Active suspension system for a vehicle

• US 6,249,728 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Streiter, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/451,836
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 701/37, 701/38, 280/5.5, 280/5.507, 280/5.508, 280/5.513
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0152 characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0272 the mechanical spring being a coil spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/32 The spring being in series with the damper and/or actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/414 using electrohydraulic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/106 longitudinal with regard to vehicle, e.g. braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/182 Active control means

Abstract

An active suspension system for vehicles, particularly motor vehicles, has active supporting assemblies which are arranged between the vehicle body and the vehicle wheels. Each of the assemblies includes a passive spring as well as a lift-adjustable control unit arranged in series thereto. The supporting assemblies are controlled as a function of body accelerations of the vehicle, and low-frequency and higher-frequency fractions of body accelerations, which are taken into account differently. As a result, the vehicle follows the road profile comparatively directly while the comfort is good.

Claims

1. Active suspension system for vehicles, comprising:

supporting assemblies which are arranged between a vehicle body and vehicle wheels,

an actively lift-adjustable control unit and a passive spring arranged in series thereto with which each of the supporting assemblies is provided,

an automatic control of the control units,

a path generator for generating a signal correlated with a lift position of the supporting assembly which is assigned to each of the supporting assemblies, and

a sensor arrangement for generating signals which are correlated at least with vertical body accelerations being assigned to the vehicle body,

wherein control signals used for controlling the control units have a signal fraction generated by the signals generated by the sensor arrangement, and wherein the signal fraction causes, for higher-frequency fractions of the vertical vehicle body accelerations above a limit frequency, adjustment of the control unit which reduces the respective body acceleration, and, for low-frequency fractions of the body accelerations, adjustment of the control units which, with respect to its extent, is at least one of reduced, imperceptible and opposed.

2. Suspension system according to claim 1, wherein signals, which reflect accelerations of the vehicle body, are fed to an amplifier as well as to a low-pass filter which is parallel thereto, and wherein output signals of the amplifier and of the low-pass filter are subtractively coupled with one another.

3. Suspension system according to claim 2, wherein the amplifier and the low-pass filter have the same amplification factors.

4. Suspension system according to claim 2, wherein the amplifier has a larger amplification factor than the low-pass filter.

5. Suspension system according to claim 2, wherein the amplifier has a lower amplification factor than the low-pass filter.

6. Suspension system according to claim 2, wherein said accelerations are vertical accelerations.

7. Suspension system according to claim 6, wherein the amplifier and the low-pass filter have the same amplification factors.

8. Suspension system according to claim 6, wherein the amplifier has a larger amplification factor than the low-pass filter.

9. Suspension system according to claim 6, wherein the amplifier has a lower amplification factor than the low-pass filter.