VEHICLE WITH MODEL-BASED CONTROL OF AN ACTIVE AERODYNAMIC ELEMENT

• Main Authors: Morgan Chris, Holbrook James H, Gaffney, III Edmund F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.03.2017
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OFVEHICLES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A method for controlling an active aerodynamic element in a vehicle having road wheels with tires in contact with a road surface includes receiving driver input signals and vehicle kinematics data. The driver input signals correspond to a requested aerodynamic performance operating point. Tire coefficients of friction in the longitudinal and lateral directions are provided to the controller. Desired longitudinal and lateral forces acting on the tires are determined using the input signals, kinematics data, and actual force data. Additionally, a desired total aerodynamic downforce for meeting the aerodynamic performance operating point is determined as a function of the tire forces and coefficients. A position of the aerodynamic element(s) is controlled such that the total aerodynamic downforce is achieved. A system includes the aerodynamic element(s), actuator(s), and controller. A vehicle includes the body, road wheels, active aerodynamic element(s), actuator(s), and controller.