US3874692A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air-suspension system for motor vehicles
Assignee: Aisin Corp
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Filing: 1973-03-08
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1993-03-08
Abstract
Abstract A motor-vehicle suspension system incorporates a closed air circuit comprising a low-pressure tank, a first changeover valve, a compressor, a second changeover valve, a high-pressure tank, and a pneumatic device (an air spring or the like into which compressed air is supplied from the high-pressure tank). A first pressure-sensitive device is provided for preventing the compressor from pumping any more air away from the low-pressure tank into the high-pressure tank upon reduction in the pressure of the former tank, while a second pressure-sensitive device is provided for restarting the once-stopped pumping operation in the event of the reduction in the pressure of the latter tank which may be caused by air leakage. Simultaneously with this restarting of the compressor operation, a device for air replenishment becomes operative to cause the first and second changeover valves to cut off the above two tanks from the compressor. Atmospheric air is then permitted to flow into this compressor and thence back into the low-pressure tank, from which the air is pumped into the high-pressure tank by the same compressor.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Ono
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:56
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/0152; B60G17/0155; B60G17/02; B60G17/04; B60G17/052; B60G2500/00; B60G2500/20; B60G2500/201; B60G2500/2014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
An air-suspension system for motor vehicles, comprising a low-pressure tank, a high-pressure tank, means providing communication between the tanks, a compressor for supplying compressed air from the low-pressUre tank to the high-pressure tank, and a pneumatic means for communication with the low- and high-pressure tanks, said high-pressure tank supplying the compressed air to the pneumatic means as required, which then utilizes the elasticity of the compressed air confined therein as the energy medium and thereafter feeds the air back to said low pressure tank, a firstpressure-sensitive means operably related to said low-pressure tank, said first pressuresensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the lowpressure tank in such a manner that the operation of said compressor is stopped thereby when the pressure reduction in said low-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, a second pressuresensitive means operably related to said high pressure tank and the compressor, said second pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of said highpressure tank in such manner that the operation of said compressor which has been stopped by said first pressuresensitive means is restarted thereby when the pressure reduction in said high-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, and means for air replenishment and becoming operative simultaneously with the operation of said second pressure-sensitive means thereby to change the communication of an inlet valve of said compressor over to an atmospheric air intake from said low-pressure tank and the communication of a discharge valve thereof over to said lowpressure tank from said high-pressure tank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
An air-suspension system for motor vehicles, comprising a low-pressure tank, a high-pressure tank, means providing communication between the tanks, a compressor for supplying compressed air from the low-pressUre tank to the high-pressure tank, and a pneumatic means for communication with the low- and high-pressure tanks, said high-pressure tank supplying the compressed air to the pneumatic means as required, which then utilizes the elasticity of the compressed air confined therein as the energy medium and thereafter feeds the air back to said low pressure tank, a firstpressure-sensitive means operably related to said low-pressure tank, said first pressuresensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the lowpressure tank in such a manner that the operation of said compressor is stopped thereby when the pressure reduction in said low-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, a second pressuresensitive means operably related to said high pressure tank and the compressor, said second pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of said highpressure tank in such manner that the operation of said compressor which has been stopped by said first pressuresensitive means is restarted thereby when the pressure reduction in said high-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, and means for air replenishment and becoming operative simultaneously with the operation of said second pressure-sensitive means thereby to change the communication of an inlet valve of said compressor over to an atmospheric air intake from said low-pressure tank and the communication of a discharge valve thereof over to said lowpressure tank from said high-pressure tank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
327 words
An air-suspension system for motor vehicles, comprising a low-pressure tank, a high-pressure tank, means providing communication between the tanks, a compressor for supplying compressed air from the low pressure tank to the high-pressure tank, and a pneumatic means for communicating with the low- and high-pressure tanks, said high pressure tank supplying the compressed air to the pneumatic means as required, which then utilizes the elasticity of the compressed air comfined therein as the energy medium and thereafter feeds the air back to the low-pressure tank, a first pressure-sensitive means operably related to the low-pressure tank and the compressor said first pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the low-pressure tank in such a manner that the operation of the compressor is stopped thereby when the pressure reduction in the low-pressure tank meets a prescribed level, a second pressure-sensitive means operably related to the high-pressure tank and the compressor, said second pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the high-pressure tank in such a manner that the operation of the compressor which has been stopped by the first pressure-sensitive means is restarted thereby when the pressure reduction in the high-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, and means for air replenishment and becoming operative simultaneously with the operation of the second pressure-sensitive means thereby to change the communication of an inlet valve of the compressor over to an atmospheric air intake from the low-pressure tank and the communication of a discharge valve thereof over to the low-pressure tank from the high-pressure tank, said means for air replenishment comprising first changeover valve means installed between said low-pressure tank and said inlet valve of said compressor, second changeover valve means installed between said discharge valve of said compressor and said high-pressure tank, and electromagnet means energized upon operation of said second pressure-sensitive means so as to cause said first and said second changeover valve means to simultaneously modify their respective passageway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
327 words
An air-suspension system for motor vehicles, comprising a low-pressure tank, a high-pressure tank, means providing communication between the tanks, a compressor for supplying compressed air from the low pressure tank to the high-pressure tank, and a pneumatic means for communicating with the low- and high-pressure tanks, said high pressure tank supplying the compressed air to the pneumatic means as required, which then utilizes the elasticity of the compressed air comfined therein as the energy medium and thereafter feeds the air back to the low-pressure tank, a first pressure-sensitive means operably related to the low-pressure tank and the compressor said first pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the low-pressure tank in such a manner that the operation of the compressor is stopped thereby when the pressure reduction in the low-pressure tank meets a prescribed level, a second pressure-sensitive means operably related to the high-pressure tank and the compressor, said second pressure-sensitive means being operable in response to change in the pressure of the high-pressure tank in such a manner that the operation of the compressor which has been stopped by the first pressure-sensitive means is restarted thereby when the pressure reduction in the high-pressure tank reaches a prescribed level, and means for air replenishment and becoming operative simultaneously with the operation of the second pressure-sensitive means thereby to change the communication of an inlet valve of the compressor over to an atmospheric air intake from the low-pressure tank and the communication of a discharge valve thereof over to the low-pressure tank from the high-pressure tank, said means for air replenishment comprising first changeover valve means installed between said low-pressure tank and said inlet valve of said compressor, second changeover valve means installed between said discharge valve of said compressor and said high-pressure tank, and electromagnet means energized upon operation of said second pressure-sensitive means so as to cause said first and said second changeover valve means to simultaneously modify their respective passageway.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2882069A
Cited
US2862726A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |