Level regulator for automotive vehicles
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle having an axle (10) and a vehicle body, level controllable spring means intercoupled between said body and said axle for raising and lowering said body with respect to said axle upon, respectively, pressure increase and pressure decrease in said spring means, level regulator means cooperating with said spring means for increasing and reducing the pressure therein in response to a first and second activating signal, respectively,means (16, 17) continuously furnishing an actual level signal indicative of the actual level of said body of said vehicle;
- a regulating system comprisingerror signal furnishing means (49, 51;
49,
40) continuously furnishing an error signal indicative of the magnitude and direction of said actual level of said body of said motor vehicle relative to a reference level;
delay means (24) connected to said error signal furnishing means, for furnishing a delayed error signal with a predetermined delay time interval following receipt of said error signal;
and activating signal furnishing means (20, 23, 25,
26) for furnishing said first and second activating signal in response to a delayed error signal indicative of a required raising and lowering of said body of said vehicle, respectively, and for terminating the furnishing of said activating signals substantially immediately upon receipt of a zero error signal indicative of an actual level equal to said reference level, said activating signal furnishing means comprising switch means (20,
22) for furnishing said activating signal when in a first state and blocking said activating signal when in a second state respectively,and connecting means for interconnecting said switch means between said error signal furnishing means and said delay means in such a manner that said switch means is switched from said second to said first state only in response to said delayed error signal and from said first to said second state when said error signal is indicative of zero error.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital or analogue regulator circuit for activating a pump or pressure reducing valve, whose action respectively raises and lowers the body of a vehicle relative to the rear axle, each operating with a time delay so that temporary level changes will not initiate a regulatory process. Feedback circuits provide hysteresis. In both embodiments, level changes are represented by changes in the collector potential of a transistor and positive and negative feedback are provided to the base of the transistor to create the hysteresis or dead zone. In the digital embodiment, a counter generates the delay and the negative feedback.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a motor vehicle having an axle (10) and a vehicle body, level controllable spring means intercoupled between said body and said axle for raising and lowering said body with respect to said axle upon, respectively, pressure increase and pressure decrease in said spring means, level regulator means cooperating with said spring means for increasing and reducing the pressure therein in response to a first and second activating signal, respectively,
means (16, 17) continuously furnishing an actual level signal indicative of the actual level of said body of said vehicle; -
a regulating system comprising error signal furnishing means (49, 51;
49,
40) continuously furnishing an error signal indicative of the magnitude and direction of said actual level of said body of said motor vehicle relative to a reference level;delay means (24) connected to said error signal furnishing means, for furnishing a delayed error signal with a predetermined delay time interval following receipt of said error signal; and activating signal furnishing means (20, 23, 25,
26) for furnishing said first and second activating signal in response to a delayed error signal indicative of a required raising and lowering of said body of said vehicle, respectively, and for terminating the furnishing of said activating signals substantially immediately upon receipt of a zero error signal indicative of an actual level equal to said reference level, said activating signal furnishing means comprising switch means (20,
22) for furnishing said activating signal when in a first state and blocking said activating signal when in a second state respectively,and connecting means for interconnecting said switch means between said error signal furnishing means and said delay means in such a manner that said switch means is switched from said second to said first state only in response to said delayed error signal and from said first to said second state when said error signal is indicative of zero error. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification