Abstract:
A vehicle air suspension can be controlled between a Standard setting of ride height and a lower, Kneel, setting. Movement to or from the Kneel setting is frozen if a door is opened or if the footbrake is applied. Alteration to the Kneel setting is prevented except when the vehicle is stationary. The suspension reverts to the Standard ride height if the vehicle is driven off or the handbrake is released. Movement of the suspension to or from a lower or higher setting is carried out sequentially to prevent headlamp dazzle. If the vehicle becomes partly supported by direct contact between the chassis and the ground (belly-out) this is detected by monitoring signals to ride height control valves and by providing a controlled re-inflation and balancing of the air springs.
Abstract:
A proportional pressure control valve is disclosed which may be used for uni-directional or bi-directional fluid flow. An electromagnetic driver (35, 251, 360) mounted in a driver cavity (36, 353) of a housing produces a magnetic flux path in response to a variable input current. The magnitude of the flux path is substantially proportional to the input current. The flux path passes through an armature (40, 276) which is movable within the driver cavity. The armature is connected to a metering spool (64, 209, 260) so that the two move in unison. The metering spool is movable within a main bore between a sealing position and an infinite number of open positions. The position of the metering spool determines the magnitude of fluid communication between pressure ports. A feedback section (85, 98) of the housing establishes a pressure feedback force which impacts on the position of the metering spool and the armature. The valve may also include a spring (272) for biasing the metering spool to a fail-safe position within the housing. The proportional pressure control valve can be incorporated into a damper of a vehicle suspension system where the input current is governed by an electronic control unit (56) of the vehicle. The electronic control unit (56) may be responsive, in part, to the position of the suspension system through the use of a position feedback sensor (101).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1), comprising a plurality of actuators (5) for carrying out movements of the chassis (2), wherein the motor vehicle (1) comprises a control device (6) for detecting orientation information describing an orientation of the chassis (2) to be undertaken with regard to at least one target setting, wherein the control device (6) is designed to control the actuators (5) on the basis of the orientation information in such a way that the actuators (5) carry out in a combined manner pitching, rolling and lifting movements of the chassis (2) in order to orient the chassis corresponding to the orientation described by the orientation information.
Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zur Fahrwerkregelung eines Fahrzeugs (18), insbesondere Kraftfahrzeugs, wobei mindestens eine zwischen einem Fahrzeugaufbau (20) und einem Rad (19) des Fahrzeugs (18) vorgesehene Radaufhängung (21) einen verstellbaren Dämpfer (2, 3, 4, 5) aufweist. Dabei ist vorgesehen, dass zunächst anhand eines Pl-Reglers (31) eine Dämpfersollkraft und anschließend aufgrund der Dämpfersollkraft eine Dämpfereinstellung bestimmt wird, wobei der Pl-Regler (31) als Eingangsgröße lediglich die Dämpfergeschwindigkeit aufweist. Die Erfindung betrifft weiterhin eine Vorrichtung zur Fahrwerkregelung.
Abstract:
A vehicle air suspension can be controlled between a Standard setting of ride height and a lower, Kneel, setting. Movement to or from the Kneel setting is frozen if a door is opened or if the footbrake is applied. Alteration to the Kneel setting is prevented except when the vehicle is stationary. The suspension reverts to the Standard ride height if the vehicle is driven off or the handbrake is released. Movement of the suspension to or from a lower or higher setting is carried out sequentially to prevent headlamp dazzle. If the vehicle becomes partly supported by direct contact between the chassis and the ground (belly-out) this is detected by monitoring signals to ride height control valves and by providing a controlled re-inflation and balancing of the air springs.
Abstract:
An auxiliary suspension unit (A) for mounting parallel to a standard shock absorber comprises a cylinder (52) receiving a piston (42) which includes a piston head (46) mounted to a piston rod (44) and defining in the cylinder first and second chambers (72, 74) filled with oil (76). The first chamber (72) is on the rod side of the piston head (46). A spring structure (132) comprises a floating piston (112) and a high pressure accumulator (126) contained in a third chamber (122) with the floating piston (112) being slidable therein. The working fluid (76) from the second chamber (74) exerts pressure on the floating piston (112) and is opposed by the high-pressure accumulator (126) of the third chamber (122). The auxiliary unit (A) also comprises an actuator (20) for positioning a valve (64) provided on the piston (42) into first and second positions thereof and further comprises a control device (C) for the actuator (20). In the first position of the valve (64) and upon compression of the auxiliary unit (A), a bypass (288) allows fluid transfer from the second (274) to the first chamber (272). Alternatively, the bypass (288) can be replaced by a first orifice (86), whereby the fluid transferring from the second (74) to the first chamber (72) creates a damping force. In the second position of the valve (64), the bypass (288) or the first orifice (86) is closed. Therefore, fluid from the second chamber (74) passing through a second orifice (110) exerts pressure on the floating piston (112). The high-pressure accumulator (126) opposes a downward movement of the floating piston (112) into the third chamber (122) thereby providing a spring force to the auxiliary unit (A) along with a damping force resulting from the second orifice (110).
Abstract:
The proposed control system comprises active or semi-active ride-control and anti-blocking system (ABS) and/or anti-slip control (ASC) components, with common sensors and common data-processing or control circuits. The invention calls for the processing circuits to determine a safety level, and for the control circuits to provide the ABS/ASC components and the ride-control system with control signals as a function of this safety level. These measures enable optimum use to be made of existing sensors and control units, as well as making it particularly simple to allow for the interdependence between road-surface irregularities and steering. A comfortable ride is obtained at all times, while still meeting all safety requirements, and there are also safety and speed benefits for the ABS/ASC system.
Abstract:
An active roll control system (10) for attachment to a vehicle having a wheel suspension system (54, 56, 58, 60) comprises an actuator (62) attached by a linkage (62c, 54a) to the wheel suspension system. The actuator (62) is controlled by a programmable computer (40) having input signals (46) from a lateral accelerometer and a load cell (66) and an output signal to a servo-valve (64) controlling the hydraulic fluid to the actuator. The active roll control system operates to maintain the vehicle in a substantially level state about the vehicle longitudinal axis.