Symmetrically dynamic equalized volume and pressure air management system
First Claim
1. A method for adjusting air pressure of an air management system of a vehicle comprising one or more air supply tanks, a first pneumatic circuit disposed on a first side of the vehicle, and a second pneumatic circuit disposed on a second side of the vehicle, the method comprising:
- adjusting independently the air pressure of the first pneumatic circuit by a first leveling valve such that the first leveling valve is either supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks to the first pneumatic circuit or removing air from the first pneumatic circuit to the atmosphere,adjusting independently the air pressure of the second pneumatic circuit by a second leveling valve such that the second leveling valve is either supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks to the second pneumatic circuit or removing air from the second pneumatic circuit to the atmosphere, andestablishing pneumatic communication between the first pneumatic circuit and the second pneumatic circuit only when both the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve are set in a neutral mode such that each leveling valve is neither supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks or removing air into the atmosphere, wherein each of the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve comprises;
an upper housing mounted on a lower housing to form a valve body, wherein the valve body defines a chamber extending between the upper housing and the lower housing;
the lower housing comprising a plurality of ports communicating with the chamber, wherein the plurality of ports include a supply port, an exhaust port, one or more spring ports, and a cross-flow port;
a control arm having a first end attached to a shaft extending through an upper surface of the upper housing, wherein the control arm is configured to rotate about the valve body in response to extension or compression of the vehicle suspension;
a rotary disk positioned in the chamber of the valve body and connected to the control arm by the shaft, wherein the rotary disk is configured to rotate about the supporting element within the chamber of the valve body; and
wherein the rotary disk is configured to establish communication between the one or more spring ports and the cross-flow port while neither establishing communication between the one or more spring ports and the supply port nor the one or more spring ports and the exhaust port.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air management system for a vehicle having a first pneumatic circuit and a second pneumatic circuit, in which the first and second pneumatic circuits are pneumatically connected in a neutral position via a cross-flow mechanism. The first pneumatic circuit includes a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently the height of a first side of the vehicle. The second pneumatic circuit includes a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently the height of a second side of the vehicle. The first and second leveling valves are configured to establish pneumatic communication between the first and second pneumatic circuits when the first leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the first side of the vehicle and the second leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the second side of the vehicle.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for adjusting air pressure of an air management system of a vehicle comprising one or more air supply tanks, a first pneumatic circuit disposed on a first side of the vehicle, and a second pneumatic circuit disposed on a second side of the vehicle, the method comprising:
-
adjusting independently the air pressure of the first pneumatic circuit by a first leveling valve such that the first leveling valve is either supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks to the first pneumatic circuit or removing air from the first pneumatic circuit to the atmosphere, adjusting independently the air pressure of the second pneumatic circuit by a second leveling valve such that the second leveling valve is either supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks to the second pneumatic circuit or removing air from the second pneumatic circuit to the atmosphere, and establishing pneumatic communication between the first pneumatic circuit and the second pneumatic circuit only when both the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve are set in a neutral mode such that each leveling valve is neither supplying air from the one or more air supply tanks or removing air into the atmosphere, wherein each of the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve comprises; an upper housing mounted on a lower housing to form a valve body, wherein the valve body defines a chamber extending between the upper housing and the lower housing; the lower housing comprising a plurality of ports communicating with the chamber, wherein the plurality of ports include a supply port, an exhaust port, one or more spring ports, and a cross-flow port; a control arm having a first end attached to a shaft extending through an upper surface of the upper housing, wherein the control arm is configured to rotate about the valve body in response to extension or compression of the vehicle suspension; a rotary disk positioned in the chamber of the valve body and connected to the control arm by the shaft, wherein the rotary disk is configured to rotate about the supporting element within the chamber of the valve body; and wherein the rotary disk is configured to establish communication between the one or more spring ports and the cross-flow port while neither establishing communication between the one or more spring ports and the supply port nor the one or more spring ports and the exhaust port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An air management system for a vehicle, the air management system comprising:
-
a first pneumatic circuit having a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently the height of a first side of the vehicle; a second pneumatic circuit having a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently the height of a second side of the vehicle; and a cross-flow line connecting the first leveling valve with the second leveling valve; wherein the first and second leveling valves are configured to establish pneumatic communication between the first and second pneumatic circuits when the first leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the first side of the vehicle and the second leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the second side of the vehicle, wherein each of the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve comprises; an upper housing mounted on a lower housing to form a valve body, wherein the valve body defines a chamber extending between the upper housing and the lower housing; the lower housing comprising a plurality of ports communicating with the chamber, wherein the plurality of ports include a supply port, an exhaust port, one or more spring ports, and a cross-flow port; a control arm having a first end attached to a shaft extending through an upper surface of the upper housing, wherein the control arm is configured to rotate about the valve body in response to extension or compression of the vehicle suspension; a rotary disk positioned in the chamber of the valve body and connected to the control arm by the shaft, wherein the rotary disk is configured to rotate about the supporting element within the chamber of the valve body; and wherein the rotary disk is configured to establish communication between the one or more spring ports and the cross-flow port while neither establishing communication between the one or more spring ports and the supply port nor the one or more spring ports and the exhaust port. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification