Patent US3743477A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3869141A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3869141A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle suspension system
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-03-20
•
Granted: 1975-03-04
•
Expires: 1993-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle suspension system in which the actual available volume of a gas chamber assembly for each suspension strut is decreased during high-speed turn, acceleration or braking to increase resistance to rolling and pitching. The gas chamber of a hydropneumatic spring is connected with an auxiliary gas chamber through a spool valve, the spool of which is axially movable under the action of a horizontal force exerted on a weight operatively connected thereto. When the vehicle is subjected to a horizontal component of force, the spool is moved to a position to block communication between the gas chamber of the hydropneumatic spring and the auxiliary gas chamber to thereby reduce the actual available volume of the gas chamber assembly. In another embodiment, the spool valve also functions to isolate a fluid chamber of each strut from a pump and a reservoir during the certain drive conditions as mentioned above, thereby preventing deterioration of driveability.
Inventors
- 👤 Naganori Ito
- 👤 Hiroshi Aikawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 18:56
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/019; B60G17/01908; B60G17/01925; B60G17/02; B60G17/033; B60G17/04; B60G17/0416; B60G17/0424
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A vehicle suspension system comprising: first and second suspension struts each formed of a hydraulic shock absorber and a hydropneumatic spring means provided with a gas chamber; levelling means comprising a fluid pump fed from a fluid reservoir to pump fluid under pressure through at least one levelling valve responsive to the vehicle level and arranged to communicate the fluid reservoir and the shock absorbers of the first and second suspension struts to automatically maintain the level of the vehicle constant independently of variation in vehicle load; first and second auxiliary gas chamber means; normally open valve means connecting the first auxiliary gas chamber means to the gas chamber of the spring means of the first suspension strut and also connecting the second auxiliary gas chamber means to the gas chamber of the spring means of the second suspension strut; and sensing means to sense a horizontal component of force exerted on the vehicle, the sensing means being operatively connected to the valve means so as to close the valve means and isolate the first and second auxiliary gas chamber means from the respective gas chambers of the spring means of the first and second suspension struts in response to the horizontal component of the force being sensed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
A vehicle suspension system comprising: first and second suspension struts each formed of a hydraulic shock absorber and a hydropneumatic spring means provided with a gas chamber; levelling means comprising a fluid pump fed from a fluid reservoir to pump fluid under pressure through at least one levelling valve responsive to the vehicle level and arranged to communicate the fluid reservoir and the shock absorbers of the first and second suspension struts to automatically maintain the level of the vehicle constant independently of variation in vehicle load; first and second auxiliary gas chamber means; normally open valve means connecting the first auxiliary gas chamber means to the gas chamber of the spring means of the first suspension strut and also connecting the second auxiliary gas chamber means to the gas chamber of the spring means of the second suspension strut; and sensing means to sense a horizontal component of force exerted on the vehicle, the sensing means being operatively connected to the valve means so as to close the valve means and isolate the first and second auxiliary gas chamber means from the respective gas chambers of the spring means of the first and second suspension struts in response to the horizontal component of the force being sensed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second suspension struts are operatively associated with the front right and left wheels of the vehicle, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second suspension struts are operatively associated with the rear right and left wheels of the vehicle, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second suspension struts are operatively associated with the left front and rear wheels of the vehicle, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second suspension struts are operatively associated with the Right front and rear wheels of the vehicle, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the normally open valve means comprises a horizontally disposed valve cylinder; an axially movable spool within the valve cylinder; and two spring members for urging the spool in the opposite directions to resiliently hold it in a neutral position, the valve cylinder having a first port connected to the gas chamber of the spring means of the first suspension strut to communicate with a second port connected to the first auxiliary gas chamber means, a third port connected to the gas chamber of the spring means of the second suspension strut to communicate with a fourth port connected to the interior of the second auxiliary gas chamber means, the spool having first and second annular grooves providing communications between the first and second ports and between the third and fourth ports when the spool is held in the neutral position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the sensor means comprises a weight connected to one end of a lever pivotally mounted on the valve cylinder and the other end of the lever operatively connected with the spool.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second auxiliary gas chamber means each have a plurality of gas chambers therein which individually communicate with their respective gas chambers of the spring means of the first and second suspension struts through the valve means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second auxiliary gas chamber means comprise two chambers defined within a unitary container on the respective sides of a diaphragm member internally mounted therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second auxiliary gas chamber means comprises two chambers defined within a gas cylinder on the respective sides of a piston axially movable therein, the piston being resiliently held in a neutral position by two spring members which urge the piston in the opposite directions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the valve means is arranged to also isolate the at least one levelling valve from the fluid pump and reservoir in response to the horizontal component of force being sensed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A system as claimed in claim 11, in which the valve cylinder includes a fifth port connected to the fluid pump, a sixth port connected to an inlet of the at least one levelling valve, a seventh port connected to an outlet of the at least one levelling valve and an eighth port connected to the fluid reservoir, the spool having third and fourth annular grooves formed therein, the third and fourth annular grooves providing communications between the fifth and sixth ports and between the seventh and eighth ports, respectively, when the spool is held in the neutral position.
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) | 1978-03-03 | 1978-09-02 | 1979-03-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-03 | 1982-09-02 | 1983-03-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-03 | 1986-09-02 | 1987-03-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |