Patent ID: 8326488

Claim:
A height controlling apparatus for controlling a plurality of actual heights each of which is defined as a relative position of (a) a corresponding one of a plurality of portions of a body of a vehicle and (b) a corresponding one of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of height controlling actuators each of which corresponds to at least one of the plurality of wheels and changes at least one of the plurality of actual heights respectively corresponding to the plurality of wheels; and an actuator control device which controls the plurality of height controlling actuators so that the plurality of actual heights respectively approach a plurality of target heights, wherein the actuator control device includes a same-manner actuator control portion which controls, in a same manner, at least two height controlling actuators of the plurality of height controlling actuators so as to respectively change at least two actual heights of the plurality of actual heights, a possibility detecting device which detects whether there is a possibility that an object may be present in a direction in which at least one of the plurality of portions of the body is moved to change at least one of the plurality of actual heights, wherein the possibility detecting device includes a first relative-change-dependent possibility detecting portion which detects, in a state in which the vehicle is in a stopped state thereof and the same-manner actuator control portion controls, in the same manner, said at least two height controlling actuators so that said at least two actual heights respectively approach at least two target heights of the plurality of target heights, whether there is said possibility, based on a relative change of said at least two actual heights changed by said at least two height controlling actuators, and a movement restraining portion which controls, when the first relative-change-dependent possibility detecting portion detects that there is said possibility, at least one height controlling actuator of said at least two controlling actuators to restrain a movement of said at least one portion of the body in said direction.