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EP0033204A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Suspension systems for vehicles
Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
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Filing: 1981-01-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-01-15
Abstract
Abstract in a suspension system which is designed to maintain a nominal ride height between the body and the unsprung parts of a vehicle, the difference in wheel speed on opposite sides of the vehicle produced during cornering is used to inhibit adjustment of ride heightforthe purpose of increasing vehicle stability during cornering.An electrical sensor (7) and control unit (6) is used to control flow of hydraulic fluid to and from a suspension unit (1) by means of solenoid-operated valves (4 and 5), so as to maintain the ride height constant. A cornering sensor (9) compares the sensed speeds of two wheels, preferably mounted on a common axle, and inhibits the control unit when the difference in speeds departs from an expected difference by more than a certain amount. The expected difference may be zero or it may be the average difference derived over a period of time.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Leslie Harris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:30
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/02; B60G17/04; B60G17/056; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G17/0162; B60G17/0195; B60T; B60T8/00; B60T8/17; B60T8/172; B60G2400/00; B60G2400/20; B60G2400/204; B60G2400/208; B60G2400/25; B60G2400/252; B60G2500/00; B60G2500/30; B60G2600/00; B60G2600/07; B60G2800/00; B60G2800/24; B60G2800/90; B60G2800/92; B60T2210/00; B60T2210/20; B60T2210/22; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S280/00; Y10S280/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A suspension system for a vehicle, comprising at least two suspension units (1) installed on opposite sides of the vehicle and adapted to maintain a suitable height relationship between the sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle despite changes in vehicle load, and means to prevent the suspension units from being adjusted during a cornering manoeuvre, characterised by respective sensors (11, 12) for sensing the speed of rotation of each of two wheels (13, 14) on opposite sides of the vehicle, and means (17) for comparing the sensed speeds of the two wheels and producing an inhibit command when the instantaneous difference between the sensed speeds departs by more than a certain amount from an expected difference, the arrangement being such that the inhibit command inhibits adjustment of the suspension units (1).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A suspension system for a vehicle, comprising at least two suspension units (1) installed on opposite sides of the vehicle and adapted to maintain a suitable height relationship between the sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle despite changes in vehicle load, and means to prevent the suspension units from being adjusted during a cornering manoeuvre, characterised by respective sensors (11, 12) for sensing the speed of rotation of each of two wheels (13, 14) on opposite sides of the vehicle, and means (17) for comparing the sensed speeds of the two wheels and producing an inhibit command when the instantaneous difference between the sensed speeds departs by more than a certain amount from an expected difference, the arrangement being such that the inhibit command inhibits adjustment of the suspension units (1).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A suspension system according to Claim 1, in which the speed comparison means (17) operates to produce an inhibit command in the form of an electrical inhibit signal which is used to prevent the suspension units (1) from being adjusted by inhibiting an electrical height control circuit (6).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
A suspension system according to Claim 2, in which each suspension unit (1) is associated with respective means (7) for sensing the height between the sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle and producing electrical height' signals which vary in accordance therewith, the height signals being fed to the height control circuit (6) which is arranged to operate respective cut-off means (4, 5) that control flow of liquid to and from each respective suspension unit (1) in response to the respective height signals in order to maintain the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A suspension system according to Claim 3, in which the cut-off means (4,5) comprise solenoid-operated valves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A suspension system according to Claim 2, 3 or 4, which includes means to produce an electrical expected difference signal corresponding to the expected difference in sensed speed between the wheels by deriving an average value for any difference between the sensed speeds, the expected difference signal being fed to the comparison means (17).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A suspension system according to any of Claims 2 to 5, which includes means to vary the amount by which the instantaneous speed difference must depart from the expected difference to produce the inhibit signal, in accordance with the speed of the vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A suspension system according to any preceding claim, in which the speed sensors (11, 12) are connected to an anti-wheel-lock braking system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A suspension system according to any preceding claim, in which the wheels of which the speeds of rotation are sensed share a common axle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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