Vehicle leveling system

• US 4,017,099 A
• Filed: 06/09/1975
• Issued: 04/12/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monroe Auto Equipment Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monroe Auto Equipment Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hegel, Robert W., West, Burke A., Verb, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodman, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carroll, John A.
• Application Number:
  US05/585,322
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124 F, 280/6 R, 280/6 H, 280/6.1, 280/6.11, 280/707, 267/64 R, 267/64 A, 267/65 R, 267/65 D, 188/1 A, 188/322, 73/11
• US Class Current: 280/6.158
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/01933 Velocity, e.g. relative velocity-displacement sensors

Abstract

A vehicle leveling system comprising at least one leveling strut having a pressurizable chamber and a height sensing and controlling mechanism located directly on the strut, the height sensing and controlling mechanism being operable to control the internal pressure within the chamber without requiring any mechanical connection or engagement of the component parts thereof which are associated with the sprung and unsprung portions of the vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention, the height sensing and controlling mechanism includes a light source and a light responsive device for controlling operation of an electrically energized compressor, while in another embodiment of the present invention, the height sensing and controlling mechanism includes a proximity switch arrangement.

Claims

1. A vehicle leveling system comprising:

at least one leveling strut having first and second portions connected with the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, respectively, and movable relative to one another upon relative movement between the vehicle portions,

means defining a chamber that is selectively pressurizable and depressurizable with a pressurizing media for changing the attitude between the vehicle portions, and

pressure control means for controlling the pressure of pressurizing media in said chamber,

said pressure control means including,

a first solid state electrical position responsive means at one longitudinal position within said chamber,

a second solid state electrical position responsive means at another longitudinal position within said chamber,

said first and second portions of said strut being telescopically movable between a first position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced such that said first position responsive means produces a control signal to pressurize said chamber,

a second position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displayed such that

said second position responsive means produces a signal to depressurize said chamber, and

a third position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that said first and second position responsive means produce no signal that would result in a change in pressure of said chamber.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes an electrically energizable air compressor for supplying pressurized media in response to said control means.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes a light source and wherein said first and second position responsive means produce said control signals in response to said light source.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said light source and said position responsive means are located directly on the peripheral wall of said pressurizable chamber.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein a portion of said strut comprises shutter means interposable between said light source and said position responsive means for controlling the transmission of light from said source to said position responsive means.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said strut comprises a shock absorber and wherein a portion of said shock absorber is operable to control the transmission of light between said light source and said position responsive means.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shock absorber comprises a piston rod, a dirt shield reciprocable with said piston rod, a rolling diaphragm defining said pressurizable chamber with said dirt shield, and wherein said light source and said position responsive means are mounted on said dirt shield.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said position responsive means are responsive to light for producing said control signals.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means responsive to said light source comprises a phototransistor.

11. A vehicle attitude control device comprising first and second telescopic sections in part defining a pressurizable chamber, first and second solid state signal means located within said chamber for controlling the pressure thereof, said solid state means being responsive to longitudinal displaement of said sections for selectively communicating a pressurized media to and from said chamber.

12. In the method of controlling vehicle attitude between the sprung and non-sprung portions of a vehicle with a leveling strut having first and second telescopic sections in part defining a pressurizable chamber, and pressure control means for controlling the pressure of pressurizing media in said chamber, the steps which include,

selectively directing a beam of light between a source thereof and a light sensing means,

controlling operation of said pressure control means at least in art with said light sensing means, and

selectively interrupting the transmission of light from said source to said light sensing means in response to relative longitudinal displacement between said telescopic sections.

13. A vehicle attitude control device comprising:

an auxiliary leveling component including first and second concentrically arranged and axially telescopically displaceable members,

a pressurizable chamber having a volume that varies in accordance with the relative axial displacement of said members,

a source of pressurizing fluid, and

means controlling the pressure within said chamber and including solid state electrical control means located on one peripheral wall portion of said chamber and cooperative with another peripheral wall portion of said chamber for selectively communicating pressurized fluid from said source thereof to said chamber.

14. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said source of pressurizing fluid includes an electrically energizable air compressor.

15. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the pressure within said chamber comprises a light source and means responsive to said light source.

16. The invention as set forth in claim 15 wherein said another peripheral wall portion of said chamber is selectively interposable between said light source and said means responsive to said light source for determining relative longitudinal displacement between said members.

17. The invention as set forth in claim 15 wherein said another portion of said peripheral wall comprises a shock absorber reserve tube which acts as a shutter means by being interposable between said light source and said means responsive to said light source.

18. The invention as set forth in claim 15 wherein said strut comprises a shock absorber and wherein one of said members comprises a dirt shield and the other of said members comprises a cylinder within which the shock absorber piston is located.

19. The invention as set forth in claim 18 wherein said shock absorber comprises a piston rod, wherein said dirt shield is reciprocable with said piston rod, a rolling diaphragm defining said pressurizable chamber with said dirt shield, and wherein said light source and said means responsive to said light source are mounted on said dirt shield.

20. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means controlling the pressure within said chamber is operable to communicate pressurized fluid out of said chamber.

21. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the pressure within said chamber is operable to cause actuation of an electrical solenoid valve.

22. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the pressure within said chamber is operable to cause actuation of a pressurized fluid pump.

23. The invention as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means controlling said pressure within said chamber is operable to cause energization of an electric air compressor.

24. A vehicle attitude control device comprising a pair of axially displaceable members,

means defining a pressurizable chamber,

an electrically energized device for supplying pressurized media to and from said chamber, and

electrical switching means for controlling actuation of said device, said switching means comprising a switching element on one of said members responsive to relative axial displacement between said members without in any way being mechanically connected to or engaged with or movable in response to the other of said members.

25. The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said switching means comprises a proximity switch device.

26. The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said electrically energized device comprises an electrically energizable air compressor.

27. The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said control device comprises a light source and means responsive to said light source.

28. The invention as set forth in claim 27 wherein said light source and said means responsive to said light source are located directly on the peripheral wall of said pressurizable chamber.

29. The invention as set forth in claim 27 wherein a portion of one of said members comprises shutter means interposable between said light source and said means responsive to said light source for controlling the transmission of light therebetween.

30. The invention as set forth in claim 29 wherein one of said members comprises the body of a hydraulic direct acting shock absorber, and wherein a portion of said shock absorber is operable to control the transmission of light between said light source and said means responsive to said light source.

31. The invention as set forth in claim 30 wherein said shock absorber comprises a piston rod, a dirt shield reciprocable with said piston rod, a rolling diaphragm defining said pressurizable chamber with said dirt shield and said shock absorber body, and wherein said light source and said means responsive to said light source are mounted on said dirt shield.

32. The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said electrically energized device comprises an electrically energizable valve communicating said chamber with a location having a pressure different than the pressure in said chamber.

33. The invention as set forth in claim 24 wherein said electrical switching means comprises at least one solid state electrical member mounted on a peripheral wall portion of said chamber.

34. The invention as set forth in claim 32 wherein said valve communicates said chamber with atmosphere.

38. The invention as set forth in claim 25 wherein said proximity switch produces a control signal in response to a change in an electrical characteristic caused by one of said members moving to a predetermined proximate relation thereto.

35. A vehicle leveling system comprising,

a pair of leveling struts each having first and second portions connected with the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, respectively, and telescopically movable relative to one another upon relative movement between the vehicle portions,

said first and second portions of each of said struts in part defining a variable volume chamber,

an electrically energized source of presssurized actuating fluid and conduit means communicating said source with said chambers, and

pressure control means for controlling operation of said actuating fluid source in response to changes in attitude between said vehicle portions,

said pressure control means including first and second sensing means for sensing the relative positions between said first and second strut portions of at least one of said struts,

said first sensing means being operable to produce a control signal for energizing said fluid source for extending said struts, and said second sensing means being operable to communicate said chambers with a location having a lower pressure than said chambers for contracting said strut,

said sensing means comprising at least one proximity switch mounted on one of the associated strut portions and being actuable in response to the position of the other of the associated strut portions relative to said one portion and without any direct contact and engagement therewith.

36. A vehicle leveling system comprising,

at least one leveling strut having first and second portions connected with the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, respectively, and movable relative to one another upon relative movement between the vehicle portions,

an electrically energized source of pressurized actuating fluid and conduit means communicating said source with said leveling struts,

pressure control means for controlling operation of said actuating fluid source,

said pressure control means including first and second solid state signal producing elements on one of said strut portions for producing control signals to said pressure control means in response to the longitudinal position of the other of said strut portions relative to said one portion and cooperable with the other of said strut portions, and

time delay means for delaying selected operation of said fluid source upon reception of a control signal by said signal receiving element from said signal producing element.

37. A vehicle leveling system for a vehicle having sprung and unsprung portions including a power operated source of pressurized actuating fluid and at least one leveling strut having a variable volume chamber,

means communicating said source of actuating fluid with said chamber, and

pressure control means including,

signal generating means at one longitudinal position within said chamber,

first signal receiving means at another longitudinal position within said chamber,

second signal receiving means at still another longitudinal position within said chamber,

said first and second portions of said strut being telescopically movable between a first position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that a signal can be received from said generating means by each of said first and second receiving means,

a second position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that a signal can be received from said generating means by one of said receiving means, and

a third position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that signals will be transmitted by neither of said receiving means.

39. In a vehicle leveling system for a vehicle having sprung and unsprung portions,

at least one air adjustable leveling strut having a first portion connected with the sprung portion of the vehicle and a second portion connected with the unsprung portion of the vehicle,

an electrically energized source of pressurized air and means communicating said source with said strut, and

pressure control means for controlling operation of said air source,

said control means including first and second solid state control elements mounted for movement with said first strut portion and responsive to the portions of the other of said strut portions,

said pressure control means including,

signal generating means at one longitudinal position within said chamber,

signal receiving means at another longitudinal position within said chamber,

said first and second portions of said strut being telescopically movable between a first position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that a signal can be transmitted from said generating means to said signal receiving means, and

a second position wherein said first and second parts are longitudinally displaced so that a signal cannot be transmitted from said generating means to one of said receiving means.