Suspension device for a vehicle

Abstract

Abstract A suspension device for use in a vehicle, adapted to be arranged between a wheel suspension member and the body structure of the vehicle and capable of increasing the spring rate of the device to a substantial extent in a relatively low load range so as to minimize the pitching and/or rolling motion of the vehicle while retaining its intrinsic pneumatic spring characteristics in the relatively high load range so as to bear a considerably heavy load imposed thereupon, for the purpose of providing improved running stability of the vehicle without impairing the riding comfort thereof. The device includes a telescopic shock absorber filled with hydraulic fluid, a spring unit having a pneumatic spring chamber containing air or gas under pressure and a hydraulic fluid chamber in communication with the interior of said shock absorber, both defined therein by means of an elastic diaphragm on the opposite sides of the latter, and a spring means such as an elastic rubber spring disposed within the hydraulic fluid chamber in facing relation with the diaphragm for resisting the inflation of the pneumatic spring chamber in response to extensive movement of the shock absorber beyond a definite length.

Inventors

• 👤 Noriyuki Takahashi
• 👤 Hidehiko Inoue
• 👤 Hiromitsu Miyahara

Bibliographic Details