Air suspension system for vehicle

• US 7,255,358 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2004
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Han Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/939,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.16, 280/124.161, 280/124.157, 280/5.5, 280/6.15
• US Class Current: 280/124.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0155 pneumatic unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0528 Pressure regulating or air filling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/056 Regulating distributors or valves for hydropneumatic systemsB60G17/044 - B60G17/048, B60G17/0416 take precedence; Fluid interconnection systems to control vehicle inclination B60G21/06, B60G21/10; valves per se F16K

Abstract

An air suspension system includes an air tank, an air drier, a compressor, and an air spring, which are sequentially provided in a first line. The air suspension system further includes a second line, a third line, an intake line, and a discharge line, which are connected to the first line. The first line, the second line and the third lines can be switched by a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, and the first line is selectively connected to the intake line by a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve.

Claims

1. An air suspension system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first line provided between an air tank and an air spring;

a first valve, an air drier, a compressor to discharge pneumatic air towards the air tank, a second valve, and an air spring-opening/closing valve, which are sequentially provided in the first line; and

second and third lines provided between the first valve and the second valve,

wherein when applying air pressure, air in the air tank is supplied from the air tank to the air spring through the first valve, the second line, the second valve, the compressor, the air drier, the first valve, the third line, the second valve, and the air spring-opening/closing valve, and when releasing the air pressure, air in the air spring is transmitted and then contained in the air tank through the air spring-opening/closing valve, the second valve, the compressor, the air drier, and the first valve.

2. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pressure meter equipped between the compressor and the second valve on the first line, so that when measuring a pressure of the air tank, air in the air tank is transmitted from the air tank to the pressure meter through the first valve, the second line, and the second valve, and so that when measuring a pressure of the air spring, air in the air spring is transmitted from the air spring to the pressure meter through the air spring-opening/closing valve and the second valve.

3. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising an intake line connected to the first line between the compressor and the pressure meter, an intake valve equipped on the intake line, a third valve equipped between the first line and the intake line, a discharge line connected to the first line between the air drier and the compressor, and a discharge valve equipped on the discharge line, so that when intaking outside air, the outside air is added from the outside to the air tank through the intake line, the third valve, the compressor, the air drier, and the first valve, and so that when discharging air to the outside, air is discharged from the air tank to the outside through the first valve, the air drier, and the discharge line.

4. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the first valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the air tank to be directly connected to the air drier while disconnecting the second and third lines from each other when being switched to a first position, and allowing the air tank to be connected to the second line while allowing the air drier to be connected to the third line when being switched to a second position.

5. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the second valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the pressure meter to be directly connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve while disconnecting the second and third lines from each other when being switched to a first position, and allowing the pressure meter to be connected to the second line while allowing the air spring-opening/closing valve to be connected to the third line when being switched to a second position.

6. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the third valve is a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be connected to the pressure meter when being switched to a first position, and allowing the compressor to be connected to the intake line when being switched to a second position.

7. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the air spring-opening/closing valve, the intake valve, and the discharge valve are 2-port/2-position solenoid valves, respectively.

8. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the second valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the pressure meter to be directly connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve while disconnecting the second and third lines from each other when being switched to a first position, and allowing the pressure meter to be connected to the second line while allowing the air spring-opening/closing valve to be connected to the third line when being switched to a second position.

9. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the third valve is a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be connected to the pressure meter when being switched to a first position, and allowing the compressor to be connected to the intake line when being switched to a second position.

10. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the air spring-opening/closing valve, the intake valve, and the discharge valve are 2-port/2-position solenoid valves, respectively.

11. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an intake line connected to the first line between the compressor and the second valve, an intake valve equipped on the intake line, a third valve equipped between the first line and the intake line, a discharge line connected to the first line between the air drier and the compressor, and a discharge valve equipped on the discharge line, so that when intaking outside air, the outside air is added from the outside to the air tank through the intake line, the third valve, the compressor, the air drier, and the first valve, and so that when discharging air to the outside, air is discharged from the air tank to the outside through the first valve, the air drier, and the discharge line.

12. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the air tank to be directly connected to the air drier when being switched to a first position, and allowing the air tank to be connected to the second line while allowing the air drier to be connected to the third line when being switched to a second position.

13. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the second valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be directly connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a first position, and allowing the second line to be connected to the compressor while allowing the third line to be connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a second position.

14. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the third valve is a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be connected to the pressure meter when being switched to a first position, and allowing the compressor to be connected to the intake line when being switched to a second position.

15. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the second valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be directly connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a first position, and allowing the second line to be connected to the compressor while allowing the third line to be connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a second position.

16. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the third valve is a 3-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be connected to the pressure meter when being switched to a first position, and allowing the compressor to be connected to the intake line when being switched to a second position.

17. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the air tank to be directly connected to the air drier when being switched to a first position, and allowing the air tank to be connected to the second line while allowing the air drier to be connected to the third line when being switched to a second position.

18. The air suspension system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second valve is a 4-port/2-position solenoid valve, allowing the compressor to be directly connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a first position, and allowing the second line to be connected to the compressor while allowing the third line to be connected to the air spring-opening/closing valve when being switched to a second position.