JPH06278555A - Outside detecting device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the detection of the information of the outside in the desired direction in an outside detecting device for vehicle, which detects the outside information of the vehicle in the fore and aft direction, without generating a change of the detecting direction even in the case where a vertical oscillation is generated in a vehicle CONSTITUTION:A support 12 is fitted to a car body 16 so that it can't be oscillated in the vertical direction, and an outside detecting device main body 10 is supported through the support 12 so that the direction thereof (Arrow A direction) can be oscillated in the vertical direction around of a support rod 18, and the device main body 10 is energized by an energizing means 22, which consists of a front spring 24 and a rear spring 26, to a position, in which the vertical direction of the direction of the device 10 coincides with the prescribed direction in relation to the car body 16, allowing vertical oscillation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an external environment detecting device for a vehicle which detects external information in a predetermined direction determined by the direction of the external detecting device body such as a laser transmitter / receiver attached to a vehicle body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various techniques have been provided in which a vehicle body is provided with an outside world detection device for detecting outside world information in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, for example, by a laser transmitter / receiver, and the vehicle is controlled based on the outside world information detected by the detection device. Proposed. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-71033, a laser transmitter / receiver detects information on a front obstacle, that is, a distance between a vehicle and a front obstacle and a relative speed between the two, and the risk of collision is detected based on the information. It has been proposed to judge the sex and automatically apply the braking when it judges that it is dangerous.

By the way, the laser transmitter / receiver detects the external information in the predetermined direction by transmitting the laser light in the predetermined direction and receiving the reflected light, and the laser light is changed if the orientation of the laser transmitter / receiver changes. Also changes the transmission direction (the external world information detection direction), and the external world information in the desired direction cannot be detected. Therefore, like the laser transmitter / receiver, an external environment detection device that detects external environment information in a predetermined direction determined by the direction and changes the external environment information detection direction when the direction changes is used. When mounted on the vehicle body, the vertical movement of the vehicle body during acceleration / deceleration causes the detection device to swing up and down together with the vehicle body and change its orientation. As a result, the external information detection direction of the detection device also changes vertically. There is a problem that the external world information changes in a desired direction and cannot be detected.

Such a problem is also pointed out in the above-mentioned publication, and in the publication, when the danger is judged based on the external information detected by the laser transmitter / receiver and automatic braking is performed, When the external information detection direction of the laser transceiver changes due to the vertical swing of the vehicle body and the external information of the obstacle in the desired direction cannot be detected temporarily, A technique is disclosed in which the automatic braking state is maintained until a lapse of time.

[0005]

When the external information in the desired direction cannot be temporarily detected due to the vertical shaking of the vehicle body as described in the above publication, a predetermined time elapses. Until then, the method of maintaining the automatic braking state is certainly one of the coping methods for the case where the external environment information in the desired direction cannot be temporarily detected due to the vertical swing of the vehicle body.

However, the above method is only one countermeasure, and this method may occur when the external world information in the desired direction cannot be temporarily detected due to the vertical swing of the vehicle body. Not all of the various problems can be adequately addressed.

That is, in order to sufficiently solve various problems that may occur when the external environment information in the desired direction cannot be temporarily detected due to the vertical swing of the vehicle body, It is not about how to deal with such a situation on the assumption that the external world information in the desired direction cannot be detected, but rather by taking measures against the detection device itself, even if the vehicle shakes vertically, It is desirable that the detection direction does not change and the external world information in the desired direction can always be detected.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to always detect the external world information in a desired direction without changing the detection direction due to the vertical rocking of the vehicle body. To provide an external detection device.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle external environment detecting device according to the present invention is attached to a vehicle body with its direction oriented in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and external information in a predetermined direction determined by the direction. An external environment detection device for a vehicle, comprising an external environment detection device main body for detecting an external environment detection device, wherein the external environment detection device main body is supported on a vehicle body such that its direction can swing up and down, and the device main body is urged by an urging means. It is characterized in that it is biased to a position in which the vertical direction of the direction is a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body while allowing vertical swing.

The outside world detecting device body detects outside world information in a predetermined direction determined by the direction of the device body, and if the direction of the device body changes, the outside world information detecting direction also changes accordingly. For example, a device that emits a laser beam or an ultrasonic wave in a predetermined direction to detect external information such as an obstacle in the predetermined direction, or an obstacle in the predetermined direction that is captured by a camera. Various things such as those for detecting the external information of objects can be used. ,
The orientation of the outside world information detection device body is synonymous with the outside world information detection direction of the device body.

[0011]

As described above, the vehicle external environment detecting device according to the present invention supports the external field detecting device main body on the vehicle body such that the direction thereof can be vertically swung, and the external field detecting device main body is biased by the biasing means. Thus, while allowing the vertical swing, the vertical direction of the direction is urged to a position in which the vertical direction is a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body. Due to inertia, it can swing up and down in the opposite direction to the vehicle body to maintain the original orientation (original orientation with respect to the road surface), and as a result, it is possible to avoid changes in the external information detection direction of the external environment detection device body, which is desirable. It is possible to continue to detect directional external information.

Further, in the external environment detecting device, after being swayed in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body due to the inertia as described above, the direction is promptly returned to the original predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body by the urging means. Since it is returned, even after swinging up and down with respect to the vehicle body, it is possible to quickly return to the original direction and continue to detect the external world information in the desired direction.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle equipped with an external environment detection device for a vehicle according to the present invention. The external environment detection device 2 for a vehicle according to the present embodiment is provided with a laser transceiver that detects external environment information in a predetermined direction by transmitting laser light in a predetermined direction and receiving reflected light thereof. The outside world detection device 2 has a front surface (an outside world information detection surface of the detection device 2, that is, a laser beam transmission / reception surface) 2a facing the front of the vehicle body.
The fan-shaped laser light 6 provided in the front part of the vehicle is emitted in a predetermined vertical direction in front of the vehicle body and the fan-shaped laser light 6 is scanned at a predetermined angle in the vehicle width direction to display external information. Detect.

This external environment detecting device 2 is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
3, which is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.
And a support 12 that supports 10, wherein the support 12 is
Upward and downward swinging (swinging around a vehicle width direction axis) is not possible via the motor 14, and the left and right direction around the vertical direction axis can be changed by the motor 14. Car body 16
Is attached to.

The laser transmitter / receiver 10 is supported at its upper portion so as to be vertically swingable in the direction (arrow A direction) on the support body 12. In the present embodiment, the support 12 is provided with a support rod 18 extending in the vehicle width direction, and the laser transmitter / receiver 10 has a mounting bracket 20 at an upper portion thereof so that the support rod 18 can be vertically swung. It is installed.

In addition, in the external environment detecting device 2, the laser transceiver 10 is allowed to move up and down while the vertical direction of the direction is a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body 16 (support 12). An urging means 22 for urging the device is provided. The biasing means 22 in the present embodiment is the laser transceiver 10
A front spring 24 disposed between the lower part of the front face of the laser 12 and the front wall 12a of the support 12 to urge the lower part of the laser transmitter / receiver 10 in the backward direction from the front side, and the lower part of the rear face of the laser transmitter / receiver 10. And a rear side spring 26 disposed between the rear wall 12b of the support 12 and urging the lower portion of the laser transceiver 10 from the rear side to the front side. Laser transceiver
The above-mentioned vertical swing of 10 is allowed, and the laser transmitter / receiver 10 is biased to a position in which the direction is a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body 16.

In the environment detecting device 2 constructed as described above, for example, when the vehicle 4 leans forward and leans downward during braking, the support 12 also leans downward. However, the laser transmitter / receiver 10 is pushed forward around the support rod 8 by the inertial force,
The front side spring 24 that restrains the forward movement of the laser transceiver 10 is contracted and deformed by an amount commensurate with the inertial force, whereby the laser transceiver 10 swings forward relative to the vehicle body 16. The original positional relationship with respect to the road surface, that is, the original external information detection direction (direction of arrow A) can be maintained.

Further, the vehicle body 16 quickly returns to its original posture after leaning forward during the braking, but the laser transmitter / receiver 10 is moved to the above-mentioned direction after being shaken up and down with respect to the vehicle body 16 due to the inertia as described above. Both springs 24 and 26 allow the body 16
Since the vehicle body 16 is returned to the position in the original direction with respect to, the external environment information in the desired direction can be continuously detected even when the vehicle body 16 returns to the original posture.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, nuts 28 and 30 are fixed to the front wall 12a and the rear wall 12b of the support, and bolts 32 and 34 screwed to the nuts 28 and 30 are attached to the front wall 12a and the rear of the support. Connect it to the spring seats 36 and 38 through the wall 12b and connect the nuts 32 and 34
By turning the spring seats 36, 38 to change the positions of the spring seats 36, 38, the spring force of the front side spring 24 and the rear side spring 26 can be adjusted, whereby the outside world detecting device 2 is attached to the vehicle body 16. The alignment adjustment, that is, the adjustment of the external information detection direction of the detection device 2 is enabled.

Next, an example of a vehicle control method using the external environment detection device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The control of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 detects the distance between the own vehicle and the front vehicle as a representative of the front obstacle and the relative speed of the both by the external environment detection device 2.
Based on these, an alarm is appropriately issued and automatic braking is performed.

In the illustrated control, first at S1, various signals, that is, the vehicle speed V ₀ , the road surface friction coefficient μ, and the inter-vehicle distance L ₁ between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle are read. Then, S2
At, various threshold values L ₀ , L ₂ , L ₃ and V ₁ are calculated based on the above various signals. Threshold L ₀
Is the distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, where there is a possibility of collision between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and automatic braking is started to prevent the collision. The threshold value L ₂ is the distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle in front that issues an alarm prior to the start of automatic braking. The threshold value L ₃ is the distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle at which the risk of collision disappears after the start of automatic braking and automatic braking is released. V ₁ is the relative speed of the host vehicle with respect to the vehicle ahead.

After calculating the various threshold values L ₀ , L ₂ , L ₃ and V ₁ , when it is detected in S4 to S7 that the forward vehicle is stopped on the roadside belt or the like on the turning road. Controls the rear vehicle to issue an alarm due to hazards.
That is, first in S3, it is determined whether the steering wheel steering angle Θ _H is larger than a predetermined steering angle, that is, whether the traveling path is a turning traveling path having a smaller radius than a predetermined radius, and the traveling path is less than the predetermined radius. If it is a small turning road, the procedure proceeds to S4, where it is determined whether or not the relative speed V ₁ is equal to the own vehicle speed V ₀ , that is, whether or not the front vehicle is stopped, and the front vehicle is stopped. If so, an alarm is issued to the vehicle behind in S5, and S8 is issued.
Proceed to. When it is determined in S3 and S4 that the traveling road is not a turning traveling road having a radius smaller than a predetermined radius and the front vehicle is not stopped, the process proceeds to S6 and whether or not an alarm is issued to the rear vehicle. When the alarm is not issued, the process directly proceeds to S8, and when the alarm is issued, the alarm is terminated in S7 and the process proceeds to S8.

After performing the alarm control for the rear vehicle,
In S8, it is determined whether or not the relative velocity V ₁ is zero or more, that is, whether or not the two are approaching. If the two are approaching (the relative speed is zero or more), the inter-vehicle distance L ₁ is determined in S9.
Is smaller than the threshold value L _{2 for} generating an alarm, and if it is smaller, an alarm is issued to the driver of the own vehicle in S10, and if it is not smaller, the routine proceeds to return. After the alarm is issued, it is determined in S11 whether the inter-vehicle distance L ₁ is smaller than the collision risk threshold L ₀ or not. If not, proceed to return.

When it is determined in S8 that the relative speed V ₁ is smaller than zero, that is, they are moving away from each other, in S13, it is determined whether the inter-vehicle distance L ₁ is smaller than the threshold L _{3 for} releasing the automatic braking. To judge. If it is small, the process proceeds to return with the automatic braking being activated in S14. S if not small
In step S15, it is determined whether or not the driver operates the accelerator.
Check whether the driver has operated the brakes. If neither the accelerator operation nor the brake operation is performed, the automatic braking is released in S17 and the process proceeds to the return. If there is either the accelerator operation or the brake operation, the driver is warned in S18 (from the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal). (Alarm prompting you to release) and proceed to return.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle including an embodiment of a vehicle external environment detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external world detection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, showing another embodiment of the vehicle outside environment detection device according to the present invention.

5 and 6 are flowcharts showing an example of vehicle control using an embodiment of the vehicle external environment detection device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 External detection device 10 External detection device Main body 16 Car body 22 Energizing means

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 10, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle including an embodiment of a vehicle external environment detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external world detection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, showing another embodiment of the vehicle outside environment detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of vehicle control using one embodiment of the vehicle external environment detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of vehicle control using an embodiment of the vehicle external environment detection device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 2 external world detection device 10 external world detection device body 16 vehicle body 22 biasing means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An external environment detection device for a vehicle, comprising: an external environment detection device main body, which is attached to a vehicle body with its direction oriented in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and which detects external environment information in a predetermined direction determined by the direction. The apparatus main body is supported on the vehicle body so that the orientation thereof can swing up and down, and the apparatus body is attached by a biasing means to a position where the vertical direction of the orientation is a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle body while allowing the vertical swing. An external environment detection device for a vehicle, wherein the external environment detection device is formed by energizing.