Gyroscope Application
Gyroscope Application
(OP)
Surely someone in the past has had this idea before. If anyone knows of any published reports or patents dealing with this or a similar idea, I'm curious for more details.
Here it is: A relatively large gyroscope is rigidly mounted in a vehicle at the vehicle's center of gravity with its spin axis in the horizontal plane perpendicular to the cars longitudinal axis. The gyro's spin rate is proportional to the vehicle's forward speed. When the vehicle is executing a turn, the gyroscope is precessed by the vehicle's yaw rate. The gyroscope in turn exerts a torque via the right hand rule on the chasis that counteracts the lateral load transfer the car would otherwise encounter due to lateral acceleration. Since the load distribution side to side is maintained equally even in a turn, the cornering capability should be improved.
Possible downside would be a huge increase in rotating mass, which would negatively affect acceleration and fuel efficiency. Also, packaging and safety would be concerns. But, has it been tried before?
Here it is: A relatively large gyroscope is rigidly mounted in a vehicle at the vehicle's center of gravity with its spin axis in the horizontal plane perpendicular to the cars longitudinal axis. The gyro's spin rate is proportional to the vehicle's forward speed. When the vehicle is executing a turn, the gyroscope is precessed by the vehicle's yaw rate. The gyroscope in turn exerts a torque via the right hand rule on the chasis that counteracts the lateral load transfer the car would otherwise encounter due to lateral acceleration. Since the load distribution side to side is maintained equally even in a turn, the cornering capability should be improved.
Possible downside would be a huge increase in rotating mass, which would negatively affect acceleration and fuel efficiency. Also, packaging and safety would be concerns. But, has it been tried before?





RE: Gyroscope Application
RE: Gyroscope Application
stabilizing systems depending on gyroscopes were used on ships, rockets and aircrafts to held the radar system in a parallel layer to the surface of the sea or ground while the vehicle is moving. There are three gyroscopes, each for every axis x/y/z. The principle seems to be the same as yours. I don“t know the right expression in English, but is something like "virtual horizont". V1 and V2-rockets during the last war had such a system (without radar) built in to be guided by a virtual "north pol".
Andreas
RE: Gyroscope Application
TTFN
RE: Gyroscope Application
1) They would be too heavy in order to produce effects that would make any difference in cornering.
2) Another reason that you don't use a gyro in a car is that if the car let go and started to spin a 360 (ie the car started to spin due to too large a cornering force), the revolution of the car could make the gyro produce such a large torque (due to the quick rotation of the rear end around the front) that it could flip the car over. This could very easily happen in wet, icy conditions.
So from a safety standpoint it is very dangerous to have cars flipping over if they spin-out.
RE: Gyroscope Application
Possible a better solution would be a laterally movable dead weight that is positioned via a signal from a small (instrument) yaw rate gyro. This would shift the center of gravity. Still the problem of adding excess weight and packaging concerns.
RE: Gyroscope Application