FLEXIBILITY CORRECTOR FOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION
First Claim
1. A flexibility corrector for a vehicle suspension system for reducing the suspension flexibility when the suspension system departs from its mean position and substantially working in a state of unstable equilibrium about said mean position of the suspension, said corrector comprising a triangular articulated structure formed by a first element having two spaced fixed pivot points, a second element pivotally mounted on one of said pivot points and a resilient member pivotally connected to the other of said pivot points and to the free end of said second element, said second element being responsive to the deflection and rebound movements of the suspension, and a servomechanism connected to said first element and having control means including means for detecting any deviation of said resilient member out of its state of unstable equilibrium so as to maintain said resilient member in said state in a static position of equilibrium of the suspension.
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Abstract
A flexibility corrector for a vehicle suspension system, which comprises a resilient member mounted between suspension elements movable in relation to each other and adapted to reduce the suspension flexibility when the suspension departs from its mean position, said corrector being characterized in that said resilient member is mounted in a state of unstable equilibrium in said mean position of the suspension, whereby the force applied to the suspension when the latter departs from said mean position tends to accentuate this deviation.
81 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A flexibility corrector for a vehicle suspension system for reducing the suspension flexibility when the suspension system departs from its mean position and substantially working in a state of unstable equilibrium about said mean position of the suspension, said corrector comprising a triangular articulated structure formed by a first element having two spaced fixed pivot points, a second element pivotally mounted on one of said pivot points and a resilient member pivotally connected to the other of said pivot points and to the free end of said second element, said second element being responsive to the deflection and rebound movements of the suspension, and a servomechanism connected to said first element and having control means including means for detecting any deviation of said resilient member out of its state of unstable equilibrium so as to maintain said resilient member in said state in a static position of equilibrium of the suspension.
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2. The flexibility corrector defined by claim 1 wherein said control means of the servomechanism are automatically effective and include timelag means coacting with said detection means for preventing the actuation of said servomechanism as a consequence of deviations caused by movements of the vehicle suspension during its operation.
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3. A flexibility corrector as defined by claim 2 characterized in that said timelag means consist of hydraulic devices associated with a device for actuating a deviation detecting electric contact in order to introduce a timelag in the closing of said contact the actuating device proper being responsive to said mechanical detection members.
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4. A flexibility corrector as defined by claim 2 characterized in that said timelag means are of the thermoelectric type comprising a bimetal disposed in series with a corresponding deviation detecting electric contact in the servomechanism control circuit, and an element capable of heating said bimetal which is adapted to be inserted in the energizing circuit by another deviation detecting electric coNtact associated with the preceding one.
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5. The flexibility corrector as defined by claim 1 characterized in that said second element responsive to the deflection and rebound movement of the suspension consists of a lever rotatably solid with the central portion of an antiroll torsion bar interconnecting the two wheel suspensions of a same axle.
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6. A flexibility corrector as defined by claim 1 characterized in that said servomechanism comprises a double-acting hydraulic actuator fed with hydraulic fluid from a slide-valve distributor responsive to pressure differentials in said actuator chambers.
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7. A flexibility corrector according to claim 6, characterized in that said actuator comprises piston means and cylinder means forming a plurality of chambers, said distributor includes a slide-valve member and control chambers at opposite extremities of said slide-valve member, said actuator chambers of said actuator are being connected respectively to said control chambers, spring means constantly urging said slide-valve member to an intermediate position in which said actuator chambers are isolated, said slide-valve member also being movable to a position permitting the supply of hydraulic fluid to the actuator chamber having the major pressure and to exhaust the other actuator chamber, until the state of unstable equilibrium of said resilient member which corresponds to the equality in the pressures in said actuator chambers is restored.
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8. A flexibility corrector according to claim 7, characterized in that throttling passages are provided in ducts between said actuator chambers and said control chambers for retarding the movement of said slide-valve member.
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9. A flexibility corrector according to claim 7, characterized in that differential-action valves are provided between said actuator chambers and said control chambers, in order to introduce a timelag in the movement of said slide-valve member when it departs from its mean position but not when it returns thereto.
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10. A flexibility corrector as defined by claim 1, characterized in that said servomechanism comprises an electric motor having inserted in its energizing circuit contacts adapted to energize said motor with a polarity according to the position of said deviation detecting contacts, said deviation detecting contacts having a neutral position in which said motor is deenergized.
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11. A flexibility corrector according to claim 10, characterized in that said servomechanism further includes a signal lamp connected in parallel with respect to said motor.
Specification