Patent US3556460A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0190944A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Vehicle suspension arrangements
Assignee: Group Lotus PLC
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Filing: 1986-02-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-02-07
Abstract
Abstract A suspension system for a vehicle road wheel comprises a wheel suspension device (1) having a double-acting hydraulic actuator and a gas spring in parallel, the gas spring being controllable to provide a selectively variable offset, sensor means (6, 90) arranged to sense load changes experienced by the suspension device and to provide an output dependent thereon, and control means (95) responsive to the sensor means output to effect adjustment of the hydraulic actuator pending change of the offset of the gas spring means to accommodate the load changes. Also disclosed is a damping system for damping movement of a I piston (64) within a cylinder, the damping system comprising a valve (80) operable to connect spaces (70, 74) within the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston to fluid pressure and/or return lines (84, 85) so as to apply selected positive or negative damping to the movement of the piston. The damping system can be incorporated in the suspension system so that the piston (64) of the hydraulic actuator is damped, under control of signals from the control means (95) applied to the servo-valve (80).
Inventors
- 👤 David Allen Williams
- 👤 Peter Godfrey Wright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:20
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/0152; B60G17/02; B60G17/04; B60G2600/00; B60G2600/18; B60G2600/182
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A vehicle suspension system comprising a wheel suspension device (1) having actuator means and gas spring means in parallel therewith, the gas spring means being controllable to provide a selectively variable offset; sensor means (6,90) arranged to sense load changes experienced by the suspension device and to provide an output dependent thereon, and control means (95) responsive to the sensor means output to effect adjustment of the actuator means pending change of the offset of the gas spring means to accommodate the load changes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A vehicle suspension system comprising a wheel suspension device (1) having actuator means and gas spring means in parallel therewith, the gas spring means being controllable to provide a selectively variable offset; sensor means (6,90) arranged to sense load changes experienced by the suspension device and to provide an output dependent thereon, and control means (95) responsive to the sensor means output to effect adjustment of the actuator means pending change of the offset of the gas spring means to accommodate the load changes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A suspension system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator means comprises a double-acting hydraulic actuator communicating via a pressure fluid line with an hydraulic fluid pressure source (86), valve means (80,82) in the pressure fluid line being responsive to signals from the control means to effect adjustment of the actuator means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A suspension system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve means comprises a servo-valve (80) responsive Lo the signals in series with a two-part proportional valve (82) responsive to the signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A suspension system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve means comprises a servo-valve (80) responsive to the signals in series with an asymmetrical flow restricting valve (182).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A suspension system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the asymmetrical flow restricting valve (182) has blow-off valve means associated therewith.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A suspension system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the gas spring means comprises a body of fluid in contact with a body of gas (51) and means (49) for adjustment of the volume of the fluid body to thereby control the selectively variable offset of the gas spring means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A suspension system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the adjustment means comprises a source of pressure fluid (50), a pressure fluid line communicating the pressure fluid source with fluid body, and valve means (49,149) in the pressure fluid line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
. 8. A suspension system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the valve means (49,149) comprises a three-port valve responsive to hydraulic or electric signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A suspension system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the servo-valve (80) is arranged selectively to apply predetermined positive or negative damping to the hydraulic actuator movement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A damping system for damping movement of a piston (64) within a cylinder, the damping system comprising a valve (80) operable to connect spaces (70,74) within the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston to fluid pressure and/or return lines (84,85) so as to apply selected damping to the movement of the piston.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
A damping system for damping movement of a piston (64) within a cylinder, the damping system comprising a valve (80) operable to connect spaces (70,74) within the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston to fluid pressure and/or return lines (84,85) so as to apply selected damping to the movement of the piston.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the valve (80) is a multi-spool valve selectively movable to effect application to the piston of positive or negative damping.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the valve means (80) is movable to a position in which the cylinder interiors (70,74) on both sides of the piston (64) are in communication with the pressure fluid return line (85), to thereby effect positive damping of the piston movement.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein the valve means (80) is movable to a position in which the spaces (70,74) communicate respectively with the pressure fluid supply line (84) and with the return line (85), whereby piston movement in the direction to reduce the volume of the interior communicated with the return line is negatively damped.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 13 wherein one of the cylinder spaces (70,74) is communicated with the return line (85) through a non-return valve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 10,11 or 12 wherein the valve means (80) is connected through a pair of fluid lines (88,89) to the respective hydraulic cylinder interiors (70,74), each fluid line being connected to the return line (85) through a respective non-return valve (101).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A damping system as claimed in any one of claims 10-15 wherein the valve (80) is a servo-valve arranged to be operated in response to forces acting between the piston (64) and the cylinder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A damping system as claimed in any one of claims 10-15 wherein piston (64) and cylinder constitute an adjustable double-acting hydraulic actuator in parallel with a variable offset gas spring in a vehicle wheel suspension device (1).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
A damping system as claimed in claim 17-having means responsive to a load change experienced by the suspension device (1) to effect adjustment of the actuator and of the gas spring to accommodate the load change, with the actuator adjustment having piioiity over that of the gas spring.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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