Motor vehicle suspension system
First Claim
1. A suspension system for a motor vehicle having front wheels and rearwheels, the suspension system comprising front suspension units for supporting a weight of the vehicle on the front wheels and rear suspension units for supporting the weight of the vehicle on the rear wheels, each suspension unit of at least one of the front suspension units and the rear suspension units being operative to adjust a ride height between sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle adjacent to each operative suspension unit, control means being operatively connected to the operative suspension units for monitoring and maintaining each ride height at a particular setting for providing, as necessary each operative suspension unit with a respective up height change signal to increase the ride height and a respective down height change signal to decrease the ride height, and wheel speed monitoring means for monitoring wheel speeds on at least two of said front and rear wheels, the control means being operative to provide a corrective up height change signal in the event of an unrequested ride height increase which is not in response to a height change signal and there existed before the unrequested ride height increase a wheel speed signal indicative of vehicle movement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle suspension system includes rear suspension units to adjust ride height between sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle, control means for monitoring and maintaining ride height at a particular setting and wheel speed monitoring means for monitoring wheel speeds. The control means provides a corrective up height change signal in the event of an unrequested height change and there existed before the unrequested height change a wheel speed signal indicative of vehicle movement. The corrective height change signal may be applied to each suspension unit or the control means may monitor abnormal vehicle activity and provide the corrective height change signal to the appropriate suspension unit. One example of abnormal vehicle activity is when the wheel speeds differ significantly, the control means responding to provide the corrective height change signal to the suspensions unit on the side of the vehicle with the highest wheel speed. A second example of abnormal vehicle activity is where the suspension units use fluid pressure to support the vehicle and a difference in pressures before and after the unrequested height change is used to provide the corrective height change signal to the suspension unit on the side of the vehicle with the lowest suspension pressure.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A suspension system for a motor vehicle having front wheels and rearwheels, the suspension system comprising front suspension units for supporting a weight of the vehicle on the front wheels and rear suspension units for supporting the weight of the vehicle on the rear wheels, each suspension unit of at least one of the front suspension units and the rear suspension units being operative to adjust a ride height between sprung and unsprung parts of the vehicle adjacent to each operative suspension unit, control means being operatively connected to the operative suspension units for monitoring and maintaining each ride height at a particular setting for providing, as necessary each operative suspension unit with a respective up height change signal to increase the ride height and a respective down height change signal to decrease the ride height, and wheel speed monitoring means for monitoring wheel speeds on at least two of said front and rear wheels, the control means being operative to provide a corrective up height change signal in the event of an unrequested ride height increase which is not in response to a height change signal and there existed before the unrequested ride height increase a wheel speed signal indicative of vehicle movement.
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21. A suspension system for a motor vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels, the suspension system comprising a pair of front suspension units for supporting a portion of the weight of the vehicle on the front wheels and a pair of rear suspension units for supporting a portion of the weight of the vehicle on the rear wheels, each suspension unit of at least one of the front suspension units and the rear suspension units being operative to adjust a ride height between sprung parts and unsprung parts of the vehicle located adjacent to each operative suspension unit, a control mechanism being operatively connected to the operative suspension units for monitoring and maintaining each ride height at a particular setting and for providing for each operative suspension unit with a respective up height change signal, to increase the ride height, and a respective down height change signal, to decrease the ride height, as necessary, during operation of the vehicle, and a wheel speed monitoring mechanism for monitoring a speed of at least two of said front and rear wheels, and the control mechanism being operative to provide a corrective up height change signal, in the event of an unrequested ride height increase which is not in response to a height change signal when a wheel speed signal, indicative of movement of the vehicle, existed before occurrence of the unrequested ride height increase.
Specification