transition time can be shortened to suppress the vehicle body vibration more quickly. On the other hand, in the second operating state in which the vibration of the relatively heavy sprung portion is the main component, the vehicle body state changes slower (i.e., the vibration frequency is low) than in the first operating state, and even if the vehicle body state changes temporarily, it is unclear whether the vehicle body state has actually changed, so that the transition time can be lengthened as much as possible to more appropriately determine whether or not to transition to the second mode. In other words, the second transition time is appropriately changed according to the type of the predetermined operating state classified by the vibration relationship between the unsprung portion and the sprung portion, so that the vehicle body stability of the saddle-type vehicle can be improved when returning from the predetermined operating state to the normal state.

[0082] 12. In the above embodiment, the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, The second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie. According to this embodiment, the second transition time is appropriately changed depending on the type of specified operating state, such as a rear wheel slip state or a wheelie state, thereby improving the body stability of the saddle-type vehicle when returning from the specified operating state to the normal state.

[0083] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1: saddle-type vehicle, 9: front suspension mechanism, 11: rear suspension mechanism, FW: front wheel, RW: rear wheel, 110: sensor group, 111: inertia sensor, 112: stroke sensor, 113: front wheel speed sensor, 114: rear wheel speed sensor, 120: processing unit, 121: acquisition unit, 122: determination unit, 123: transition unit, 124: control unit

Claims

1. A control system for a saddle-type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, a detection means for detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a control means for controlling a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism; a determination means for determining a motion state of the saddle riding type vehicle; a transition means for transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism by the control means from a first mode in which a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with a detection result by the detection means to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, when the determination means determines that the saddle riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state; Equipped with The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means changes a transition time taken for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode in accordance with a type of the predetermined operating state.

2. When the portion of the saddle riding type vehicle below the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism is defined as an unsprung portion and the portion above the front suspension mechanism is defined as a sprung portion, the types of the predetermined operating state include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion, 2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means changes the transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state so that the transition time in the first operating state is shorter than that in the second operating state.

3. the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, 3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle-type vehicle is performing a wheelie.

4. The vehicle further includes an acquisition unit that acquires information from a group of sensors provided in the saddle riding type vehicle.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means changes the transition time for each type of the predetermined operating state based on the information acquired by the acquisition means.

5. The control system according to claim 4, characterized in that the transition means changes an index value used to change the transition time, among multiple types of index values ​​contained in the information acquired by the acquisition means, in accordance with the type of the specified operating state.

6. the type of the predetermined operating state includes a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, the sensor group includes a first sensor that detects a yaw rate of the saddle riding type vehicle, the transition means determines the transition time based on the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means when the determination means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started.

5. The control system of claim 4.

7. 7. The control system according to claim 6, wherein when the determination means determines that the rear wheel slip state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the yaw rate acquired from the first sensor by the acquisition means becomes larger.

8. the type of the predetermined operating state includes a wheelie state in which the saddle riding type vehicle is performing a wheelie, the sensor group includes a second sensor that detects a wheel speed of a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle, The control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, when the determination means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time based on the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquisition means.

9. The control system according to claim 8, characterized in that, when the determination means determines that the wheelie state has started, the transition means determines the transition time so that the transition time becomes shorter as the wheel speed acquired from the second sensor by the acquisition means becomes smaller.

10. The determination means further determines whether or not the predetermined operating state has ended in the saddle riding type vehicle, 2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the transition means transitions the control mode from the second mode to the first mode when the determination means determines that the specified operating state has ended, and changes a second transition time required for the transition of the control mode from the second mode to the first mode depending on the type of the specified operating state.

11. When the portion of the saddle riding type vehicle below the front suspension mechanism and the rear suspension mechanism is defined as an unsprung portion and the portion above the front suspension mechanism is defined as a sprung portion, the types of the predetermined operating state include a first operating state in which the unsprung portion vibrates more than the sprung portion, and a second operating state in which the sprung portion vibrates more than the unsprung portion, The control system according to claim 10, characterized in that the transition means changes the second transition time in accordance with the type of the predetermined operating state so that the second transition time is shorter in the first operating state than in the second operating state.

12. the first operating state is a rear wheel slip state in which a rear wheel of the saddle riding type vehicle is slipping, 12. The control system according to claim 11, wherein the second operating state is a wheelie state in which the saddle-type vehicle is performing a wheelie.

13. A saddle-type vehicle comprising the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. 1. A method for controlling a damping force of a rear suspension mechanism in a saddle-ride type vehicle having a front suspension mechanism and a rear suspension mechanism, comprising: a detection step of detecting a stroke speed of the front suspension mechanism; a determination step of determining a motion state of the saddle riding type vehicle; a transition step of transitioning a control mode of the rear suspension mechanism from a first mode in which a damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is changed in accordance with a result of the detection step to a second mode in which the damping force of the rear suspension mechanism is fixed, when the determination step determines that the saddle riding type vehicle is in a predetermined operating state; Including, The control method according to claim 1, wherein the transition step changes a transition time required for the control mode to transition from the first mode to the second mode depending on a type of the predetermined operating state.

15. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 14.

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