Leveling unit with integral motor-driven fluid pump

Claim 2

An integral combination shock absorber and self-leveling unit for automotive suspension systems comprising: a member adapted to be connected to the unsprung mass of the automobile; said member having a hydraulic fluid-filled pressure cylinder tube within its interior; a piston rod connected at one end to the sprung mass of the automobile; said piston rod extending through said member coaxially into said pressure cylinder tube; a valved piston on the other end of said piston rod for reciprocation within said pressure cylinder tube to dampen relative movement between said sprung and unsprung masses of the automobile; said piston dividing said pressure cylinder tube into a fluid-filled rebound chamber and a fluid-filled compression chamber; a booster chamber containing hydraulic fluid and fluidly connected to said compression chamber for supplying and receiving hydraulic fluid from said compression chamber as said piston moves upward and downward respectively in said pressure cylinder tube; a reservoir chamber for storing hydraulic fluid; an electric motor-driven fluid pump for drawing fluid from said reservoir chamber, pressurizing the fluid and transferring the pressurized fluid to said compression chamber whereby it produces an upward force upon the cross-sectional area of said piston rod; a height-sensing means responsive to the location of said piston within said pressure cylinder tube for energizing said electric pump motor whenever said piston is less than a predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube; a bleed valve which is normally closed to prevent hydraulic fluid flow between said booster chamber and said reservoir chamber and which is opened by said height-sensing means whenever said piston is more than another predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube.

Claim 3

An integral combination shock absorber and self-leveling unit for automotive suspension systems comprising: a member adapted to be connected to the unsprung mass of the automobile; said member having a hydraulic fluid-filled pressure cylinder tube within its interior; a piston rod connected at one end to the sprung mass of the automobile; said piston rod extending through said member coaxially into said pressure cylinder tube; a valved piston on the other end of said piston rod for reciprocation within said pressure cylinder tube to dampen relative movement between said sprung and unsprung masses of the automobile; said piston dividing said pressure cylinder tube into a fluid-filled rebound chamber and a fluid-filled compression chamber; a booster chamber containing hydraulic fluid and fluidly connected to said compression chamber for supplying and receiving hydraulic fluid from said compression chamber as said piston moves upward and downward respectively in said pressure cyliNder tube; a reservoir chamber for storing hydraulic fluid; an electric motor-driven fluid pump for drawing fluid from said reservoir chamber, pressurizing the fluid and transferring the pressurized fluid to said compression chamber whereby it produces an upward force on the cross-sectional area of the piston rod; a height-sensing means responsive to the location of said piston within said pressure cylinder tube for energizing said electric pump motor whenever said piston is less than a predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube; a bleed valve which is normally closed to prevent hydraulic fluid flow between said booster chamber and said reservoir chamber and which is opened by said height-sensing means whenever said piston is more than another predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube; said height-sensing means including a lever pivotally connected to said shock absorber member and extending axially upward into said pressure cylinder tube; an axial bore in said piston rod having a cammed end surface inclined with respect to the axis of the piston rod and adapted to contact and laterally displace the upper end of said lever as the piston rod moves downward within said pressure cylinder tube; a flexible tube attached at its lower end to said shock absorber member and attached at its upper end to said lever thereby acting as a hinge to permit pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said shock absorber member.

Claim 4

An integral combination shock absorber and self-leveling unit for automotive suspension systems comprising: a member adapted to be connected to the unsprung mass of the automobile; said member having a hydraulic fluid-filled pressure cylinder tube within its interior; a piston rod connected at one end to the sprung mass of the automobile; said piston rod extending through said member coaxially into said pressure cylinder tube; a valved piston on the other end of said piston rod for reciprocation within said pressure cylinder tube to dampen relative movement between said sprung and unsprung masses of the automobile; said piston dividing said pressure cylinder tube into a fluid-filled rebound chamber and a fluid-filled compression chamber; a booster chamber containing hydraulic fluid and fluidly connected to said compression chamber for supplying and receiving hydraulic fluid from said compression chamber as said piston moves upward and downward respectively in said pressure cyliNder tube; a reservoir chamber for storing hydraulic fluid; an electric motor-driven fluid pump for drawing fluid from said reservoir chamber, pressurizing the fluid and transferring the pressurized fluid to said compression chamber whereby it produces an upward force on the cross-sectional area of the piston rod; a height-sensing means responsive to the location of said piston within said pressure cylinder tube for energizing said electric pump motor whenever said piston is less than a predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube; a bleed valve which is normally closed to prevent hydraulic fluid flow between said booster chamber and said reservoir chamber and which is opened by said height-sensing means whenever said piston is more than another predetermined distance from the bottom of said pressure cylinder tube; said height-sensing means including a lever pivotally connected to said shock absorber member and extending axially upward into said pressure cylinder tube; an axial bore in said piston rod having a cammed end surface inclined with respect to the axis of the piston rod and adapted to contact and laterally displace the upper end of said lever as the piston rod moves downward within said pressure cylinder tube; a flexible tube attached at its lower end to said shock absorber member and attached at its upper end to said lever thereby acting as a hinge to permit pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said shock absorber member.

Claim 5

In a direct-acting hydraulic shock absorber having an interconnected piston and piston rod reciprocal in a pressure cylinder tube and a hydraulic fluid filled compression chamber and reservoir chamber: a height-sensing means for sensing the relative location of said piston in said pressure cylinder tube; said means including a pivotally mounted lever which extends axially upward into said pressure cylinder tube; an axial bore in said piston rod having a cammed end surface inclined with respect to the axis of said piston rod and adapted to contact and laterally displace the upper end of said lever as said piston rod moves downward within said pressure cylinder tube; a flexible tube attached at its lower end to said shock absorber and attached at its upper end to said lever thereby acting as a hinge to permit pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said shock absorber and further acting as a seal between said compression chamber and said reservoir chamber.

Claim 6

In a direct-acting hydraulic shock absorber having an interconnected piston and piston rod reciprocal in a pressure cylinder tube and a hydraulic fluid filled compression chamber and reservoir chamber: a height-sensing means for sensing the relative location of said piston in said pressure cylinder tube; said means including a pivotally mounted lever which extends axially upward into said pressure cylinder tube; an axial bore in said piston rod having a cammed end surface inclined with respect to the axis of said piston rod and adapted to contact and laterally displace the upper end of said lever as said piston rod moves downward within said pressure cylinder tube; a flexible tube attached at its lower end to said shock absorber and attached at its upper end to said lever thereby acting as a hinge to permit pivotal movement of said lever with respect to said shock absorber and further acting as a seal between said compression chamber and said reservoir chamber.