Vehicle height adjustment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046615-B2
Application number	US-201715405521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is drivable when supplied with a current and configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to perform such control that a target current set based on the relative position is supplied to the changer so as to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body of the vehicle. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a failure to make the target current flow to the changer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle height adjustment device comprising:
an actuator drivable when supplied with a current and configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle;
a vehicle height controller configured to perform such control that a target current set based on the relative position is supplied to the actuator so as to control a vehicle height which is a height of the body of the vehicle; and
a malfunction detector configured to detect a failure to make the target current flow to the actuator;
wherein the vehicle height controller comprises a current detector configured to detect a current that flows to the actuator;
wherein the malfunction detector is configured to detect the failure based on a detection value detected by the current detector and an estimation value of a current estimated from a duty ratio of a voltage applied to the actuator by the vehicle height controller; and
wherein the estimation value of the current estimated from the duty ratio is corrected based on an environment of the vehicle and a voltage of a power source.

2. The vehicle height adjustment device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the malfunction detector is configured to determine that the failure has occurred when a state in which a difference between the detection value detected by the current detector and the estimation value of the current estimated from the duty ratio exceeds a set value continues for a predetermined period of time.

3. The vehicle height adjustment device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetic actuator that is drivable when supplied with a current and is configured to change the relative position, and
wherein the vehicle height controller comprises:
an actuator driver configured to drive the electromagnetic actuator;
a relay configured to electrically connect the actuator driver with the electromagnetic actuator and electrically disconnect the actuator driver from the electromagnetic actuator; and
a relay driver configured to make the relay disconnect the electromagnetic actuator and the actuator driver from each other when the malfunction detector detects the failure.

4. The vehicle height adjustment device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetic actuator that is drivable when supplied with a current and is configured to change the relative position, and
wherein the vehicle height controller comprises:
an actuator driver configured to drive the electromagnetic actuator;
a relay configured to electrically connect the actuator driver with the electromagnetic actuator and electrically disconnect the actuator driver from the electromagnetic actuator; and
a relay driver configured to make the relay disconnect the electromagnetic actuator and the actuator driver from each other when the malfunction detector detects the failure.

Assignees

• Showa Corp

Inventors

• Ikeda Masayoshi

Classifications

• B60G2400/208

  of wheel rotation · CPC title

• B62K25/04 Primary

  for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork (for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06) · CPC title

• B60G2600/02

  Retarders, delaying means, dead zones, threshold values, cut-off frequency, timer interruption · CPC title

• B60G2600/07

  Inhibiting means · CPC title

• B60G2300/12

  Cycles; Motorcycles · CPC title