Active Suspension Ride Height Control for Steep Ramp Angles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles often encounter obstacles with ramp angles greater than their approach and departure angles, leading to potential body-to-ground contact during off-road driving or navigating steep ramps.
Innovation Solution
An active suspension system controlled by a control system that adjusts the relative ride height between leading and trailing wheels to increase the vehicle's ramp angle, allowing it to overcome obstacles by dynamically modifying wheel-to-body distances at different ends of the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle uses a fixed suspension system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the vehicle cannot adapt to ramps with angles greater than its fixed approach and departure angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a fixed suspension system to an active suspension system that can dynamically adjust ride height. The control system modifies the relative ride height between leading and trailing wheels in real-time based on detected ramp conditions, enabling the vehicle to adapt its approach and departure angles to match varying ramp geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by actively modifying the ride height parameter of the suspension system. The control system changes the vertical position of the vehicle body relative to the wheels, thereby altering the approach and departure angles to accommodate different ramp angles, transforming a static parameter into a dynamically adjustable one.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the active suspension system modifies ride height to increase ramp angle, then the vehicle can overcome steeper obstacles, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback by using sensors to detect ramp conditions and feeding this information back to the control system. The control system processes the detected ramp angle and ride height information, then adjusts the suspension actators accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that continuously adapts to changing terrain conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that mediates between the detected ramp conditions and the suspension actators. This control system processes sensor data, determines the appropriate ride height adjustments, and commands the actators to execute the necessary modifications, serving as an intelligent intermediary layer.
3Reliability
If the vehicle maintains a fixed approach angle, then the suspension system is simpler, but the vehicle body contacts the ground on ramps with greater angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting the ramp condition in advance and adjusting the ride height before the vehicle body would contact the ground. The control system proactively modifies the approach angle by raising the leading ride height or lowering the trailing ride height, preventing potential ground contact before it occurs.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system (300) for controlling an active suspension system (104) of a vehicle (100), the control system comprising one or more controller (301), wherein the control system is configured to: detect (1004) a ramp (202) approached by an overhang of the vehicle; and in dependence on detecting the ramp, control (1020) the active suspension system to modify a relative ride height between a leading ride height at a set of leading wheels (FL, FR) of the vehicle and a trailing ride height at a set of trailing wheels (RL, RR) of the vehicle, to increase a ramp angle (α, β) of the vehicle relative to the ramp.