Oleo-pneumatic suspension assembly

Claim 2

A vehicle suspension device including a first cylinder adapted to be connected to the sprung mass of the vehicle and a second cylinder adapted to be connected to the unsprung portion of the vehicle, means including one of said cylinders for forming a pressurized gas spring, means defining a fluid-filled reservoir between said spring and the other of said cylinders, means including said other of said cylinders defining a positive displacement fluid pump for varying the amount of fluid in the reservoir to vary the pressure in said gas spring, damper valve means including a unitary valving element having an upper surface and a peripheral flange thereon forming a vortex chamber, said element including a plurality of spaced slots tangential to a diameter on the valving element located radially inwardly of the outer circumference thereof, each of said slots including a sharp leading edge located inwardly of the vortex chamber therein for communicating the vortex chamber with the outer peripheral edge of the valve whereby vehicle movement will cause fluid to be directed through said slots into and out of the reservoir for damping relative movement between the unsprung mass and sprung mass, said positive displacement fluid pump including an inner cylinder and a spool axially movable within the inner cylinder, and means defining an oil charge chamber on one side of said spool, said charge chamber adapted to be connected to a fluid pressure source separate from fluid in said pump to move said spool axially within said inner cylinder to vary the amount of oil within the reservoir in accordance with vehicle load to change the pressure of the gas spring to balance changes in the load on the sprung mass of the vehicle.

Claim 3

A combination spring and damping suspension unit for leveling between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle comprising; gas spring means including an outer cylinder having an open end, an end closure closing the open end of said outer cylinder, meanS including an elastomeric sleeve connected between the end closure and said outer cylinder defining a variable volume gas space, an intermediate cylinder located coaxially of the outer cylinder having one end thereof supported by said end closure and the opposite end thereof supported by said outer cylinder, an oil reservoir formed between said intermediate cylinder and the elastomeric sleeve, a valve member closing one end of said intermediate cylinder for controlling oil flow from within the intermediate cylinder to the oil reservoir, an inner cylinder located in telescoping relationship with the intermediate cylinder having one end thereof extending outwardly of said intermediate cylinder and the outer cylinder, means for connecting the outwardly extending end of said inner cylinder to a first portion of a vehicle suspension, means for connecting the outer cylinder to another portion of a vehicle suspension, said inner cylinder reciprocating into and out of the intermediate cylinder in response to vehicle movement, said inner cylinder displacing oil between said reservoir and said intermediate cylinder under the control of said valve to damp vehicle movement, a spool assembly slidably supported within said inner cylinder for axial movement therein, said spool assembly separating said inner cylinder into an oil charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means for connecting the oil charge chamber to a separate oil pressure source for directing a greater amount of oil into the oil charge chamber when the vehicle is loaded thereby to cause the spool assembly to shift axially inwardly of the inner cylinder to displace oil from the oil pressurization chamber and the intermediate cylinder into the annular reservoir for displacing the sleeve into the gas space to increase the gas pressure therein to support the additional load.

Claim 4

A combination spring and damping suspension unit for leveling between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle comprising; gas spring means including an outer cylinder having an open end, an end closure closing the open end of said outer cylinder, meanS including an elastomeric sleeve connected between the end closure and said outer cylinder defining a variable volume gas space, an intermediate cylinder located coaxially of the outer cylinder having one end thereof supported by said end closure and the opposite end thereof supported by said outer cylinder, an oil reservoir formed between said intermediate cylinder and the elastomeric sleeve, a valve member closing one end of said intermediate cylinder for controlling oil flow from within the intermediate cylinder to the oil reservoir, an inner cylinder located in telescoping relationship with the intermediate cylinder having one end thereof extending outwardly of said intermediate cylinder and the outer cylinder, means for connecting the outwardly extending end of said inner cylinder to a first portion of a vehicle suspension, means for connecting the outer cylinder to another portion of a vehicle suspension, said inner cylinder reciprocating into and out of the intermediate cylinder in response to vehicle movement, said inner cylinder displacing oil between said reservoir and said intermediate cylinder under the control of said valve to damp vehicle movement, a spool assembly slidably supported within said inner cylinder for axial movement therein, said spool assembly separating said inner cylinder into an oil charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means for connecting the oil charge chamber to a separate oil pressure source for directing a greater amount of oil into the oil charge chamber when the vehicle is loaded thereby to cause the spool assembly to shift axially inwardly of the inner cylinder to displace oil from the oil pressurization chamber and the intermediate cylinder into the annular reservoir for displacing the sleeve into the gas space to increase the gas pressure therein to support the additional load.

Claim 5

A combination spring and leveling unit form maintaining a predetermined height relationship between the sprung and the unsprung mass of the vehicle comprising means defining an outer gas spring including an elastomeric sleeve, an openended high-pressure oil cylinder located within said bladder, a seal assembly closing the open end of said pressure cylinder, said pressure cylinder and said sleeve defining an oil reservoir therebetween, valve means controlling the oil flow from within the pressure cylinder to the reservoir for damping relative movement between the sprung and the unsprung mass, an inner cylinder member having opposite open ends, said inner cylinder located in telescoping relationship within the pressure cylinder including one end thereon adapted to be connected to one portion of the vehicle suspension, means on the gas spring adapted to be connected to another portion of the vehicle suspension whereby upon relative movement between the first and second portions of the suspension, the inner cylinder reciprocates into and out of the intermediate cylinder in response to road movement to displace oil into and out of the intermediate cylinder and said reservoir, means for leveling the vehicle including a spool member located within said inner cylinder and separating it into an oil charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means responsive to changes in the loading on the sprung mass of the vehicle to direct oil into and exhaust oil from the oil charge chamber to cause the spool to shift axially within the inner cylinder thereby to displace oil from the inner cylinder into the intermediate cylinder and the annular reservoir when the vehicle is loaded against the sleeve to increase the pressure in the gas spring until the pressure therein will support the changed vehicle load, said spool being moved axially within the inner cylinder when the load is removed to draw oil from the annular reservoir to the intermediate cylinder and inner cylinder to reduce the pressure within the gas spring when the vehicle is unloaded so as to return the vehicle to maintain a predetermined height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of thE vehicle.

Claim 6

A combination spring and leveling unit form maintaining a predetermined height relationship between the sprung and the unsprung mass of the vehicle comprising means defining an outer gas spring including an elastomeric sleeve, an openended high-pressure oil cylinder located within said bladder, a seal assembly closing the open end of said pressure cylinder, said pressure cylinder and said sleeve defining an oil reservoir therebetween, valve means controlling the oil flow from within the pressure cylinder to the reservoir for damping relative movement between the sprung and the unsprung mass, an inner cylinder member having opposite open ends, said inner cylinder located in telescoping relationship within the pressure cylinder including one end thereon adapted to be connected to one portion of the vehicle suspension, means on the gas spring adapted to be connected to another portion of the vehicle suspension whereby upon relative movement between the first and second portions of the suspension, the inner cylinder reciprocates into and out of the intermediate cylinder in response to road movement to displace oil into and out of the intermediate cylinder and said reservoir, means for leveling the vehicle including a spool member located within said inner cylinder and separating it into an oil charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means responsive to changes in the loading on the sprung mass of the vehicle to direct oil into and exhaust oil from the oil charge chamber to cause the spool to shift axially within the inner cylinder thereby to displace oil from the inner cylinder into the intermediate cylinder and the annular reservoir when the vehicle is loaded against the sleeve to increase the pressure in the gas spring until the pressure therein will support the changed vehicle load, said spool being moved axially within the inner cylinder when the load is removed to draw oil from the annular reservoir to the intermediate cylinder and inner cylinder to reduce the pressure within the gas spring when the vehicle is unloaded so as to return the vehicle to maintain a predetermined height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of thE vehicle.

Claim 7

A hydro-pneumatic suspension device comprising an outer cylindrical member having a closed end and an open end, a retaining cup supported on the closed end, an outer cylinder end cap closing the open end of the outer cylinder member, an elastomeric sleeve member connected between the outer cylinder cap and said retaining cup to define a sealed gas space between the sleeve and the outer cylinder, an intermediate open-ended cylinder located coaxially of the outer cylinder and including one end thereon supported by the outer cylinder end cap and the opposite end thereof supported with respect to the retaining cup, a reservoir between the intermediate cylinder and sleeve, an inner cylinder member having one end thereof located within the intermediate cylinder, a guide bushing on said inner cylinder for locating said one end thereof for sliding reciprocating movement within said intermediate cylinder, the opposite end of said inner cylinder extending outwardly of said outer cylinder for connection to a portion of a vehicle suspension, means connecting the outer cylinder to another portion of the vehicle suspension for causing reciprocation of the inner cylinder into and out of the intermediate cylinder during relative road movements between the suspension portions, a guide bushing within said outer cylinder cap for supporting the inner cylinder during opposite reciprocation thereof into and out of the intermediate cylinder, a valve member having an annular flange portion seated on said retaining cup and an upper surface thereon extending completely across the full planar extent of the open end of the intermediate cylinder, said valve member having a vortex chamber between the upper surface and the retaining cup, a plurality of slots directed through said flange to communicate said reservoir with said vortex chamber, each of said slots being located along a chord line of the outer circumference of said valve member and tangent to a predetermined diameter located radially within and centrally of the outer circumference of the valve element and each of said slots including a sharp edge for shearing oil that passes from the vortex chamber into the annular oil reservoir, a spool located within said inner cylinder defining a fluid charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means connecting the charge chamber to means for varying the amount of oil flow into and out of the charge chamber in accordance with changes of load on the vehicle, said spool moving axially into the inner cylinder when the load is increased to cause oil to be displaced from the inner cylinder thence to the intermediate cylinder and across the valve into the reservoir to cause the pressure of the gas spring to compensate for load change, said spool being movable axially outwardly of the inner cylinder to draw oil from the annular reservoir thence through the valve and into the intermediate and inner cylinders when the vehicle is unloaded to reduce the pressure in the gas spring to maintain a predetermined desired height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle.

Claim 8

A hydro-pneumatic suspension device comprising an outer cylindrical member having a closed end and an open end, a retaining cup supported on the closed end, an outer cylinder end cap closing the open end of the outer cylinder member, an elastomeric sleeve member connected between the outer cylinder cap and said retaining cup to define a sealed gas space between the sleeve and the outer cylinder, an intermediate open-ended cylinder located coaxially of the outer cylinder and including one end thereon supported by the outer cylinder end cap and the opposite end thereof supported with respect to the retaining cup, a reservoir between the intermediate cylinder and sleeve, an inner cylinder member having one end thereof located within the intermediate cylinder, a guide bushing on said inner cylinder for locating said one end thereof for sliding reciprocating movement within said intermediate cylinder, the opposite end of said inner cylinder extending outwardly of said outer cylinder for connection to a portion of a vehicle suspension, means connecting the outer cylinder to another portion of the vehicle suspension for causing reciprocation of the inner cylinder into and out of the intermediate cylinder during relative road movements between the suspension portions, a guide bushing within said outer cylinder cap for supporting the inner cylinder during opposite reciprocation thereof into and out of the intermediate cylinder, a valve member having an annular flange portion seated on said retaining cup and an upper surface thereon extending completely across the full planar extent of the open end of the intermediate cylinder, said valve member having a vortex chamber between the upper surface and the retaining cup, a plurality of slots directed through said flange to communicate said reservoir with said vortex chamber, each of said slots being located along a chord line of the outer circumference of said valve member and tangent to a predetermined diameter located radially within and centrally of the outer circumference of the valve element and each of said slots including a sharp edge for shearing oil that passes from the vortex chamber into the annular oil reservoir, a spool located within said inner cylinder defining a fluid charge chamber and an oil pressurization chamber, means connecting the charge chamber to means for varying the amount of oil flow into and out of the charge chamber in accordance with changes of load on the vehicle, said spool moving axially into the inner cylinder when the load is increased to cause oil to be displaced from the inner cylinder thence to the intermediate cylinder and across the valve into the reservoir to cause the pressure of the gas spring to compensate for load change, said spool being movable axially outwardly of the inner cylinder to draw oil from the annular reservoir thence through the valve and into the intermediate and inner cylinders when the vehicle is unloaded to reduce the pressure in the gas spring to maintain a predetermined desired height relationship between the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle.

Claim 9

A vehicle suspension and leveling system comprising; a sprung mass portion, a sprung mass frame bracket on said portion, a pair of wheel brackets, each of said wheel brackets having one end thereof pivotally secured to said frame bracket and the opposite end thereof adapted to supportingly receive a portion of an unsprung mass, each of said wheel brackets having an upstanding arm thereon, a combination vehicle leveling and spring device connected between each of said upstanding arms, said device having a first cylinder member pivotally connected to one of said upstanding arms and a yoke member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a second outer cylinder connected to the first cylinder member, means including an elastomeric sleeve within said outer cylinder member defining a high pressure gas space, an intermediate cylinder located coaxially of said outer cylinder in spaced relationship thereto to defiNe an oil pressure chamber within said outer cylinder, means defining an annular oil reservoir space between said sleeve and the intermediate cylinder, an inner cylinder member slidably supported within said intermediate cylinder member and having one end thereof located outwardly of said outer cylinder and connected to said yoke assembly whereby relative movement between the upstanding arms of said wheel bracket will cause reciprocal movement of said inner cylinder member into and out of said intermediate cylinder in response to vehicle road movements, a spool assembly located within said inner cylinder member for axial slidable movement thereon and defining an oil charge chamber therein and an oil pressurization chamber therein, a source of oil pressure, height control means responsive to changes in vehicle load to direct the oil source to and from the oil charge chamber thereby to axially displace said spool assembly within said inner cylinder to vary oil displacement therefrom into said oil reservoir to increase the pressure within said gas space to compensate for changes of vehicle load, said inner cylindrical member displacing oil from within said intermediate cylinder during normal road movements between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle, and valve means located between the interior of said intermediate cylinder and the annular reservoir for controlling flow of oil therebetween so as to damp normal road movement between the sprung and unsprung mass in accordance with the telescoping movement of the inner cylinder into and out of the intermediate cylindrical member.

Claim 10

A vehicle suspension and leveling system comprising; a sprung mass portion, a sprung mass frame bracket on said portion, a pair of wheel brackets, each of said wheel brackets having one end thereof pivotally secured to said frame bracket and the opposite end thereof adapted to supportingly receive a portion of an unsprung mass, each of said wheel brackets having an upstanding arm thereon, a combination vehicle leveling and spring device connected between each of said upstanding arms, said device having a first cylinder member pivotally connected to one of said upstanding arms and a yoke member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a second outer cylinder connected to the first cylinder member, means including an elastomeric sleeve within said outer cylinder member defining a high pressure gas space, an intermediate cylinder located coaxially of said outer cylinder in spaced relationship thereto to defiNe an oil pressure chamber within said outer cylinder, means defining an annular oil reservoir space between said sleeve and the intermediate cylinder, an inner cylinder member slidably supported within said intermediate cylinder member and having one end thereof located outwardly of said outer cylinder and connected to said yoke assembly whereby relative movement between the upstanding arms of said wheel bracket will cause reciprocal movement of said inner cylinder member into and out of said intermediate cylinder in response to vehicle road movements, a spool assembly located within said inner cylinder member for axial slidable movement thereon and defining an oil charge chamber therein and an oil pressurization chamber therein, a source of oil pressure, height control means responsive to changes in vehicle load to direct the oil source to and from the oil charge chamber thereby to axially displace said spool assembly within said inner cylinder to vary oil displacement therefrom into said oil reservoir to increase the pressure within said gas space to compensate for changes of vehicle load, said inner cylindrical member displacing oil from within said intermediate cylinder during normal road movements between the sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle, and valve means located between the interior of said intermediate cylinder and the annular reservoir for controlling flow of oil therebetween so as to damp normal road movement between the sprung and unsprung mass in accordance with the telescoping movement of the inner cylinder into and out of the intermediate cylindrical member.