Damping system for vehicular suspension

Claim 1

A suspension damping system for a vehicle, comprising: a first variable-volume fluid chamber adapted for a mechanical connection to the vehicle, said connection causing a decrease in the volume of said first fluid chamber to accompany jounce motion of a first wheel of the vehicle, but said connection causing comparatively little change in the volume of said first fluid chamber when jounce or rebound motion occurs at any other wheel of the vehicle independently of said first wheel, a second variable-volume fluid chamber adapted for a second mechanical connection to the vehicle, said second connection causing a decrease in the volume of said second fluid chamber to accompany jounce motion of a second wheel of the vehicle, but said second connection causing comparatively little change in the volume of said second fluid chamber when jounce or rebound motion occurs at any other wheel of the vehicle independently of said second wheel, said second wheel being suspended relatively independently of said first wheel, a connection allowing fluid transfer between said first and said second fluid chambers, whereby rotational damping of the vehicle is reduced, fluid flow restricting means for resisting a decrease in the total fluid volume of said first and said second fluid chambers, and for relieving the static fluid pressure in each of said two fluid chambers to a value no more than a small fraction of that which would arise from supporting, through said two mechanical connections, the sprung weight of the vehicle while at rest, means for containing fluid displaced from either of said two fluid chambers through said fluid flow restricting means, and means for returning fluid from said containing means to said fluid chambers.