ACTIVE VEHICLE SUSPENSION

• US 20140288776A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearMotion, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Levant Power Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Zackary Martin, Giovanardi, Marco, Tucker, Clive, Leehey, Jonathan R., O'Shea, Colin Patrick, Schneider, Johannes, Gorelik, Vladimir, Sawyer, Tyson David, Wendell, Ross J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/14 having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air fluid springs with an accumulator B60G11/30
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0157 non-fluid unit, e.g. electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/016 characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input B60G17/017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0182 involving parameter estimation, e.g. observer, Kalman filter
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/15 Fluid spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/30 Spring/Damper and/or actuator Units
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/416 using a pump, e.g. in the line connecting the lower chamber to the upper chamber of the actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/40 Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/41 Dampers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/051 Angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/5182 Fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/172 Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/02 Supply or exhaust flow rates; Pump operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/182 Active control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/1871 Optimal control; Kalman Filters
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/21 : Self-controlled or adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/73 : Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/82 : duty rate function
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/162 : Reducing road induced vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/85 : System Prioritisation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/916 : Body Vibration Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 99/002 : Suspension details of the suspension of the vehicle body on the vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/064 : Units characterised by the location or shape of the expansion chamber F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3292 : Sensor arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/466 : Throttling control, i.e. regulation of flow passage geometry F16F9/464, F16F9/465 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/06 : Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 21/06 : Rotor flux based control involving the use of rotor position or rotor speed sensors

Abstract

A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller. The method includes disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.

Claims

1. A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system,

comprising:

disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, the active suspension system comprising an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller;

detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and

sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.