US4602805A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle suspension apparatus
Assignee: Mitsubishi Motors Corp
•
Filing: 1985-04-25
•
Granted: 1986-07-29
•
Expires: 2005-04-25
Abstract
Abstract The front wheel exhaust valves and the rear wheel supply valves are opened for a predetermined period of time when rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by the accelerator pedal sensor and the gear position sensor, the absolute value of change in vehicle position and its velocity can be properly controlled. Therefore, comfort and steering stability can be improved as compared with vehicles mounting of the conventional apparatus. In addition, since an acceleration state is detected by the gear position sensor as well as the accelerator pedal sensor, rapid acceleration of the vehicle can be accurately detected, thereby preventing unnecessary position control.
Inventors
- 👤 Tadao Tanaka
- 👤 Sunao Chikamori
- 👤 Mitsuhiko Harara
- 👤 Yasutaka Taniguchi
- 👤 Masanaga Suzumura
- 👤 Minoru Tatemoto
- 👤 Naotake Kumagai
- 👤 Hiroki Abe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/02; B60G17/033; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and having fluid spring chambers, respectively; fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid supply valves; fluid exhaust means for exhausting the fluid from said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel fluid supply valves and said front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and having fluid spring chambers, respectively; fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid supply valves; fluid exhaust means for exhausting the fluid from said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel fluid supply valves and said front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position control means generates the control start signal when said accelerator pedal sensor detects that an accelerator pedal depression velocity exceeds a preset value and said gear position sensor detects that a gear position is set in a low-speed gear position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position control means determines the predetermined period of time corresponding to an accelerator pedal depression velocity detected by said accelerator pedal sensor upon generation of the control start signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position control means supplies a control restoration signal to open said front wheel fluid supply valves and said rear wheel fluid exhaust valves for the predetermined period of time after said front wheel exhaust valves and said rear wheel supply valves are opened for the predetermined period of time in response to the control start signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when the rapid acceleration is decreased in accordance with the output from said accelerator pedal sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said accelerator pedal sensor detects that the accelerator pedal is gradually being released.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said accelerator pedal sensor detects that the accelerator pedal release depression velocity is decreased.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a driving system rotational velocity sensor for detecting a rotational velocity of a driving system of the vehicle, and wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said driving system rotational velocity sensor detects that the rapid acceleration of the vehicle is decreased.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said driving system rotational sensor comprises a vehicle velocity sensor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said driving system rotational velocity sensor comprises an engine speed sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said driving system rotational velocity sensor detects that the rotational velocity of said driving system is decreased.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said driving system rotational velocity sensor detects a decrease in a rate of change in the rotational velocity of said driving system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
119 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said fluid supply means has a fluid supply channel selection valve for selecting one of large- and small-diameter paths for supplying the fluid to the respective fluid spring chambers; said fluid exhaust means has a fluid exhaust channel selection valve for selecting one of large- and small-diameter paths for exhausting the fluid from the respective fluid spring chambers; and said position control means controls said fluid supply and exhaust channel selection valves to select the large-diameter fluid supply and exhaust paths for said fluid supply and exhaust means when the control start signal is generated, and to select the small-diameter fluid supply and exhaust paths when the control restoration signal is generated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: front and rear vehicle height sensors for detecting front and rear vehicle heights of a vehicle body of the vehicle, respectively; and vehicle height control means for comparing signals from said front and rear vehicle height sensors with target vehicle height inputs and generating a vehicle height control signal to open/close said supply and exhaust valves so as to match the front and rear vehicle heights with the target vehicle heights.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein after said position control means generates the control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for the predetermined period of time, said position control means will not generate the control restoration signal, and said vehicle height control means restores a previous vehicle position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, after said position control means generates the control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for the predetermined period of time, said position control means generates the control restoration signal when said accelerator pedal sensor detects that an accelerator pedal release velocity exceeds a predetermined value, and said position control means will not generate the control restoration signal when the accelerator pedal release velocity is less than the predetermined value, thereby causing said vehicle height control means to restore the vehicle position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
140 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said fluid supply means has a fluid supply channel selection valve for selecting one of large- and small-diameter paths for supplying the fluid to the respective fluid spring chambers; said fluid exhaust means has a fluid exhaust channel selection valve for selecting one of large- and small-diameter paths for exhausting the fluid from the respective fluid spring chambers; and said position control means controls said fluid supply and exhaust channel selection valves to select the large-diameter fluid supply and exhaust paths for said fluid supply and exhaust means when the control start signal is generated, and vehicle height control means controls said fluid supply and exhaust channel selection valves to select the small-diameter fluid supply and exhaust paths for said fluid supply and exhaust means when the vehicle height control signal is generated.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving system rotational velocity sensor for detecting a rotational velocity of a driving system of the vehicle, and wherein said position control means stops generating the control start signal when said driving system rotational velocity sensor detects that a rotational velocity of said driving system is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said driving system rotational velocity sensor comprises a vehicle velocity sensor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said driving system rotational velocity sensor comprises an engine speed sensor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position control means will not generate the control start signal for a predetermined period of time upon generation of the control start signal even if said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor detect the rapid acceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position control means comprises a controller with a microcomputer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said position control means and said vehicle height control means comprise a controller with a microcomputer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
213 words
A vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and having air spring chambers, respectively; compressed air supply means for supplying compressed air to said air spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel compressed air supply valves; compressed air exhaust means for exhausting the compressed air from said air spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel compressed air exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel compressed air suppy valves and said front and rear wheel compressed air exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel compressed air exhaust valves and said rear wheel compressed air supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
213 words
A vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and having air spring chambers, respectively; compressed air supply means for supplying compressed air to said air spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel compressed air supply valves; compressed air exhaust means for exhausting the compressed air from said air spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel compressed air exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel compressed air suppy valves and said front and rear wheel compressed air exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel compressed air exhaust valves and said rear wheel compressed air supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
206 words
A hydropneumatic type vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and havign fluid spring chambers, respectively; fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to said fluid spring chambers in siad front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid supply valves; fluid exhaust means for exhausting the fluid from said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel fluid supply valves and said front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
206 words
A hydropneumatic type vehicle suspension apparatus comprising: front and rear wheel suspension units arranged at wheel positions and havign fluid spring chambers, respectively; fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to said fluid spring chambers in siad front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid supply valves; fluid exhaust means for exhausting the fluid from said fluid spring chambers in said front and rear wheel suspension units, respectively, through front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; position control means for controlling said front and rear wheel fluid supply valves and said front and rear wheel fluid exhaust valves; an accelerator pedal sensor for detecting a state of an accelerator pedal of a vehicle engine and supplying a detection signal to said position control means; and a gear position sensor for detecting a gear change position of a transmission of a vehicle and supplying a detection signal to said position control means, wherein said position control means supplies a control start signal to open said front wheel fluid exhaust valves and said rear wheel fluid supply valves for a predetermined period of time when a rapid acceleration of the vehicle is detected by said accelerator pedal sensor and said gear position sensor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5326021A
Cited
US4326733A
Cited
US4377299A
Cited
US4453725A
Cited
US4466625A
Cited
JPS5830541A
Cited
JPS5830819A
Cited
US4564214A
Cited
US4546960A
Cited
US4468050A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-07-28 | 1990-01-27 | 1990-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-07-28 | 1994-01-27 | 1994-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-07-28 | 1998-01-27 | 1998-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |