Integrated control unit for an active roll control system for a vehicle suspension system
First Claim
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1. A control unit for a roll control system for a vehicle suspension system, the control unit comprising:
- a valve body that is adapted to be connected to a roll control actuator device;
a plurality of valves mounted upon said valve body, said valves operable to control said roll control actuator device with at least one of said valves being a solenoid valve;
a housing removeably attached to said valve body;
a circuit substrate mounted within said housing, said circuit substrate carrying said electronic components, said electronic components operable to selectively actuate said valves;
at least one solenoid coil associated with said solenoid valve is carried by said circuit substrate, said solenoid coil being selectively energized by said electronic components to actuate said corresponding solenoid valve;
a hydraulically actuated three-position four-way valve mounted upon said valve body, said three-position four-way valve adapted to be connected said roll control actuator device and operable to selectively actuate said roll control actuator device to counter vehicle roll; and
two pairs of digital solenoid valves mounted upon said valve body, each of said valve pairs including a normally open valve and a normally closed valve, each of said valve pairs associated with one position of said three-position four-way valve and selectively operable to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to said three-position four-way valve to change the position thereof.
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Abstract
An Active Roll Control System for a motor vehicle that utilizes small valves to control large flows. Flow is supplied by a hydraulic pump which is powered in some fashion by the motor vehicle. Flow is directed to the actuators by a three-position-four-way valve that is controlled by two pairs of small ABS style solenoid valves. This allows for a minimum of power to be supplied by the vehicle to operate the system. Also, this valve arrangement allows a desirable failure mode whereby hydraulic fluid is locked into the hydraulic actuators, there by locking in the anti-roll bar in case of a system failure.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A control unit for a roll control system for a vehicle suspension system, the control unit comprising:
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a valve body that is adapted to be connected to a roll control actuator device; a plurality of valves mounted upon said valve body, said valves operable to control said roll control actuator device with at least one of said valves being a solenoid valve; a housing removeably attached to said valve body; a circuit substrate mounted within said housing, said circuit substrate carrying said electronic components, said electronic components operable to selectively actuate said valves; at least one solenoid coil associated with said solenoid valve is carried by said circuit substrate, said solenoid coil being selectively energized by said electronic components to actuate said corresponding solenoid valve; a hydraulically actuated three-position four-way valve mounted upon said valve body, said three-position four-way valve adapted to be connected said roll control actuator device and operable to selectively actuate said roll control actuator device to counter vehicle roll; and two pairs of digital solenoid valves mounted upon said valve body, each of said valve pairs including a normally open valve and a normally closed valve, each of said valve pairs associated with one position of said three-position four-way valve and selectively operable to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to said three-position four-way valve to change the position thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A control unit for a roll control system for a vehicle suspension system, the control unit comprising:
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a valve body that is adapted to be connected to a roll control actuator device; a plurality of valves mounted upon said valve body, said valves operable to control said roll control actuator device with at least one of said valves being a solenoid valve; a housing removeably attached to said valve body; a circuit substrate mounted within said housing, said circuit substrate carrying said electronic components, said electronic components operable to selectively actuate said valves; at least one solenoid coil associated with said solenoid valve is carried by said circuit substrate, said solenoid coil being selectively energized by said electronic components to actuate said corresponding solenoid valve; a three-position four-way valve mounted upon said valve body, said three-position four-way valve adapted to be connected said roll control actuator device and operable to selectively actuate said roll control actuator device to counter vehicle roll; two pairs of digital solenoid valves mounted upon said valve body, each of said valve pairs including a normally open valve and a normally closed valve, each of said valve pairs associated with one position of said three-position four-way valve and selectively operable to change the position of said three-position four-way valve; and a two stage pressure relief valve mounted upon said valve body, said two stage pressure relief valve including a spool valve as a main stage and a balanced poppet solenoid valve, said spool valve communicating with said balanced poppet solenoid valve, said balanced poppet solenoid valve operable to control the flow of hydraulic fluid through said spool valve whereby the pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to said three-position four-way valve is controlled. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for controlling the roll of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a roll control system that includes a valve body that is adapted to be connected to a roll control actuator device, the valve body having a hydraulically operated three-position four-way valve mounted upon thereon that is adapted to be connected a roll control actuator device and operable to selectively actuate the roll control actuator device to counter vehicle roll, the value body also including two pairs of digital solenoid valves mounted thereon with each of the valve pairs including a normally open valve and a normally closed valve, each of the valve pairs associated with one position of the three-position four-way valve and selectively operable to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to the three-position four-way valve to chance the position of the three-position four-way valve, the roll control system further including a housing removeably attached to the valve body, the housing having electronic components disposed therein, the electronic components being electrically connected to at least one sensor for detecting roll of the vehicle about a fore to aft axis and also being operable to selectively actuate the digital solenoid valves; (b) selectively actuating the valves upon detecting vehicle roll to counteract the vehicle roll; and (c) deactuating the valves upon detecting that the vehicle roll has ended.
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Specification