Vehicle height adjusting apparatus

• US 4,462,610 A
• Filed: 06/17/1982
• Issued: 07/31/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokico Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Tokico Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ema, Sumio, Saito, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hill, Mitchell J.
• Application Number:
  US06/389,462
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 280/707, 280/702, 280/708, 280/709, 280/711, 280/714, 280/715, 280/DIG. 1, 280/688, 280/689, 280/690, 280/6 R, 280/6.1, 280/DIG. 1, 180/41, 123/198 D
• US Class Current: 280/6.159
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0155 pneumatic unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0408 details, e.g. antifreeze for suspension fluid, pumps, retarding means per se
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/71 of suspension unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/7122 Fluid spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/205 Air-compressor operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/01 Load responsive, leveling of vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle height adjusting apparatus includes a height adjustor receiving therein or exhausting therefrom pressurized air to adjust the height of a vehicle, an air compressor for supplying pressurized air to the height adjustor, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the air compressor, and a control device including an actuating circuit for operating the air compressor and a memory circuit receiving a signal from the temperature detector to stop the operation of the actuating circuit when the temperature detected by the temperature detector exceeds a predetermined level.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting the height of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

height adjustor means, adapted to be connected between sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle, for receiving therein pressurized air to increase the height of the vehicle and for having exhausted therefrom pressurized air to decrease the height of the vehicle;

air compressor means connected to said height adjustor means and operable for supplying thereto pressurized air to increase the height of the vehicle;

control means for controlling the operation of said air compressor means and for preventing the overheating of said air compressor means, said control means comprising actuating circuit means connected to said air compressor means for operating said air compressor means, temperature detector means for detecting the temperature of said air compressor means and for generating a signal representative thereof, and memory circuit means connected to said actuating circuit means and to said temperature detector means for receiving said signal from said temperature detector means, for, upon the temperature detected by said temperature detector means exceeding a predetermined level, deactivating said actuating circuit means and thereby stopping operation of said air compressor means, and for, upon the temperature detected by said temperature detector means dropping below said predetermined level, preventing automatic reactivation of said actuating circuit means and restarting of operation of said air compressor means; and

means for selectively setting said memory circuit means in a normal condition thereof to reactivate said actuating circuit means to restart operation of said air compressor means upon said detected temperature being below said predetermined level, said setting means comprising a vehicle main switch connected to said memory circuit means and selectively manually operable to set said memory circuit means in said normal condition.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air tank for receiving and storing pressurized air, piping interconnecting said height adjustor means, said air compressor means and said air tank, first normally closed valve means in said piping for normally isolating said height adjustor means from said air compressor means and said air tank, second normally closed valve means in said piping for normally isolating said air tank from said height adjustor means and said air compressor means, third normally closed valve means in said piping for selectively being opened to the exterior atmosphere, said first, second and third valve means being connected to said actuatng circuit means to be opened thereby, height detector means for detecting the height of the vehicle and for supplying a signal representative thereof to said memory circuit means, whereby said memory circuit means activates said actuating circuit means to open selected of said first, second and third valve means to adjust the height of the vehicle, and pressure detector means for detecting the pressure within said air tank and for supplying a signal representative thereof to said memory circuit means, whereby, upon the detected pressure dropping below a predetermined value, said memory circuit means activates said actuating circuit means to open said second valve means and to operate said air compressor means, thereby to supply pressurized air to said air tank.