Abstract:
Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.
Abstract:
In the case of a machine for stripping off road surfaces, in order to guarantee that the front wheels (26, 28) are able to adapt to variable contours of the road surface by oppositely but identically equal amounts, but which can at the same time run fully on the road surface without the need for mechanical coupling parts between the wheels, it is proposed to mount the wheel supports (48, 50) for the front wheels on guide rods (52, 54) which run in vertical guide cylinders (56, 58) of the frame. The guide rods (52, 54) are connected to the movable parts of double acting working cylinders (60, 62) of which the fixed parts are secured to the guide cylinders (56, 58). Equivalent working spaces in the working cylinders (60, 62) are connected in a leak-proof manner via coupling lines.
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:
An adjustable shock absorber system (10) includes a plurality of shock absorbers (12), the damping characteristics of which are controlled by hydraulic control circuit (18, 20, 22, 24). Each of the shock absorbers (12) includes an adjustable flow restrictor (90) that is controlled by a hydraulic actuator (106) responsive to pressure in the control circuit. By adjusting pressure in the control circuit the damping characteristics of each of the shock absorbers (12) can be adjusted in parallel. The present invention overcomes the problems of prior art systems which involved the use of expensive hollow piston rods; and the present invention obviates the need for electric motor actuators or manually adjusted mechanical linkages to adjust the damping characteristics of the shock absorber.
Abstract:
A vehicle has a frame, at least one front wheel connected to the frame, at least one front suspension assembly connecting the at least one front wheel to the frame, at least one rear wheel connected to the frame, and at least one rear suspension assembly connecting the at least one rear wheel to the frame. At least one of the at least one front and at least one rear suspension assemblies includes an air spring. A seat is connected to the frame. An engine is connected to the frame and is operatively connected to at least one of the wheels. An air compressor is connected to the frame and fluidly communicates with the at least one air spring for supplying air to the at least one air spring. A control unit is electrically connected to the air compressor for controlling an operation of the air compressor.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a pneumatic suspension system, especially for motor vehicles, with a compressor which can be switched on and off as necessary depending on parameters by an automatic computer-supported control system. The computer of the control system provides an estimate of the operating temperature of the compressor on the basis of experimental values so that said compressor can be switched off when a predetermined threshold is exceeded.
Abstract:
A vehicle with front and rear leaf springs which has in addition compensating air risers for each of the front and rear wheels of the vehicle which are connected to air pressure viewing gauges in the vehicle cabin with means to adjust pressures for each air riser independently from any other of the air risers to enable both increasing and decreasing pressures including while the vehicle is being driven.
Abstract:
The invention pertains to a process for regulating the distance between the frame (35) and a wheel unit or axle (36) in a motor vehicle by changing the volume of the damping fluid (22) using a hydropneumatic suspension element (18a), and to a hydropneumatic suspension for vehicles, wherein the vehicle frame is suspended and cushioned on both sides of the vehicle over one or more wheel axles by means of hydrop springs (18), one of the volumes of the hydrop springs being variable. Thus, to increase the separating distance a supplementary volume (3) is added to the static volume or to reduce the separating distance the static volume is reduced by a depletion volume (4). Each of the one or more parallel hydrop springs has a metering unit (21) that can add or subtract a defined supplementary volume and/or depletion volume to or from the momentary sum of damping volumes of the given hydrop springs, and the distance between the vehicle frame and the wheel axle in the region of the hydrop springs connected to the metering unit can be regulated by determining the actual operating state of the metering unit by means of sensors attached to the metering unit and then, as needed, ajusting to the setpoint operating state.
Abstract:
A shock absorber (10) for damping the relative movement of the sprung portion (30) of the automobile (12) with respect to the unsprung portion (14, 22) of the autombile (12). The shock absorber (10) includes a pressure cylinder (50) and a piston (48) disposed within the pressure cylinder (50). The piston (48) is able to control the flow of damping fluid between the first and second portions of the working chamber (52) so as to generate firm and soft damping characteristics. The shock absorber (10) also includes a reserve cylinder (38) disposed exterior of the pressure cylinder (50), and a base valve (92) disposed at one end of the pressure cylinder (50). The base valve (92) is operable to control the flow of damping fluid between the second portion of the working chamber (52) and the reserve chamber (44) in response to the flow of damping fluid between the first and second portions of the working chamber (52).
Abstract:
Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.