Vehicle pitch control device

Claim 2

A front-to-rear vehicle pitch compensating system comprising: a rear suspension assembly including a sprung and unsprung mass, a first load leveling device between said masses for maintaining a predetermined height at the rEar of the vehicle, a first signal bellows having a pressurizable chamber therein responsive to the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass portions of a vehicle at the rear thereof, a front suspension having a sprung and unsprung mass, a second signal bellows connected between the sprung and unsprung masses of said front suspension, said bellows including a pressurizable chamber for sensing the height relationship between the front sprung and unsprung mass portions, a controller including valve means, fluid supply means communicating said controller and said load leveling device, means responsive to a differential pressure in said first and second signal bellows including means for operating said valve means to selectively communicate first and second pressure sources with said fluid supply means, said first valve communicating said fluid supply means with the first pressure source to cause said leveling device to produce a first supplemental load carrying force when the rear of the vehicle is low to return it to the desired predetermined height, said controller being operative to condition said valve means to communicate said fluid supply means with the second pressure source when the front of the vehicle is low to cause said leveling device to produce a second supplemental load carrying force at the rear suspension which lowers the rear to maintain a predetermined desired pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle.

Claim 3

A front-to-rear vehicle pitch compensating system comprising: a rear suspension assembly including a sprung and unsprung mass, a first load leveling device between said masses for maintaining a predetermined height at the rEar of the vehicle, a first signal bellows having a pressurizable chamber therein responsive to the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass portions of a vehicle at the rear thereof, a front suspension having a sprung and unsprung mass, a second signal bellows connected between the sprung and unsprung masses of said front suspension, said bellows including a pressurizable chamber for sensing the height relationship between the front sprung and unsprung mass portions, a controller including valve means, fluid supply means communicating said controller and said load leveling device, means responsive to a differential pressure in said first and second signal bellows including means for operating said valve means to selectively communicate first and second pressure sources with said fluid supply means, said first valve communicating said fluid supply means with the first pressure source to cause said leveling device to produce a first supplemental load carrying force when the rear of the vehicle is low to return it to the desired predetermined height, said controller being operative to condition said valve means to communicate said fluid supply means with the second pressure source when the front of the vehicle is low to cause said leveling device to produce a second supplemental load carrying force at the rear suspension which lowers the rear to maintain a predetermined desired pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle.

Claim 4

A front-to-rear vehicle pitch compensating system comprising: a rear suspension assembly including a sprung and unsprung mass, a first load leveling device between said masses for maintaining a predetermined height at the rEar of the vehicle, a first signal bellows having a pressurizable chamber therein responsive to the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass portions of a vehicle at the rear thereof, a front suspension having a sprung and unsprung mass, a second signal bellows connected between the sprung and unsprung masses of said front suspension, said bellows including a pressurizable chamber for sensing the height relationship between the front sprung and unsprung mass portions, a controller including valve means, fluid supply means communicating said controller and said load leveling device, means responsive to a differential pressure in said first and second signal bellows including means for operating said valve means to selectively communicate first and second pressure sources with said fluid supply means, said first valve communicating said fluid supply means with the first pressure source to cause said leveling device to produce a first supplemental load carrying force when the rear of the vehicle is low to return it to the desired predetermined height, said controller being operative to condition said valve means to communicate said fluid supply means with the second pressure source when the front of the vehicle is low to cause said leveling device to produce a second supplemental load carrying force at the rear suspension which lowers the rear to maintain a predetermined desired pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle.

Claim 5

A vehicle pitch control system comprising: a rear suspension having leveler means with a pressurizable control chamber therein for producing changes in the resultant load carrying capacity thereof to maintain a desired height between the sprung and unsprung mass of the rear suspension, first signal means responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the rear thereof to produce a first signal, second signal means responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the front thereof for producing a second signal, valve means for selectively connecting said leveler means to first and second pressure sources, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means in accordance with signals from said first and second signal means, said valve actuator means operating said valve means to disconnect said leveler means and said first and second pressure sources when the car pitch is level, said valve actuator means responding to a differential signal between said first and second signal means corresponding to a low front end pitch condition to communicate one of said pressure sources with said leveler means to reduce the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the rear thereof to return the vehicle to a desired pitch attitude, said valve actuator means being responsive to a differential signal between said first and second signal means reflecting a rear low vehicle attitude to connect said leveler means with the other pressure source to increase the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass at the rear of the vehicle thereby to return it to a desired pitch attitude.

Claim 6

A vehicle pitch control system comprising: a rear suspension having leveler means with a pressurizable control chamber therein for producing changes in the resultant load carrying capacity thereof to maintain a desired height between the sprung and unsprung mass of the rear suspension, first signal means responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the rear thereof to produce a first signal, second signal means responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the front thereof for producing a second signal, valve means for selectively connecting said leveler means to first and second pressure sources, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means in accordance with signals from said first and second signal means, said valve actuator means operating said valve means to disconnect said leveler means and said first and second pressure sources when the car pitch is level, said valve actuator means responding to a differential signal between said first and second signal means corresponding to a low front end pitch condition to communicate one of said pressure sources with said leveler means to reduce the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle at the rear thereof to return the vehicle to a desired pitch attitude, said valve actuator means being responsive to a differential signal between said first and second signal means reflecting a rear low vehicle attitude to connect said leveler means with the other pressure source to increase the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung mass at the rear of the vehicle thereby to return it to a desired pitch attitude.

Claim 7

A vehicle leveler control system and pitch attitude indicator for an automobile leveling system comprising: a housing having a sealed pressure chamber, a supply conduit port to said chamber adapted to be connected to a pressurizable leveler unit of a vehicle leveling system, first and second pressure supply ports on said housing adapted to be connected to first and second pressure supplies, valve means for controlling flow from said pressure supply ports closed to said sealed chamber, valve actuator means including a level position wherein said valve means closes both of said ports, a front low operative position and a rear low operative position, said valve actuator means being operative to close one of said valve and open the other of said valves when in one low position and to open said one of said valves and To close the other of said valves when in its other operative low position to selectively connect the supply port to the load leveler unit with either said first or said second pressure supplies to change the pressure condition within the vehicle leveler unit to maintain a controlled pitch attitude between the front and rear of the vehicle, said control unit including an indicator panel thereon, indicator means connected to said valve actuator means and responsive to movement thereof into either its level or first and second low operative position to indicate the pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle during operation of the control device.

Claim 8

A vehicle leveler control system and pitch attitude indicator for an automobile leveling system comprising: a housing having a sealed pressure chamber, a supply conduit port to said chamber adapted to be connected to a pressurizable leveler unit of a vehicle leveling system, first and second pressure supply ports on said housing adapted to be connected to first and second pressure supplies, valve means for controlling flow from said pressure supply ports closed to said sealed chamber, valve actuator means including a level position wherein said valve means closes both of said ports, a front low operative position and a rear low operative position, said valve actuator means being operative to close one of said valve and open the other of said valves when in one low position and to open said one of said valves and To close the other of said valves when in its other operative low position to selectively connect the supply port to the load leveler unit with either said first or said second pressure supplies to change the pressure condition within the vehicle leveler unit to maintain a controlled pitch attitude between the front and rear of the vehicle, said control unit including an indicator panel thereon, indicator means connected to said valve actuator means and responsive to movement thereof into either its level or first and second low operative position to indicate the pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle during operation of the control device.

Claim 9

A vehicle pitch attitude controller and indicator comprising: a first signal producing means for producing a first signal responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of a vehicle at the front suspension thereof, a second signal producing means for producing a second signal responsive to the changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle at the rear suspension thereof, pressurizable load leveler means adapted to be connected between sprung and unsprung masses at the rear suspension and sprung and unsprung masses at the front suspension, valve means for selectively applying first and second pressure sources to the pressurizable load leveler means for maintaining a predetermined pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means including an operator responsive to the signals produced by said signal producing means and operative to connect said front leveler means to one of said pressure sources while connecting the rear leveler means to the other of said pressure sources to cause one of said leveler means to have an increased resultant lifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith while concurrently causing the other of said leveler means to have a reduced uplifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith thereby to produce a front to rear pitch attitude control.

Claim 10

A vehicle pitch attitude controller and indicator comprising: a first signal producing means for producing a first signal responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of a vehicle at the front suspension thereof, a second signal producing means for producing a second signal responsive to the changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle at the rear suspension thereof, pressurizable load leveler means adapted to be connected between sprung and unsprung masses at the rear suspension and sprung and unsprung masses at the front suspension, valve means for selectively applying first and second pressure sources to the pressurizable load leveler means for maintaining a predetermined pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means including an operator responsive to the signals produced by said signal producing means and operative to connect said front leveler means to one of said pressure sources while connecting the rear leveler means to the other of said pressure sources to cause one of said leveler means to have an increased resultant lifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith while concurrently causing the other of said leveler means to have a reduced uplifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith thereby to produce a front to rear pitch attitude control.

Claim 11

A vehicle pitch attitude controller and indicator comprising: a first signal producing means for producing a first signal responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of a vehicle at the front suspension thereof, a second signal producing means for producing a second signal responsive to the changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle at the rear suspension thereof, pressurizable load leveler means adapted to be connected between sprung and unsprung masses at the rear suspension and sprung and unsprung masses at the front suspension, valve means for selectively applying first and second pressure sources to the pressurizable load leveler means for maintaining a predetermined pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means including an operator responsive to the signals produced by said signal producing means and operative to connect said front leveler means to one of said pressure sources while connecting the rear leveler means to the other of said pressure sources to cause one of said leveler means to have an increased resultant lifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith while concurrently causing the other of said leveler means to have a reduced uplifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith thereby to produce a front to rear pitch attitude control, an indicator arm on said valve operator, said actuator means including opposed bellows for maintaining said indicator in a null position when said first and said second signals are balanced, said bellows responding to differences in said first and second signals to position said indicator arm to indicate the pitch attitude of the front and rear of the car.

Claim 12

A vehicle pitch attitude controller and indicator comprising: a first signal producing means for producing a first signal responsive to changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of a vehicle at the front suspension thereof, a second signal producing means for producing a second signal responsive to the changes in the height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle at the rear suspension thereof, pressurizable load leveler means adapted to be connected between sprung and unsprung masses at the rear suspension and sprung and unsprung masses at the front suspension, valve means for selectively applying first and second pressure sources to the pressurizable load leveler means for maintaining a predetermined pitch relationship between the front and rear of the vehicle, valve actuator means for controlling said valve means including an operator responsive to the signals produced by said signal producing means and operative to connect said front leveler means to one of said pressure sources while connecting the rear leveler means to the other of said pressure sources to cause one of said leveler means to have an increased resultant lifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith while concurrently causing the other of said leveler means to have a reduced uplifting force on the sprung mass associated therewith thereby to produce a front to rear pitch attitude control, an indicator arm on said valve operator, said actuator means including opposed bellows for maintaining said indicator in a null position when said first and said second signals are balanced, said bellows responding to differences in said first and second signals to position said indicator arm to indicate the pitch attitude of the front and rear of the car.