Motor vehicle movement control
As early as 1933 U. S. Pat. No. 1,919,930 (Control Mechanism for Motor Vehicles) best summarized in claim 1, discloses a single operating member for controlling the speed of the vehicle. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,051,906, 2,063,793, 2,081,254, 2,102,586, 2,135,071, and 2,325,771 of August, 1943 all pertain to apparatus with a single operating member for controlling the speed of the vehicle.
In 1952 U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,716 recognized the need to prevent skidding (Column 8, line 67) and provided a "manipulative pre-set mechanism under the control of a driver for adjusting the operation of the brakes."
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAnti-lock braking, as provided on some contemporary vehicles, makes a single operating member practical and is a fundamental part of the invention.
Further, in order to get a more uniform response from specific positions of the movement control device regardless of the degree the vehicle is loaded or whether it is going up or down hill, the invention includes, under the control of the driver, a true accelerator (controlling rate of change of speed of the vehicle).
DRAWINGSFIG. 1 shows the overall arrangement of the invention.
FIG. 2 shows the operator control element of the movement control device.
FIG. 3 shows detail of cruise control signals.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTThe preferred embodiment comprises
A movement control device 1 providing a reference signal 2 to a controller 3
An additional signal 4 to the controller, insensitive to whether the .Iadd.motor .Iaddend.vehicle .Iadd.17 .Iaddend.is moving forward or backward, corresponding to the speed of the vehicle
A throttle actuator 5
A brake actuator 6 and anti-lock braking 16
wherein controller 3 calculates the rate of change of speed of the vehicle and energizes either the throttle actuator 5 or brake actuator 6 to the extent necessary to make the calculated rate of change of speed compare as favorably as possible to the reference signal 2 provided by the movement control device.
A partial advantage can be obtained if only the brake actuator is controlled automatically and the throttle is directly under the control of the operator.
The actuators, energized preferably by an electronic controller, can utilize electrical, pneumatic, or electro-hydraulic power. The throttle actuator is preferably a rotary electric device connected to the throttle shaft and working against a light spring providing safety in case of system failure and a correct position of the throttle when starting the engine. The brake actuator preferably utilizes an electro-hydraulic system with the hydraulic power source being the motor pump assembly of the anti-lock brake system.
OPERATIONUnder normal operating conditions, particularly with electronic fuel injection, the engine will start at idle and the brakes will be fully actuated without an attention from the operator. There will be no movement when the transmission is shifted into either reverse or drive. When movement is desired the operator will move the movement control device past the zero acceleration position 7 the amount desired to achieve the given acceleration. To maintain an achieved speed the operator will return the movement control device to the zero acceleration position. In order to slow down the operator will position the device for the desired deceleration. The controller may simply deenergize the throttle actuator to the extent necessary but may find energization of the brake actuator necessary.
When there is not enough friction between the tires and the pavement the anti-lock mechanism will pulse the brakes.
Since the signal 4 corresponding to the speed of the vehicle is insensitive to whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward nothing special need be done when the vehicle is in reverse.
When in cruise control the controller will energize the actuators so that the signal 4 corresponding to the speed of the motor vehicle is used to compare to the reference signal 8 of the cruise control. Further the cruise control may call for a specific acceleration 9 in reaching the cruise speed.
Hill hold at rest will be automatic whether going up or down hill. If the operator becomes totally incapacitated and is free from the movement control device, as safe and quick a stop as possible will be achieved.
If the operator maintains a position calling for maximum acceleration 10 the throttle actuator will be fully energized and the top speed of the motor vehicle will be reached; and the calculated rate of change of speed will no longer compare favorably to the reference signal but will still compare as favorably as possible.
If maximum deceleration 11 is called for the vehicle will decelerate as rapidly as possible without locking up the wheels. On slippery surfaces the calculated rate of change of speed will not compare favorably to the reference signal but will compare as favorably as possible.
When the vehicle is at rest and any deceleration is called for the brake actuator will be fully energized.
A procedure for "getting into cruise" comprises pressing a start button 12 and holding it until the movement control device is moved to the maximum deceleration position, during which time the signal 13 calls for zero acceleration, and then releasing the start button thus "getting into cruise." This can be done when the vehicle is at rest or moving at any speed. Once at cruise speed the speed setting may be changed and the vehicle speed will follow.
"Getting out of cruise" can be achieved by moving the movement control device to preferably a position calling for relatively low deceleration or zero deceleration thus signalling controller 3 to then compare the calculated rate of change of speed to the acceleration reference signal.
Although not normally used, a regular brake pedal 14 is desireable in case there is system failure or an emergency arises while in cruise. Pressing the brake pedal will provide signal 15 getting the vehicle out of cruise as well as preventing any energization of the throttle or brake actuators until either cruise is reenergized or the movement control device is moved to at least the position calling for relatively low deceleration.
Claims
2. The movement control system of claim 1 wherein said at least one actuator is a brake actuator of a brake system of the motor vehicle wherein the controller calculates rate of change of speed of the vehicle and energizes the brake actuator to the extent necessary so that calculated rate of change of speed compares as favorably as possible to the reference signal provided by the movement control device.Iadd., and wherein said brake system of said vehicle includes an anti-lock brake system.Iaddend..
4. The movement control system of claim 1 wherein said at least one actuator is a throttle actuator and further comprising a brake actuator.Iadd.of a brake system of said motor vehicle.Iaddend.wherein the controller calculates rate of change of speed of the vehicle and energizes either the throttle actuator or the brake actuator to the extent necessary so that calculated rate of change of speed of the vehicle compares as favorably as possible to the reference signal provided by the movement control device.Iadd.and wherein said brake system of said vehicle includes an anti-lock brake system.Iaddend..
| 2200973 | May 1940 | Struck |
| 2610716 | September 1952 | Adams et al. |
| 3059416 | October 1962 | Campbell |
| 3331479 | July 1967 | Pascual |
| 4132284 | January 2, 1979 | Tomecek |
| 4408293 | October 4, 1983 | Axins |
| 4729104 | March 1, 1988 | Hara |
| 4750598 | June 14, 1988 | Danno et al. |
| 1201623 | January 1960 | FRX |
| 59-79639 | November 1985 | JPX |
Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 1, 1996
Date of Patent: Mar 2, 1999
Inventor: Ernest U. Lang (Niles, MI)
Primary Examiner: Dirk Wright
Attorney: Ernest U. Lang
Application Number: 8/731,547
International Classification: B60K 4120;
