US3687480A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle leveling system
Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Europe BVBA
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Filing: 1970-06-12
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1990-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle leveling system comprising a pair of fluid actuated leveling devices which are adapted to have a supply of pressurized actuating fluid communicated thereto in order to control the relative attitude between the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle; the system including a fluid supply assembly which is preferably disposed in the trunk compartment of the associated vehicle and comprises a minimum pressurized valve which assures that a predetermined minimum pressure is maintained in the system, and means for removably receiving portable disposable containers of actuating fluid and means for removing the fluid from the containers and communicating the same to the leveling system in order to effect actuation thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 John H Fader
- 👤 Johan H Keijzer
- 👤 Marcel J R Graulus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:24
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/02; B60G17/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
In combination with a Fluid actuated leveling strut interposed between and adapted to control the attitude between sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, a pressure control valve for maintaining a preselected fluid pressure within a variable volume chamber in said strut, said valve including housing means defining a fluid passage communicable with said chamber in said strut a valve member within said housing movable between positions opening and closing a flow path communicable with said fluid passage, said valve member normally closing said flow path and being movable to a position opening said path in response to a pre-selected fluid pressure within said chamber, and means for controlling the pressure at which said valve member moves toward said position opening said flow path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination with a Fluid actuated leveling strut interposed between and adapted to control the attitude between sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, a pressure control valve for maintaining a preselected fluid pressure within a variable volume chamber in said strut, said valve including housing means defining a fluid passage communicable with said chamber in said strut a valve member within said housing movable between positions opening and closing a flow path communicable with said fluid passage, said valve member normally closing said flow path and being movable to a position opening said path in response to a pre-selected fluid pressure within said chamber, and means for controlling the pressure at which said valve member moves toward said position opening said flow path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leveling strut comprises first and second relatively movable parts which are expandable and contractable in response to increases and decreases in fluid pressure in said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes fluid inlet and discharge valve means for admitting and relieving fluid pressure supplied to said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leveling strut is gas operated and wherein said pressure control valve maintains a preselected minimum gas pressure within said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes a pair of fluid actuated devices, conduit means communicating fluid pressure from said devices to said pressure control valve, and means for communicating said control valve with different sources of fluid pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pressure control valve comprises first and second valve means said first valve means providing a fluid flow to said strut and second valve assembly including said valve member and operable to relieve fluid pressure in said chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first valve means comprises a check valve, and which includes spring means operable to bias said valve member toward a position closing said flow path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
In combination with an automotive vehicle including passenger, luggage, and engine compartments, a sprung portion, an unsprung portion, and at least one fluid actuatable elevating device for controlling the relative attitude between the vehicle portions, a fluid system for communicating actuating fluid between one of the vehicle compartments and the elevating device, and fluid pressure control means within one of said vehicle compartments, said pressure control means normally maintaining an open fluid flow path between a fluid source and said system and being automatically actuatable to close said path when a predetermined minimum fluid pressure exists in said system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
99 words
In combination with an automotive vehicle including passenger, luggage, and engine compartments, a sprung portion, an unsprung portion, and at least one fluid actuatable elevating device for controlling the relative attitude between the vehicle portions, a fluid system for communicating actuating fluid between one of the vehicle compartments and the elevating device, and fluid pressure control means within one of said vehicle compartments, said pressure control means normally maintaining an open fluid flow path between a fluid source and said system and being automatically actuatable to close said path when a predetermined minimum fluid pressure exists in said system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said system includes means for removably receiving portable disposable containers of actuating fluid and means for communicating fluid within said containers to said elevating device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said elevating device is gas operated and said last mentioned means is adapted to removably receive disposable containers of a pressurized gas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination as set forth in claim 10 which includes means for operably mounting said container receiving means within the trunk compartment of a vehicle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
In combination with a fluid actuated device for controlling the attitude between the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, an enclosure for removably receiving portable disposable containers of actuating fluid, and means for selectively communicating fluid from a container disposed within said enclosure and fluid passage means for communicating actuating fluid from said enclosure to a variable volume chamber in said device for increasing the volume of said chamber and thereby changing the attitude between the vehicle portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
In combination with a fluid actuated device for controlling the attitude between the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, an enclosure for removably receiving portable disposable containers of actuating fluid, and means for selectively communicating fluid from a container disposed within said enclosure and fluid passage means for communicating actuating fluid from said enclosure to a variable volume chamber in said device for increasing the volume of said chamber and thereby changing the attitude between the vehicle portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combinaTion as set forth in claim 12 wherein said device is gas operated and wherein said enclosure is adapted to communicate pressurized gas within containers to said passage means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination as set forth in claim 13 which includes a portable disposable cartridge of carbon dioxide adapted for removable reception within said enclosure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination as set forth in claim 13 which includes means engageable with the discharge opening of said containers for receiving pressurized gas therefrom and communicating the same to said fluid passage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination as set forth in claim 13 which includes means for introducing fluid pressure from a source thereof different from the pressurized fluid within containers received by said enclosure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination as set forth in claim 13 wherein said enclosure defines a cavity adapted to removably receive individual cartridges of pressurized gas, means within said enclosure for removing pressurized gas from within cartridges inserted into said enclosure, and means including valve means for communicating pressurized gas from said cartridges to said device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as set forth in claim 17 which includes means for forming an access opening in the cartridges of pressurized gas and communicating said gas through said opening in the cartridges to said device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination with a fluid actuated leveling strut interposed between and adapted to control the attitude between the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, a pressure control assembly including a housing for controlling the pressure of actuating fluid supplied to said device, said assembly including valve means located within said housing for maintaining a preselected minimum pressure in said device, said valve means normally maintained in a position providing a flow path to said strut and being movable to a position closing said flow path when the fluid pressure in said strut reaches a predetermined minimum value, an enclosure for removably receiving portable disposable containers of a pressurized fluid, and means for communicating fluid from containers received by said assembly to said strut.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination with a fluid actuated leveling strut interposed between and adapted to control the attitude between the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, a pressure control assembly including a housing for controlling the pressure of actuating fluid supplied to said device, said assembly including valve means located within said housing for maintaining a preselected minimum pressure in said device, said valve means normally maintained in a position providing a flow path to said strut and being movable to a position closing said flow path when the fluid pressure in said strut reaches a predetermined minimum value, an enclosure for removably receiving portable disposable containers of a pressurized fluid, and means for communicating fluid from containers received by said assembly to said strut.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination as set forth in claim 19 which includes means for communicating a source of pressurized fluid different from said containers to said strut.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein said strut is gas operated and said enclosure is adapted to removably receive portable disposable cartridges of pressurized gas.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination as set forth in claim 21 wherein said enclosure defines a cavity adapted to removably receive individual cartridges of pressurized gas, means adjacent said cavity for removing pressurized gas from within cartridges inserted into said enclosure, and valve means for communicating pressurized gas from said cartridges from said device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination as set forth in claim 22 wherein said enclosure is rotatable to effect movement of a cartridge in said cavity toward a means for puncturing cartridges, and which includes means for communicating gas through a punctured opening in the cartridges to said device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination as set forth in claim 23 wherein said valve means includes a valve seat and a valve pin formed with an outwardly projecting shoulder, and which includes spring means engageable with said shoulder and normally biasing said shoulder toward a position engaging said valve member with said valve seat.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
119 words
In combination with an automotive vehicle including luggage, passenger, and engine compartments, a sprung portion and an unsprung portion, and a pair of gas operated elevating struts for controlling the attitude between the vehicle portions, an assembly disposed in one of said compartments for controlling the pressure of the gas supplied to said struts, conduit means for communicating gas between said assembly and said struts, said assembly comprising first valve means for selectively communicating gas frOm a source thereof to said conduit means, second valve means for maintaining a preselected minimum pressure in said struts, and means for removable receiving portable disposable containers of gas and for communicating the gas contained therein through said conduit means to said struts.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
119 words
In combination with an automotive vehicle including luggage, passenger, and engine compartments, a sprung portion and an unsprung portion, and a pair of gas operated elevating struts for controlling the attitude between the vehicle portions, an assembly disposed in one of said compartments for controlling the pressure of the gas supplied to said struts, conduit means for communicating gas between said assembly and said struts, said assembly comprising first valve means for selectively communicating gas frOm a source thereof to said conduit means, second valve means for maintaining a preselected minimum pressure in said struts, and means for removable receiving portable disposable containers of gas and for communicating the gas contained therein through said conduit means to said struts.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 which includes means for operatively mounting said assembly within said luggage compartment.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
54 words
The combination as set forth in claim 25 which includes a housing defining a cavity adapted to removably receive individual cartridges of pressurized gas, means adjacent said housing for removing pressurized gas from within cartridges received within said housing, and means including valve means for communicating pressurized gas from said cartridges to said devices.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination as set forth in claim 27 which includes means for puncturing cartridges of pressurized gas and communicating said gas through a punctured opening in the cartridges to said devices.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination as set forth in claim 27 wherein said housing defining said cavity is rotatable.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination as set forth in claim 29 which includes means for puncturing cartridges of pressurized gas in response to rotation of said housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |