Abstract:
A suspension of a pneumatic type (1), comprising an air spring (6) including a top fixing plate (4), a bottom fixing plate (2), a bellows body (10), of elastically compliant material, extending between the top fixing plate and the bottom fixing plate, a telescopic assembly (8) housed inside the bellows body, and a hydraulic control system (21-23) for controlling extension of the telescopic assembly (8). The hydraulic system includes a tank (23) for an actuator liquid, at least one feed pipe (21) extending between the tank and the telescopic assembly (8), and actuators (22) connected between the tank and the telescopic assembly.
Abstract:
A roll control system for a vehicle including: two double-acting rams (1, 2) at the first end of the vehicle and two single acting rams (3, 4) at the second of the vehicle; each double-acting ram (1, 2) including a first and a second fluid chamber (17, 18, 21, 22); each single-acting ram (3, 4) including a first fluid chamber (19, 20); a first lateral conduit (27) providing fluid communication between the first fluid chamber (17, 18) of the double-acting ram (1, 2) on a first side of the vehicle and the second fluid chamber (21, 22) of the double-acting ram (1, 2) on a second side of the vehicle, a first longitudinal conduit (29) providing fluid communication between the first fluid chamber (19, 20) of the single-acting ram (3, 4) on the first side of the vehicle and the first lateral conduit (27), forming a first fluid circuit; a second lateral conduit (28) providing fluid communication between the first fluid chamber (17, 18) of the double-acting ram (1, 2) on the second side of the vehicle and the second fluid chamber (17,18) of the double-acting ram (1, 2) on the first side of the vehicle, a second longitudinal conduit (30) providing fluid communication between the first fluid chamber (19, 20) of the single-acting ram (3, 4) on the second side of the vehicle and the second lateral conduit (28), forming a second fluid circuit; the roll control system thereby providing a roll stiffness with substantially no warp stiffness.
Abstract:
A dual volume air spring (5) for a truck suspension, which has an air bag chamber providing a variable volume (6) and a fixed volume chamber (7). The chambers are interconnected by a closable orifice (12). The air bag is provided with a post-like orifice closer (20) which is pushed into the orifice when the air bag (9) is sufficiently compressed ad withdrawn from the orifice when the air bag is not compressed. In normal operation the orifice is open and combined volumes of the chambers are available resulting in a low spring rate. The orifice closer (20) has an orifice closing portion (22) which is relatively pliant and a rigid or semi-rigid portion (21) which acts as a bump-stop when the pliant portion is substantially completely compressed. When the orifice is completely closed the spring has a high spring rate.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for supporting a dynamic load relative to a foundation, such as a vehicle relative to the road, by a hydraulic system that monitors the movement of the load and adds or removes hydraulic fluid from the system to compensate for the load change. The hydraulic system is preferably one or more hydraulic cylinders that have a first chamber operably connected to the load and a second chamber operably connected to the foundation. The first and second chamber are connected by a valve. The valve is connected to the second chamber and a source of pressurized fluid with a reservoir. The first chamber senses the load change and the valve adds fluid from the pressurized fluid source to the second chamber or removes fluid from the second chamber to the reservoir to compensate for the change in the load and maintain the load in substantially the same position relative to the foundation.