GYROSCOPE-BASED ROTATION DAMPER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A gyroscope-based rotation damper for a motor vehicle, includes a flywheel that is driven via a drive, rotates around an axis of rotation at an angular velocity (ω.sub.φ), the flywheel being mounted in a gimbal on the motor vehicle structure by way of a first bearing element and a second bearing element. The flywheel is mounted rotatably around the angle of rotation (φ) at the first bearing element, and the first bearing element is rotatably mounted at the second bearing element around a first angle of rotation (θ) around a first axis aligned orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the flywheel, and the second bearing element is mounted rotatably around a second angle of rotation (ψ) around a second axis aligned orthogonal to the first axis, as well as a controller unit for controlling a shaft drive.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A gyroscope-based rotation damper for a motor vehicle, comprising: a flywheel (14) that is driven via a drive, rotates around an axis of rotation at an angular velocity (ω.sub.φ) and that is mounted on the motor vehicle structure via a first bearing element and a second bearing element in a gimbal, wherein the flywheel is mounted rotatably around an angle of rotation (φ) at the first bearing element, and the first bearing element is rotatably mounted at the second bearing element around a first angle of rotation (θ) around a first axis aligned orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the flywheel, and the second bearing element is mounted rotatably at the motor vehicle structure around a second angle of rotation (ψ) around a second axis aligned orthogonal to the first axis; and a controller unit for controlling a shaft drive, wherein the second bearing element rotatably mounted on the motor vehicle structure is operatively connected to the shaft drive via a drive shaft, wherein the first bearing element rotatably mounted at the second bearing element is operatively connected to a wheel carrier in such a way that a compression/rebound movement of the wheel carrier causes a rotation of the first bearing element around the first angle of rotation (θ), wherein the controller unit controls the angular velocity (ω.sub.104 ) and the torque (M.sub.ψ) of the drive shaft by way of the shaft drive as a function of the first angle of rotation (θ) and of the first torque (M.sub.θ).

8. The gyroscope-based rotation damper according to claim 7, wherein the drive of the flywheel and the shaft drive of the drive shaft is an electric motor.

9. The gyroscope-based rotation damper according to claim 7, wherein the first bearing element is joined to the wheel carrier in such a way that for a compression/rebound movement of the wheel carrier, the following applies for the first angle of rotation (θ): −π/2<θ<+π/2.

10. The gyroscope-based rotation damper according to claim 7, wherein the power flow at the drive shaft from the shaft motor is positive or negative.

11. The gyroscope-based rotation damper according to claim 7, wherein the power flow at the axis of rotation from the drive is positive or negative.

12. The gyroscope-based rotation damper according to claim 7, wherein the power flow at the first axis from the connection of the wheel carrier is positive or negative.

Description

IN THE DRAWING:

[0018] FIG. 1 indicates a schematic representation of a gyroscope-based rotation damper according to the invention.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a gyroscope-based rotation damper for a motor vehicle in a schematic representation, which is designated overall by the reference number 10.

[0020] The gyroscope-based rotation damper 10 comprises a flywheel 14 that rotates around an axis of rotation 12 at an angular velocity ω.sub.φ and that is mounted in a gimbal by way of a first bearing element 16 and a second bearing element 18.

[0021] In this case, the flywheel 14 is mounted rotatably around the angle of rotation φ at the first bearing element, and the first bearing element 16 is mounted rotatably at the second bearing element 18 around a first angle of rotation θ around a first axis 16a aligned orthogonal to the axis of rotation 12 of the flywheel 14, and the second bearing element 18 is mounted rotatably on the motor vehicle structure around a second angle of rotation ψ around a second axis 18a aligned orthogonal to the first axis 16a.

[0022] Not shown in the schematic representation according to FIG. 1 is a drive of the flywheel 14, a shaft drive in operative connection to the second bearing element 18 via a drive shaft, as well as the connection of the first bearing element 16 to a wheel carrier. An illustration of the controller device, by which the shaft drive and thus the angular velocity ω.sub.ψ and/or the torque M.sub.ψ of the drive shaft can be controlled as a function of the first angle of rotation θ and/or of the first torque M.sub.θ, was also omitted.

[0023] The schematically shown gyroscope-based rotation damper 10 uses the effect of rotational inertia in order to introduce forces into the chassis at a suitable place. These forces will replace and expand the function of a conventional damper element.

[0024] A brief explanation of the functional principle is as follows:

[0025] In the initial state, the flywheel 14 rotates around its axis of rotation 12 at the angular velocity ω.sub.φ. If a torque M.sub.θ is effective at the first axis 16a of the first bearing element 16, a torque M.sub.ψ arises around the second axis 18a due to the precession. The torques lead to an angular velocity ω.sub.θ or ω.sub.ψ, respectively, of the first or the second bearing element 16, 18. A torque M.sub.θ consequently leads to an angular velocity ω.sub.θ of the first bearing element 16. This torsion changes the direction of the angular velocity vector ω.sub.φ of the flywheel 14. The rotating flywheel 14 reacts to such a disruption with the mentioned precession torque M.sub.ψ. However, since the angular velocity ω.sub.ψ also changes the angular velocity vector ω.sub.φ of the flywheel 14 due to the structure, there is a direct effect of all three axes. Introduction of energy into one axis shows a change in the energy of the other two axes.

[0026] If the first bearing element 16 is considered as the input, then M.sub.θ and ω.sub.θ are equalized. If this energy can again be withdrawn at the second axis 18a of the second bearing element 18, M.sub.ψ and ω.sub.ψ are thereby oriented opposite one another. The inverse case is likewise possible. Equalized amounts of M.sub.ψ and ω.sub.ψ lead to unequally oriented amounts of M.sub.θ and ω.sub.θ. If all of the energy of the torque M.sub.ψ is not withdrawn, then the angular velocity ω.sub.φ of the flywheel 14 will increase due to the feedback effect. The excess energy is stored in the form of kinetic energy in the rotational movement of the flywheel 14. The ratio of the individual torques in this case is determined by the rotational inertias of the flywheel.

[0027] Now, if the first bearing element 16 is joined to the wheel carrier in such a way that a compression/rebound of the wheel carrier causes a torque M.sub.θ and an angular velocity ω.sub.θ of the first bearing element 16 around the first axis 16a, a relative movement of the second bearing element 18 arises around the second axis 18a. If a counter-torque M.sub.ψ is introduced relative to the angular velocity ω.sub.ψ of the second bearing element via the shaft motor, then the relative movement of the second bearing element 18 around the second axis 18a is damped. This leads in turn to the damping of the angular velocity ω.sub.θ of the first bearing element 16 around the first axis 16a. Depending on the magnitude of the counter-torque M.sub.ψ in each case, the damping results as stronger or weaker.

[0028] In contrast to this, if a torque M.sub.ψ equalized to the angular velocity ω.sub.ψ is introduced by the shaft motor, this leads to a support of the compression/rebound movement. That is, the gyroscope-based rotation damper can also be used as an actuator in order to actively provide vertical forces at the wheel carrier and thus to take over functions of an active chassis.