Patent EP0220658A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0220658A2
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EP
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Suspension controller
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1986-10-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-21
Abstract
Abstract A suspension controller for providing improved ride comfort and stable drivability with the suspension characteristic altered responsive to the condition of a road surface and a running vehicle speed. The suspension controller includes a vehicle height detection mechanism for providing a vehicle height signal indicative of a distance between a body and a wheel of a vehicle; a vehicle speed detection mechanism for providing a vehicle speed signal; a vehicle height determination mechanism for providing a soft signal commanding alteration of the suspension characteristic to soft in case the detected vehicle height exceeds a predetermined value; a vehicle speed determination mechanism for providing both soft and hard signals in response to the detected vehicle speed; a preference mechanism for providing a preference for a signal from the vehicle height determination mechanism over that from the vehicle speed determination mechanism to a suspension characteristic alteration mechanism so that the suspension characteristic is properly altered.
Inventors
- 👤 Shuuichi Buma
- 👤 Toshio Onuma
- 👤 Kaoru Ohashi
- 👤 Masami Itou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:35
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G17/0165; B60G2400/00; B60G2400/80; B60G2400/82; B60G2400/821; B60G2500/00; B60G2500/30; B60G2600/00; B60G2600/02; B60G2800/00; B60G2800/16; B60G2800/162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
277 words
A suspension controller for a vehicle having variable suspension means for controlling a distance between a body and a wheel axle of said vehicle, said controller comprising: vehicle height detection means for providing a vehicle height signal representative of said distance; vehicle speed detection means for providing a vehicle speed signal representative of a vehicle speed; vehicle height determination means for providing a first soft signal indicative of an alteration of said variable suspension means to a soft state when a change in said vehicle height signal within a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined value and said vehicle speed signal is within a predetermined speed range, said predetermined period being set such that said variable suspension means maybe altered before a rear wheel of said vehicle moving at said predetermined speed range reaches a front wheel position thereof; vehicle speed determination means for providing a hard signal representative of alteration of said variable suspension to a harder state when said vehicle speed signal exceeds a first reference speed signal and for providing a second soft signal representative of alteration of said variable suspension to softer state when said vehicle speed signal is less than a second reference speed signal which is set to be less than said first reference speed signal; and preference means responsive to said vehicle height determination means and said vehicle speed determination means for providing a preference for said first soft signal to said suspension-means over said hard signal and said second soft signal when said vehicle speed signal is within an overlapped range in which said predetermined speed range overlaps a range between said second reference speed and said first reference speed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
277 words
A suspension controller for a vehicle having variable suspension means for controlling a distance between a body and a wheel axle of said vehicle, said controller comprising: vehicle height detection means for providing a vehicle height signal representative of said distance; vehicle speed detection means for providing a vehicle speed signal representative of a vehicle speed; vehicle height determination means for providing a first soft signal indicative of an alteration of said variable suspension means to a soft state when a change in said vehicle height signal within a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined value and said vehicle speed signal is within a predetermined speed range, said predetermined period being set such that said variable suspension means maybe altered before a rear wheel of said vehicle moving at said predetermined speed range reaches a front wheel position thereof; vehicle speed determination means for providing a hard signal representative of alteration of said variable suspension to a harder state when said vehicle speed signal exceeds a first reference speed signal and for providing a second soft signal representative of alteration of said variable suspension to softer state when said vehicle speed signal is less than a second reference speed signal which is set to be less than said first reference speed signal; and preference means responsive to said vehicle height determination means and said vehicle speed determination means for providing a preference for said first soft signal to said suspension-means over said hard signal and said second soft signal when said vehicle speed signal is within an overlapped range in which said predetermined speed range overlaps a range between said second reference speed and said first reference speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
Suspension controller according to claim 1 wherein said change in said vehicle height signal is determined as a function of maximum and minimum values of said vehicle height signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle height determination means includes memory means for storing a conversion table determination of said vehicle height signal in response to said distance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle speed determination means includes memory means for storing a responsive table of a vehicle speed and said suspension characteristic and means for providing said hard and second soft signals in accordance with said table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height signal is a function-of a displacement of said vehicle height from a standard value thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height signal is a function of a speed of the change in the vehicle height.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height signal is a function of an acceleration of the change in the vehicle height.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle height signal is a function of an amplitude of the vibration of said vehicle height.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 including suspension characteristic alteration means responsive to said hard and soft signals, wherein said suspension characteristic alteration means alters a suspension characteristic by varying the spring constant of an air suspension.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 including suspension characteristic alteration means responsive to said hard and soft signals, wherein said suspension characteristic alteration means alters a suspension characteristic by varying a damping force of a shock absorber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 including suspension characteristic means responsive to said hard and soft signals, wherein said suspension characteristic alteration means alters a suspension characteristic by varying compliance of a bush of the suspension.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The suspension controller according to claim 1 including suspension characteristic alteration mea.ns responsive to said hard and soft signals, wherein said suspension characteristic alteration means alters a suspension characteristic by varying a torsional stiffness of a stabilizer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5856907A
Cited
GB2135020A
Cited
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