Vehicle Damper Control for Rear Wheel Path Mismatch in Turns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing damper control systems for vehicles, which rely on sensors installed only at the front, experience a decline in ride comfort when the steering angle exceeds a predetermined threshold, causing the front and rear wheels to follow different paths and resulting in inadequate damper control for the rear wheels.
Innovation Solution
A damper control apparatus that includes a road surface state detector, a vehicle turn degree detector, and a controller to adjust the damping force of both front and rear wheels based on detected road surface conditions, specifically reducing rear damper control when the steering angle exceeds a predetermined threshold to mitigate vibrations and maintain ride comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the sensor is installed only at the front of the vehicle and damper control is based on front wheel path, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ride comfort deteriorates when steering angle exceeds threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The damper control system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on steering angle threshold. When steering angle exceeds the threshold, the control system switches from active damper control to reduced control mode, making the control strategy adaptive to vehicle operating conditions. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple sensor installation while ensuring ride comfort through dynamic control adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter (damper control intensity) based on the steering angle parameter. When steering angle exceeds the predetermined threshold, the control parameter is adjusted to reduce damper control, thereby adapting the system performance to the current driving condition and preventing ride comfort deterioration.
2Device complexity
If damper control is applied based on front wheel path assumption, then the control system simplicity is maintained, but the measurement precision of rear wheel road surface state deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The steering angle threshold acts as an intermediary condition that mediates between the simple front-wheel-based control system and the need for accurate rear wheel road surface state measurement. When the threshold is exceeded, the system recognizes the limitation of the front-wheel assumption and adjusts control accordingly, maintaining system simplicity while accounting for measurement precision limitations.
3Reliability
If the controller reduces rear damper control when steering angle exceeds threshold, then the ride comfort is maintained, but the control precision for rear wheel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial control action to the rear damper when steering angle exceeds the threshold. Instead of maintaining full control precision, the system reduces control intensity to an appropriate level for the current driving condition, preventing excessive control that would not improve ride comfort during high-steering maneuvers while still providing sufficient control for stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A damper control apparatus for controlling a front damper at a front wheel and a rear damper at a rear wheel. The damper control apparatus includes: a preview sensor configured to detect a road surface state in front of a vehicle; a steering angle sensor configured to detect a steering angle of the vehicle; and a controller configured to control the front and rear dampers based on a detected value of the preview sensor. In response to the steering angle sensor detecting a steering angle that exceeds a predetermined steering angle threshold, the controller is configured to reduce control of the rear damper that is based on the detected value of the preview sensor.