US4725072A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rear wheel suspension controller
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1985-12-23
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Granted: 1988-02-16
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Expires: 2005-12-23
Abstract
Abstract When a sporadic shock due to a protrusion or sinking of a road surface is detected at front wheels of a vehicle during its cruising on the road surface, the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle is immediately altered to improve the controllability and the stability of the vehicle or the feel of the ride thereof. For that purpose, a height sensor for detecting the distance between the body of the vehicle and each of the right and left front wheels thereof, a judgement section by which a front wheel vehicle height signal generated by the height sensor is compared with a predetermined reference range signal, and a controller for altering the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle depending on the result of the comparison are provided. In addition, a returning control of the characteristic of the suspension to the original state immediately after the rear wheels of the vehicle have passed over the protrusion or sinking which causes a sporadic shock may be performed. More effective control can be performed if these section are provided for the right and left wheels of the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Ken Asami
- 👤 Kaoru Ohashi
- 👤 Toshio Onuma
- 👤 Shuuichi Buma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:31
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G17/0165; B60G17/02; B60G17/04; B60G17/048; B60G17/0485; B60G21/00; B60G21/02; B60G21/04; B60G21/05; B60G21/055; B60G21/0551; B60G21/0553; B60G21/0556
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A rear wheel suspension controller for a vehicle having a suspension between a body and a wheel of the vehicle, comprising: front wheel vehicle height detection means for detecting a distance between a front wheel and the body of the vehicle as a height of the vehicle and for generating a front wheel vehicle height signal; judgement means for comparing the front wheel vehicle height signal with a predetermined reference range signal that is independent of a rear height value and for generating a judgment result signal when the front wheel vehicle height signal is out of the predetermined reference range signal; rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means for performing control to alter the characteristic of a rear wheel suspensions responsive to the judgement result signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A rear wheel suspension controller for a vehicle having a suspension between a body and a wheel of the vehicle, comprising: front wheel vehicle height detection means for detecting a distance between a front wheel and the body of the vehicle as a height of the vehicle and for generating a front wheel vehicle height signal; judgement means for comparing the front wheel vehicle height signal with a predetermined reference range signal that is independent of a rear height value and for generating a judgment result signal when the front wheel vehicle height signal is out of the predetermined reference range signal; rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means for performing control to alter the characteristic of a rear wheel suspensions responsive to the judgement result signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear wheel suspension controller include a return means for performing such control that the characteristic of the suspension altered by the rear wheel suspension alteration means is returned to the original unaltered state a predetermined time interval after the judgement result signal is generated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined time interval is determined in accordance with the speed of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
238 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the front wheel vehicle height detection means comprise right front wheel vehicle height detection means for detecting a distance between the right front wheel and the body of the vehicle and for generating a right front wheel vehicle height signal, and left front wheel vehicle height detection means for detecting a distance between the left front wheel and the body of the vehicle and for generating a left front wheel vehicle height signal; the judgement means comprise a right judgement means for comparing the right front wheel vehicle height signal with a predetermined reference signal and for generating a right judgement result signal when the right front wheel vehicle height signal is greater than the predetermined reference range signal, and left judgement means for comparing the left front wheel vehicle height signal with a predetermined reference range signal and for generating a left judgement result signal when the left front wheel vehicle height signal is out of the predetermined reference range signal; the rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means comprising right rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means for performing control to alter the characteristic of the right rear wheel suspension in accordance with the right judgment result signal, and left rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means for performing control to alter the characteristic of the left rear wheel suspension in accordance with the left judgement result signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rear wheel suspension controller comprise right return means for performing such control that the characteristic of the right rear wheel suspension altered by the right rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means is returned to the original unaltered state a predetermined time interval after the right judgment result signal is generated, and comprise left return means for performing such control that the characteristic of the left rear wheel suspension altered by the left rear wheel suspension characteristic alteration means is returned to the original unaltered state a predetermined time interval after the left judgment result signal is generated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal indicating a displacement of the height of the vehicle from an average height thereof is generated as the front wheel vehicle height signal by the vehicle height detection means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal indicating a speed of the displacement of the height of the vehicle is generated as the front wheel vehicle height signal by the vehicle height detection means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal indicating an acceleration of the displacement of the height of the vehicle is generated as the front wheel vehicle height signal by the vehicle height detection means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal indicating an amplitude of the displacement of the height of the vehicle is generated as the front wheel vehicle height signal by the vehicle height detection means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A rear wheel suspension controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear wheel suspension controller include means for selecting whether or not the front wheel vehicle height signal should be compared with the predetermined reference range signal by the judgement means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-15 | 1991-08-17 | 1992-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-15 | 1995-08-17 | 1996-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-15 | 1999-08-17 | 2000-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |