Vehicle-attitude control device
First Claim
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1. A vehicle-attitude control device for an automotive vehicle having a frame and wheels, said device comprising:
- centrifugal force sensing means operable to produce an output signal upon sensing a centrifugal force occurring when the vehicle travels along a curved course;
telescopic shock absorbers arranged in left and right pairs between the frame and respective wheels of the vehicle;
means operable upon reception of said output signal to controllably increase and decrease the amount of fluid in the left and right pairs of said shock absorbers thereby to tilt the vehicle frame laterally in a direction opposite to the direction of lateral swing ordinarily occurring under the action of said centrifugal force;
vehicle-height controlling valve means associated with said respective shock absorbers and each operable to feed the associated shock absorber with pressure fluid upon contraction thereof below a predetermined length and to cause fluid exhaust from the associated shock absorber upon extension thereof above a predetermined length; and
means operable to automatically render said vehicle-height controlling valve means ineffective upon operation of said centrifugal force sensing means.
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Abstract
A vehicle-attitude control device including telescopic shock absorbers adapted to additionally serve the purpose of vehicle height control and means for controlling the amount of oil held in the shock absorbers in a manner such that the vehicle is tilted during travel along a curved course in a direction opposite to that of lateral swing ordinarily occurring under the centrifugal effect. The vehicle-height controlling function is automatically interrupted when the vehicle is subjected to the centrifugal effect.
42 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vehicle-attitude control device for an automotive vehicle having a frame and wheels, said device comprising:
- centrifugal force sensing means operable to produce an output signal upon sensing a centrifugal force occurring when the vehicle travels along a curved course;
telescopic shock absorbers arranged in left and right pairs between the frame and respective wheels of the vehicle;
means operable upon reception of said output signal to controllably increase and decrease the amount of fluid in the left and right pairs of said shock absorbers thereby to tilt the vehicle frame laterally in a direction opposite to the direction of lateral swing ordinarily occurring under the action of said centrifugal force;
vehicle-height controlling valve means associated with said respective shock absorbers and each operable to feed the associated shock absorber with pressure fluid upon contraction thereof below a predetermined length and to cause fluid exhaust from the associated shock absorber upon extension thereof above a predetermined length; and
means operable to automatically render said vehicle-height controlling valve means ineffective upon operation of said centrifugal force sensing means.
- centrifugal force sensing means operable to produce an output signal upon sensing a centrifugal force occurring when the vehicle travels along a curved course;
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2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to increase and decrease the amount of fluid in the left and right pairs of shock absorbers comprises a cylinder for each left and right pair of shock absorbers, a piston slidable in said cylinder and dividing the same into respective chambers, and means connecting each chamber to a respective shock absorber.
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3. A device as claimed in claim 2 comprising a common piston rod for the pistons of the left and right pairs of shock absorbers.
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4. A device as claimed in claim 3 comprising means responding to said output signal from the centrifugal force sensing means for displacing said piston rod and thereby the pistons thereon to vary the sizes of said chambers and thereby regulate fluid feed to and from the left and right shock absorbers of said pairs to effect lateral tilting of the vehicle frame.
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5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein each said shock absorber has an inlet for connection to a source of pressure fluid and an outlet for connection to exhaust, said means to render the vehicle-height controlling valve means ineffective comprising a valve arrangement coupled to said piston rod and operated thereby to selectively block the inlets and outlets of the shock absorbers.
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6. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means responding to said output signal from the centrifugal force sensing means comprises a further cylinder, a further piston, slidable in said further cylinder, said further piston being mounted on said common piston rod and dividing said further cylinder into respective chambers, and means subject to the action of said output signal to vary the pressure in the respective chambers of the further cylinder to produce displacement of said piston rod.
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7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means subject to the action of the output signal comprises a spool valve controlling flow of pressure fluid to said chambers of the further cylinder.
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8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said centrifugal force sensing means comprises a weight member which is displaced under the action of centrifugal force, and means coupled to the weight member and the spool valve to displace the latter in relation to the displacement of the weight member.
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9. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said shock absorbers each comprises a hollow outer cylinder, and a hollow inner cylinder slidably mounted in the outer cylinder, said cylinders defining respective chambers therebetween, said height-controlling valve means comprising a valve member disposed between said chambers and selectively controlling flow to and from one of said chambers to said inlet and outlet.
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10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the chambers of each cylinder of the means which increases and decreases the amount of fluid in the left and right pairs of shock absorbers are connected to a respective one of the chambers of the associated shock absorber.
Specification