Vehicle level regulator control system

• US 4,401,310 A
• Filed: 07/24/1981
• Issued: 08/30/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Atsugi Motor Parts Company Limited, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Atsugi Motor Parts Company Limited, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hiroshi, Satake, Sachio
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weaver, Ross
• Application Number:
  US06/286,460
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 280/6 R, 280/6.1, 280/703, 280/707, 280/DIG. 1, 340/52 R, 340/53
• US Class Current: 280/6.158
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/018 characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/01 Load responsive, leveling of vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle level regulator control system controls the vehicle level regulator to improve the response characteristics of the suspension member in response to the vehicle level detector. The control system includes a means for resetting the preset in the delay means for directly activating the suspension member responsive to the vehicle level detector signal when the starter switch is turned on.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle level regulator comprising:

a suspension mechanism for suspending the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle, said suspension mechanism including a suspension member for lifting the vehicle body up and down with respect to the wheel axle and having means for controlling a fluid pressure in said suspension member corresponding to the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle to regulate the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle within a predetermined range;

an actuator for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure controlling means for maintaining the vehicle level within said predetermined range;

a vehicle level detector for detecting the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle and producing a signal when the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle is out of said predetermined range;

a control circuit for transmitting said detector signal to said actuator for operating said actuator for adjustment of the vehicle level to said predetermined range, said control circuit incorporating delay means for providing a predetermined delay time between production of said detector signal and operation of the actuator; and

means for temporarily deactivating said delay means to transmit the detector signal to said actuator without delay time, said deactivating means being responsive to a predetermined vehicle condition.

4. A control system as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said suspension member is a pneumatic suspension.

5. A control system as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said means for temporarily deactivating said delay means comprises an AND gate connected with one of said vehicle level detector and a starter switch.

2. A control system for a vehicle level regulator comprising:

a suspension mechanism for suspending the vehicle body on the wheel axle and including a suspension member responsive to the varying of the vehicle level in relation to said wheel axle, said suspension member including means for controlling regulating pressure in said suspension member for regulating the vehicle level with respect to the wheel axle within a predetermined range;

a vehicle level detector for detecting the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle and producing a detector signal while the detected vehicle level is out of said predetermined range;

an actuator incorporated with said regulating pressure controlling means to operate the latter, said actuator being responsive to said detector signal to operate said regulating pressure control means for adjusting the regulating pressure in the suspension member to regulate the vehicle level within said predetermined range;

a control circuit interpositioned between said vehicle level detector and said actuator for transmitting said detector signal to said actuator for operation thereof, said control circuit including a delay means for providing a given delay time for transmission of the detector signal to said actuator; and

means for temporarily deactivating said delay means in response to an application of power to the control system.

3. A control system for a vehicle level regulator comprising:

a suspension mechanism for suspending the vehicle body on the wheel axle and including a suspension member responsive to varying the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle, said suspension member connected with a working fluid source via an induction valve and an exhaust valve for introducing and exhausting the fluid to and from the suspension member for regulating the vehicle level;

first and second vehicle level detectors respectively adapted to detect the relative level of the vehicle body with respect to the wheel axle, said first vehicle level detector detecting the vehicle level higher than a given upper limit and producing a first detector signal while the vehicle level is maintained higher than the given upper limit, and said second vehicle level detector detecting the vehicle level lower than a given lower limit and producing a second detector signal while the vehicle level is lower than said lower limit;

first and second actuators respectively incorporated with said induction and exhaust valves, said first actuator being responsive to said first detector signal to actuate the exhaust valve for opening the exhaust valve for reducing the fluid pressure in the suspension member, and said second actuator being responsive to said second detector signal to actuate said induction valve to introduce the working fluid for increasing the fluid pressure in the suspension member;

first and second control circuits respectively interpositioned between said first vehicle level detector and said first actuator, and between said second vehicle level detector and said second actuator for transmitting said first and second detector signals to said first and second actuators, each of said first and second control circuits incorporating delay means for providing a given delay time in response to the detector signal to the actuator; and

means for temporarily deactivating one of said delay means in response to the condition of a presence of the detector signal and a signal from a starter switch which is produced upon turning on of the starter switch.

6. A vehicle level regulator system comprising:

first means for detecting a relative displacement of a vehicle body with respect to a wheel axle and producing a detector signal when the vehicle body displacement in relation to the wheel axle exceeds beyond a given range;

second means, responsive to said detector signal, for controlling a vehicle level to maintain the vehicle level within said given range;

third means for receiving said detector signal and feeding said detector signal to said second means with a given delay time; and

fourth means for detecting a predetermined vehicle operating condition to disable said third means to feed said detector signal to said second means without said given delay time when said predetermined vehicle condition is detected.

7. The vehicle level regulator system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said third means comprises a first detector adapted to produce a first detector signal when the vehicle body displacement exceeds beyond an upper limit of said given range, and a second detector adapted to produce a second detector signal when the vehicle body displacement relative to said wheel axle is below a lower limit of said given range.

8. The vehicle level regulator system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second menas is responsive to said first detector signal to lower the vehicle level to said given range and is responsive to said second detector signal to raise the vehicle level to said given range.

9. The vehicle level regulator system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said fourth means is adapted to detect an ON position of a starter switch to produce a disabling signal for disabling said third means.