Electronic control of vehicle air suspension
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.
17 Citations
24 Claims
-
1-16. -16. (canceled)
-
17. A method for controlling a vehicle suspension system, the vehicle suspension system including a vehicle frame, a plurality of axle assemblies that have axles that support said frame above the ground, including a first axle assembly with a first axle, a first fluid operated lifting actuator that extends from substantially said first axle assembly to said frame to support at least part of the frame weight on said first axle assembly, apparatus for sensing the height of the lift actuator including a tilt arm having first and second end portions pivotally coupled about a predetermined axis of the frame respectively to said frame and to said first axle, and a first tilt sensor, at least one component of which is mounted on a first location on said tilt arm, and a control that includes a filter means connected to said first tilt sensor to receive said signal, said control including at least one means to control said first lift actuator, the steps of the method comprising:
-
sensing the tilt angle of said first location on said tilt arm and generating a signal indicating the tilt angle of said first location about a predetermined axis of said frame, thereby indicating a tilt of said tilt arm and indicating said lift actuator height; and
controlling fluid flow into or out of said lift actuator to avoid flowing fluid into or out of said first air bag when the tilt of said tilt arm lasts less than approximately a predetermined time period, and avoiding flowing fluid into or out of said first lift actuator when said lift actuator height is within a predetermined distance above or below a predetermined height. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification