Hydraulic Pump Speed Control for Collision Steering Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic servo steering systems in vehicles face challenges in ensuring reliable and high-speed steering assistance, particularly in impending collision scenarios, where the actual volumetric flow-rate of hydraulic fluid may be insufficient to support rapid steering maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
The method involves checking the actual volumetric flow-rate of the hydraulic fluid and increasing the pump speed by enhancing the engine/motor speed or adjusting the pump gear ratio to ensure a minimum volumetric flow-rate is maintained, even before a steering demand is made, thereby preparing for potential evasive actions during collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the pump speed is increased to provide sufficient hydraulic fluid flow for rapid steering assistance, then the steering speed and collision response capability are improved, but the energy consumption and engine/motor load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects collision risk in advance and preemptively increases the pump speed to prepare sufficient hydraulic fluid flow for potential rapid steering maneuvers, rather than waiting for the steering demand to occur. This preliminary action ensures that when a collision avoidance maneuver is needed, the hydraulic system is already primed and can respond immediately with maximum steering speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump speed is dynamically adjusted based on real-time collision risk assessment and actual steering demands. The control system continuously monitors the situation and modulates the pump speed between low (energy-saving) and high (performance) states, optimizing the balance between energy consumption and steering performance throughout the driving process.
2Quantity of substance
If the pump speed is maintained at high levels to ensure sufficient volumetric flow-rate, then the steering assistance performance is improved, but the engine/motor speed and overall system energy usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
When collision risk is detected, the system preemptively increases the pump speed to prepare the hydraulic system for potential rapid steering maneuvers. This preliminary action ensures that sufficient hydraulic fluid is available in the system before a steering demand occurs, enabling immediate high-performance steering assistance when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump operates in periodic cycles, alternating between low-speed energy-saving mode during normal driving and high-speed performance mode when collision risk is detected or steering demands occur. This periodic operation pattern minimizes overall energy consumption while ensuring peak performance is available when required.
3Productivity
If the pump speed is increased to provide maximum steering assistance, then the steering speed is improved, but the device complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing collision warning system and steering control system are leveraged to also manage hydraulic pump speed control. By integrating the pump speed control function into the existing multi-functional control architecture, the system achieves enhanced steering performance without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors collision risk, steering demands, and actual steering performance, using this feedback to dynamically adjust pump speed. This closed-loop feedback control ensures optimal steering assistance efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through intelligent, adaptive control rather than purely mechanical solutions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach guarantees sufficient hydraulic fluid flow for rapid steering assistance during collisions, ensuring a high steering speed and minimizing accident consequences by providing a reliable steering assistance mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic pump which is connected to an arbitrary steering mechanism via a hydraulic line. The hydraulic pump in this case is powered by an engine/motor, the power of which, or the speed of which, determines an actual volumetric flow-rate of the hydraulic fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a hydraulic servo steering system in a vehicle includes reading out a collision warning signal to establish that a collision assistance case exists, and in response to determining that the collision assistance case exists, providing a hydraulic fluid by a hydraulic pump of the servo steering system. Serving for steering assistance has an actual volumetric flow-rate that is greater than or equal to a minimum volumetric flow-rate. The method additionally includes increasing a pump speed if the actual volumetric flow-rate is less than the minimum volumetric flow-rate, the pump speed being dependent on an engine/motor speed of a drive engine/motor interacting with the hydraulic pump.