Roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle which can suppress roll-over of the vehicle sufficiently also upon steering back turning wherein the turning direction of the vehicle changes over halfway. The roll-over suppressing control apparatus includes a roll-over suppressing control section for controlling, if a roll rate sensor detects that, upon turning of the vehicle, the vehicle is in an excessive rolling state, a braking mechanism so as to apply or increase braking force to a turning outer wheel to perform roll-over suppressing control. If a decision section decides during the roll-over suppressing control that all of the left and right wheels of the vehicle remain in contact with the road, then the roll-over suppressing control section carries out all wheel braking control of controlling the braking mechanism so as to apply the braking force to all of the left and right wheels of the vehicle.

1 . A roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: 
 a braking mechanism capable of braking left and right wheels of said vehicle separately from each other;    rolling state detection means for detecting a rolling state of said vehicle;    roll-over suppressing control means for controlling, if it is detected by said rolling state detection means that, upon turning of said vehicle, said vehicle is in an excessive rolling state, said braking mechanism so as to apply or increase braking force to a turning outer wheel to perform roll-over suppressing control; and    decision means for deciding whether or not all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with a road during the roll-over suppressing control;    said roll-over suppressing control means performing, when it is decided by said decision means that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road, all wheel braking control of controlling said braking mechanism so as to apply the braking force to all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle.    
   
   
       2 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said decision means decides, where a rolling angle of said vehicle can be estimated to be substantially zero when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       3 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said decision means estimates that, when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, if the magnitude of a roll rate of said vehicle becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value set in advance, the rolling angle of said vehicle is approximately zero and decides that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       4 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said decision means estimates that, when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, if the magnitude of a lateral acceleration of said vehicle becomes lower than a predetermined value around zero set in advance, the rolling angle of said vehicle is approximately zero and decides that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       5 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said roll-over suppressing control means ends the all wheel braking control after the roll-over suppressing control is carried out for a predetermined period of time set in advance.  
   
   
       6 . A roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: 
 a braking mechanism capable of braking left and right wheels of said vehicle separately from each other;    a rolling state sensor for detecting a rolling state of said vehicle; and    a braking controller for controlling, if it is detected by said rolling state sensor that, upon turning of said vehicle, said vehicle is in an excessive rolling state, said braking mechanism so as to apply or increase braking force to a turning outer wheel to perform roll-over suppressing control;    said braking controller deciding whether or not all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with a road during the roll-over suppressing control, said braking controller performing, when it is decided that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road during the roll-over suppressing control, all wheel braking control of controlling said braking mechanism so as to apply the braking force to all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle.    
   
   
       7 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said braking controller decides, where a rolling angle of said vehicle can be estimated to be substantially zero when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       8 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said braking controller estimates that, when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, if the magnitude of a roll rate of said vehicle becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value set in advance, the rolling angle of said vehicle is approximately zero and decides that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       9 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said braking controller estimates that, when turning of said vehicle during the roll-over suppressing control is steering back turning wherein the direction of the turning of said vehicle is changed over halfway, if the magnitude of a lateral acceleration of said vehicle becomes lower than a predetermined value around zero set in advance, the rolling angle of said vehicle is approximately zero and decides that all of said left and right wheels of said vehicle remain in contact with the road.  
   
   
       10 . The roll-over suppressing control apparatus for a vehicle as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said braking controller ends the all wheel braking control after the roll-over suppressing control is carried out for a predetermined period of time set in advance.