Level regulator for an automotive vehicle

• US 4,382,603 A
• Filed: 01/09/1981
• Issued: 05/10/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Senoo, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carroll, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/223,843
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 280/6 R, 280/6.1, 280/6.11, 280/707, 267/64.28
• US Class Current: 280/6.159
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method

Abstract

A level regulator for an automotive vehicle such that a supply voltage is applied to the amplifiers only while the sensors are detecting level-regulating signals, so that a wasteful current can be prevented from being passed therethrough when the vehicle is left parked with one of the wheels on the sidewalk or an uneven ground, and the battery can be protected against excessive discharge. The level regulator of the present invention comprises mechanical switches such as microswitches or reed switches as the sensors, in place of electric, photoelectric or magnetic sensors used with conventional level regulators.

Claims

1. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle which comprises:

(a) a pair of mechanical switching means for detecting a low vehicle condition and a high vehicle condition and outputting a level-up signal S₁ and a level-down signal S₂, respectively, in response to the detected conditions;

(b) a pair of level-up and level-down amplifiers for amplifying the level up S₁ and level-down S₂ signals outputted from said switching means to an UP signal and a DN signal, the supply voltage to said amplifiers being applied through sad switching means only when said switching means detect the high and low conditions;

(c) a pair of compression and exhaust solenoid valves actuated by the UP and DN signals;

(d) a shock absorber for lifting the vehicle when a gas is injected in response to the UP signal and for lowering the vehicle when the gas is exhausted in response to the DN signal,

whereby a supply voltage is applied to said amplifiers only while said switching means detect either of the high and low conditions.

2. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a power supply controller including electronic switching means for applying a supply voltage to said amplifiers only while said mechanical switching means detect either of said high and low conditions and output one of the level signals, said electric switching means being connected between a battery and said amplifiers.

3. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in either of claims 1 or 2, wherein said pair of mechanical switching means are microswitches.

4. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in either of claims 1 or 2, wherein said pair of mechanical switching means are reed switches.

5. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said electric switching means is a transistor.

6. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein said power supply controller further comprises a condenser for preventing erroneous operations caused by the chattering or vibration of said mechanical switching means, said condenser being connected between the base of said transistor and ground.

7. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein said power supply controller further comprises a constant voltage circuit formed with a Zener diode and another condenser, said circuit being connected between the emitter of said transistor and ground, whereby a constant voltage is applied to said amplifiers.

8. A level regulator for an automotive vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said amplifiers comprise comparators for amplifying the level signals S₁ and S₂ to the UP and DN signals only when the signals S₁ and S₂ exceed a predetermined voltage.

9. A level regulator for a automotive vehicle, comprising:

a supply voltage source;

means for raising and lowering a vehicle;

circuit means for causing said raising and lowering means to raise and lower a vehicle in response to level-up and level-down signals respectively, when said circuit means is connected to said supply voltage; and

switch means including mechanically operated switches for detecting a high vehicle condition and a low vehicle condition, and applying said level-down signal and said level-up signal to said circuit means in response to said high and low conditions, respectively, and connecting said supply voltage to said circuit means only in response to either said high and low vehicle conditions wherein said supply voltage source is connected to said circuit means only through said switch means such that said supply voltage source is connected to said circuit means only in response to said high and low vehicle conditions.