What is claimed is:
1. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, an automatic accelerating control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
an object detector that captures a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle;
a lane-change detector that detects the presence or absence of a driver’s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle;
an adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle’s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle;
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode during which an increase in the host vehicle’s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the automatic accelerating control mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed; and
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing section that releases the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of the driver’s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
2. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprises a preceding-vehicle candidate detection section that detects a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver’s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle; and
the vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing section of the adaptive vehicle speed control unit releases the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of both the driver’s intention for the lane change and the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, detected after the lane change by the host vehicle, when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
3. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
a relative velocity detector that detects a relative velocity of the candidate for the next preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle; and
a host vehicle’s approach state determination section that determines a degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, based on the relative velocity;
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit varies an execution time for the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode depending on the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
4. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
the execution time for the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode increases, as the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle becomes greater so that the host vehicle approaches closer to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
5. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
a relative velocity detector that detects a relative velocity of the candidate for the next preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle;
a host vehicle’s approach state determination section that determines a degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, based on the relative velocity; and
a cornering state determination section that determines whether the host vehicle goes around a curved road;
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit varies an execution time for the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode depending on the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, and
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit sets the execution time for the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode so that a first execution time produced when the host vehicle goes around the curved road is longer than a second execution time produced when the host vehicle is traveling on roads except the curved road.
6. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
the cornering state determination section determines, based on a comparison result between a road curvature and a road-curvature threshold value, whether the host vehicle goes around the curved road; and
the cornering state determination section determines that the host vehicle goes around the curved road, when the road curvature is less than the road-curvature threshold value.
7. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, an automatic accelerating control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
an object detection means for capturing a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle;
a lane-change detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a driver’s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle;
an adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle’s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle;
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode during which an increase in the host vehicle’s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detection means loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the automatic accelerating control mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed; and
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprising a vehicle speed increase restriction control releasing means for releasing the vehicle speed increase restriction control mode, in presence of the driver’s intention for the lane change when the object detection means loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
8. An adaptive cruise control system capable of executing at least a vehicle speed holding mode, a constant-speed control mode, and a following control mode, comprising:
an object detector that captures a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle;
a lane-change detector that detects the presence or absence of a driver’s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle;
an adaptive vehicle speed control unit electronically connected to the object detector and the lane-change detector for executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle’s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle;
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit executing the vehicle speed holding mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the constant-speed control mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed, manually set by a man-machine interface; and
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit initiating the constant-speed control mode while inhibiting the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver’s intention for the lane change when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
9. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein:
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit comprises a preceding-vehicle candidate detection section that detects a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver’s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle; and
the adaptive vehicle speed control unit continuously executing the following control mode while releasing the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of both the driver’s intention for the lane change and the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, detected after the lane change by the host vehicle, when the object detector loses the preceding vehicle during the following control mode.
10. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
a relative velocity detector that detects a relative velocity of the candidate for the next preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle; and
a host vehicle’s approach state determination section that determines a degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, based on the relative velocity;
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit varies an execution time for the vehicle speed holding mode depending on the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
11. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
the execution time for the vehicle speed holding mode increases, as the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle becomes greater so that the host vehicle approaches closer to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle.
12. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
a relative velocity detector that detects a relative velocity of the candidate for the next preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle;
a host vehicle’s approach state determination section that determines a degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, based on the relative velocity; and
a cornering state determination section that determines whether the host vehicle goes around a curved road;
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit varies an execution time for the vehicle speed holding mode depending on the degree of the host vehicle’s approach to the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, and
wherein the adaptive vehicle speed control unit sets the execution time for the vehicle speed holding mode so that a first execution time produced when the host vehicle goes around the curved road is longer than a second execution time produced when the host vehicle is traveling on roads except the curved road.
13. The adaptive cruise control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:
the cornering state determination section determines, based on a comparison result between a road curvature and a road-curvature threshold value, whether the host vehicle goes around the curved road; and
the cornering state determination section determines that the host vehicle goes around the curved road, when the road curvature is less than the road-curvature threshold value.
14. A method of controlling a host vehicle’s speed by either of a vehicle speed holding mode, a constant-speed control mode, and a following control mode, the method comprising:
capturing a preceding vehicle positioned ahead of a host vehicle;
detecting the presence or absence of a driver’s intention for a lane change by the host vehicle;
executing the following control mode during which the host vehicle automatically follows the preceding vehicle, maintaining a host vehicle’s distance from the preceding vehicle at a desired inter-vehicle distance when the preceding vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle;
executing the vehicle speed holding mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is restricted until such time that a time period corresponding to either of a predetermined distance and a predetermined holding time has expired from a time when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode, and thereafter executing the constant-speed control mode during which the host vehicle’s speed is automatically accelerated up to a set speed, manually set by a man-machine interface; and
initiating the constant-speed control mode while inhibiting the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of the driver’s intention for the lane change when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:
detecting a vehicle positioned in either of left and right traffic lanes corresponding to a direction of the lane change based on the driver’s intention as a candidate for a next preceding vehicle after the lane change by the host vehicle; and
continuously executing the following control mode while releasing the vehicle speed holding mode, in presence of both the driver’s intention for the lane change and the candidate for the next preceding vehicle, detected after the lane change by the host vehicle, when the preceding vehicle is lost during the following control mode.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A filter cartridge assembly comprising:
i) an elongated housing having axially opposed proximal and distal ends, the housing defining an interior cavity, a central axis and first, second and third flow paths which extend from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end, wherein the housing includes a pair of coaxially positioned peripheral walls of the housing;
ii) a first pleated filter element disposed along the central axis and within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the first flow path from a first inlet port to a first outlet port;
iii) a second pleated filter element disposed along the central axis and within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the second flow path from a second inlet port to a second outlet port; and
iv) a third non-pleated filter element disposed along the central axis and within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the third flow path from a third inlet port to a third outlet port; and wherein the first flow path is isolated from the second and third flow paths and the second flow path is isolated from the third flow path.
2. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a portion of each of the second and third flow paths traverse axially between the peripheral walls of the housing.
3. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first filter element is radially a horizontally pleated filter and fluid is conditioned in the first flow path by traversing in a radially inward direction through the first filter element.
4. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second filter element is radially a horizontally pleated filter and fluid is conditioned in the second flow path by traversing in a radially outward direction through the second filter element.
5. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the third filter element is disc a flat filter and fluid is conditioned in the second flow path by traversing axially through the third filter element.
6. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing includes two longitudinal ribs which define two longitudinal channels in the interior cavity of the housing and the second flow path traverse one of the channels and the third flow path traverses the other channel.
7. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the housing includes a connector element for a tri-lumen tube set.
8. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the connector element includes the first inlet port and the second and third outlet ports.
9. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a cylindrical inner housing element positioned within the interior cavity of the housing and forming a first chamber for the first filter element.
10. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the housing further includes a second inner housing element positioned within the interior cavity of the housing and forming a second chamber for the second filter element.
11. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first outlet port, the second inlet port and third inlet port are located at the distal end of the housing.
12. A filter cartridge assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the first outlet port, the second inlet port and the third inlet port are coaxially arranged.
13. A filter cartridge assembly comprising:
i) an elongated housing having axially opposed proximal and distal ends, the housing defining first, second and third filter chambers and first, second and third flow paths which extend from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end;
ii) a first filter element disposed within the first filter chamber of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the first flow path from a first inlet port to a first outlet port;
iii) a second filter element disposed within the second filter chamber of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the second flow path from a second inlet port to a second outlet port; and
iv) a third filter element disposed within the third filter chamber of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the third flow path from a third inlet port to a third outlet port; and wherein the first flow path is isolated from the second and third flow paths and the second flow path is isolated from the third flow path wherein the first outlet port, the second inlet port and third inlet port are located at the distal end of the housing.
14. A filtration system for conditioning fluid received from three distinct fluid sources, comprising:
i) a controller including means for regulating and monitoring fluid flow in the filtration system, the controller defining an elongated receptacle;
ii) a socket assembly positioned at least partially within the elongated receptacle defined by the controller, the socket assembly including a locking element; and
iii) a filter cartridge assembly inserted into the socket assembly and secured in fluid communication with the controller by the locking element.
15. A filtration system as recited in claim 14, wherein the locking element includes a cam mechanism for engaging a lug extending from an exterior surface of the filter cartridge assembly.
16. A filtration system as recited in claim 14, wherein the filter cartridge assembly includes:
i) an elongated housing having axially opposed proximal and distal ends, the housing defining an interior cavity and first, second and third flow paths which extend from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end;
ii) a first filter element disposed within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the first flow path from a first inlet port to a first outlet port;
iii) a second filter element disposed within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the second flow path from a second inlet port to a second outlet port; and
iv) a third filter element disposed within the interior cavity of the housing for conditioning fluid traversing the third flow path from a third inlet port to a third outlet port; and wherein the first flow path is isolated from the second and third flow paths and the second flow path is isolated from the third flow path.