Air leveling system for an automotive vehicle

Claim 2

An air leveling system for an automotive vehicle comprising a sprung component, an unsprung component, a pneumatic means interposed between said sprung and unsprung components for controlling the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component as a function of the pressure of the air in said pneumatic means, a compressor, an electric motor operatively coupled to said compressor to drive said compressor, air delivery means coupled to said air compressor and said pneumatic means, a source of electrical energy, and electrical circuit means for Automatically connecting said source of electrical energy to said electric motor when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is below a predetermined minimum level.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 in which said electrical circuit means includes time delay means for delaying the connection between said source of electrical energy and said electric motor for a predetermined time period after the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component reaches and remains below said predetermined minimum level.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 comprising further and electrically operated normally closed bleed valve coupled to said pneumatic means, said electrical circuit means for automatically including means connecting said source of electrical energy to said electrically operated normally closed bleed valve for opening said valve to atmosphere when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is above a predetermined maximum level.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 in which said electrical circuit means includes time delay means for delaying the connection between said source of electrical energy and said normally closed bleed valve for a predetermined time period after the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component reaches and remains above said predetermined maximum level.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 in which said electrical circuit means includes time delay means for delaying the connection between said source of electrical energy and said electric motor for a predetermined time period after the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component reaches and remains below said predetermined level and for delaying the connection between said source of electrical energy and said electrically operated normally closed bleed valve for a predetermined time period after the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component reaches and remains above said predetermined maximum.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 in which said electrical circuit means includes switching means having a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members being operatively coupled to said sprung component and the other of said members being operatively coupled to said unsprung component, and mounting means mounting said two members in position with respect to one another for causing electrical contact between said two members when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is below said predetermined minimum, and circuit means coupled to said members for electrically coupling said source of electrical energy to said electric motor when such height is below said predetermined minimum.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 in which said electrical circuit means comprises further a solid state switching device having an output circuit connected to one of said members of said switching means and in which said source of electrical energy and said electric motor are coupled in circuit with the other of said members, said solid state switching device having a control electrode, a firing circuit means connected to said control electrode and to the other of said members.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7 in which said firing circuit means includes a time delay means for preventing the conduction of said solid state switching device for a predetermined period of time after said one of said members of said switching means makes electrical contact with the other of said members.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 3 in which said electrical circuit means includes switching means having a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members being operatively coupled to said sprung component and the other of said members being operatively coupled to said unsprung component, and mounting means mounting said two members in position with respect to one another for causing electrical contact between said two members when the heigHt of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is above said predetermined maximum, and circuit means coupled to said members for electrically coupling said source of electrical energy to said electrically operated normally closed bleed valve when such height is above such predetermined maximum.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 9 in which said electrical circuit means comprises further a solid state switching device having an output circuit connected to one of said members of said switching means and in which said source of electrical energy and said electrically operated normally closed bleed valve are coupled in circuit with the other of said members, said solid state switching device having a control electrode, a firing circuit means connected to said control electrode and to the other of said members.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 10 in which said firing circuit means includes a time delay means for preventing the conduction of said solid state switching device for a predetermined period of time after one of said members of said switching means makes electrical contact with the other of said members.

Claim 13

An automatic air leveling system for an automotive vehicle comprising a sprung component, an unsprung component, pneumatic means interposed between said sprung and unsprung components for controlling the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component as a function of the pressure of the air in said pneumatic means, first electrically operated means coupled to said pneumatic means for supplying air under pressure to said pneumatic means, second electrically operated means coupled to said pneumatic means for venting said pneumatic means to atmosphere, a source of electrical energy, a solid state switching device having a pair of output electrodes and a control electrode, a switching means having a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members coupled to said sprung component and the other of said members coupled to said unsprung component, circuit means including said switching means for connecting said source of electrical energy to said first electrically operated means and said output electrodes of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is below a predetermined minimum level and for connecting said source of electrical energy to said second electrically operated means and the output electrodes of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is above a predetermined maximum level, and circuit means including said switching means coupled to said control electrode of said solid state switching device for applying a pulse of electrical energy of proper polarity to said control electrode to cause conduction of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is either below said predetermined minimum level or above said predetermined maximum level.

Claim 14

An automatic air leveling system for an automotive vehicle comprising a sprung component, an unsprung component, pneumatic means interposed between said sprung and unsprung components for controlling the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component as a function of the pressure of the air in said pneumatic means, first electrically operated means coupled to said pneumatic means for supplying air under pressure to said pneumatic means, second electrically operated means coupled to said pneumatic means for venting said pneumatic means to atmosphere, a source of electrical energy, a solid state switching device having a pair of output electrodes and a control electrode, a switching means having a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members coupled to said sprung component and the other of said members coupled to said unsprung component, circuit means including said switching means for connecting said source of electrical energy to said first electrically operated means and said output electrodes of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is below a predetermined minimum level and for connecting said source of electrical energy to said second electrically operated means and the output electrodes of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is above a predetermined maximum level, and circuit means including said switching means coupled to said control electrode of said solid state switching device for applying a pulse of electrical energy of proper polarity to said control electrode to cause conduction of said solid state switching device when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is either below said predetermined minimum level or above said predetermined maximum level.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 12 in which said last mentioned circuit means further comprises time delay means for delaying the application of said pulse of electrical energy to said control electrode for a predetermined time period after the height of said sprung component with respect to said unspring component reaches and remains below said predetermined minimum level or reaches and remains above said predetermined maximum level.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 13 in which said switching means comprises a rotatable switching arm coupled to one of said components and a commutator having a plurality of spaced conductive sectors coupled to the other of said components, said rotatable switching arm connected electrically to the output electrodes of solid state switching device, one of said conductive sectors coupled electrically to said source of electrical energy and said first electrically operated means, and a second of said conductive sectors adjacent said fiRst mentioned conductive sector electrically coupled to said source of electrical energy and said second electrically operated means.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 14 in which said rotatable switching arm is rotatably mounted about an axis located at the center of said sectors.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 15 in which said rotatable switching arm extends in opposed directions from said axis, a third conductive segment positioned diametrically opposite said first conductive sector and a fourth conductive sector positioned diametrically opposite said second conductive sector, said third and fourth sectors electrically connected to said circuit means for applying a pulse of electrical energy to said control electrode of said solid state switching device, said rotatable arm contacting said first and third sectors when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is below said predetermined minimum level and contacting said second and fourth sectors when the height of said sprung component with respect to said unsprung component is above said predetermined maximum level.