Active vehicle suspension system

• US 7,823,891 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Pare, Christopher A., Bushko, Dariusz Antoni
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US11/561,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.507, 280/5.508, 280/5.515, 280/124.106, 280/124.107, 280/124.145
• US Class Current: 280/5.507
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0157 non-fluid unit, e.g. electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/14 with lateral arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/422 Linear motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/202 of cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/421 Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/423 Rails, tubes, or the like, for guiding the movement of suspension elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/01 the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide camber maintaining means B60G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/06 the arm being rigid

Abstract

An active suspension system for a vehicle includes an active suspension element that is substantially rigidly attached to a frame of the vehicle such that a motion of an armature of the active suspension element is mechanically decoupled from a lateral motion of a wheel of the vehicle. A control rod is attached between the active suspension element and the wheel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for actively suspending a chassis of a vehicle comprising:

attaching a stator of a linear electromagnetic actuator to a frame of the vehicle, the chassis of the vehicle being attached to the frame;

attaching a first end of a control rod to an armature of the linear electromagnetic actuator, the armature being movable relative to the stator; and

attaching a second end of the control rod to a wheel of the vehicle such that a movement of the armature causes the wheel of the vehicle to move relative to the frame of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a passive suspension element between the frame of the vehicle and the wheel of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the passive suspension element is chosen from the group comprising a spring and a damper.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the linear electromagnetic actuator comprises a moving magnet electromagnetic actuator.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a passive suspension element between a chassis of the vehicle and the wheel of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising bushing the stator to the frame of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising ball joining the first end of the control rod to the armature.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising bushing the first end of the control rod to the armature.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the movement of the armature causes the wheel of the vehicle to move in a substantially vertical direction relative to a horizontal plane of the vehicle.

10. A linear electromagnetic actuator for an active suspension system of a vehicle, the actuator comprising:

a stator;

an armature that is magnetically coupled to the stator, the armature being movable relative to the stator;

a housing that surrounds the stator and the armature, an envelope of the housing remaining fixed regardless of the position of the armature relative to the stator.

11. The linear electromagnetic actuator of claim 10 wherein the housing is substantially rigidly attached to a frame of the vehicle.

12. The linear electromagnetic actuator of claim 10 wherein the envelope of the housing comprises the dimensions of the housing.

13. The linear electromagnetic actuator of claim 10 further comprising a control rod having a first end that is attached to the armature and having a second end that is attached to a wheel of the vehicle such that a movement of the armature causes the wheel of the vehicle to move relative to a frame of the vehicle.

14. The linear electromagnetic actuator of claim 10 wherein the armature is mechanically coupled to the stator through a bearing.

15. An active suspension system for a vehicle comprising:

a linear electromagnetic actuator comprising a stator and an armature that is movable relative to the stator, the stator being substantially rigidly attached to a frame of the vehicle; and

a controller that is electrically coupled to the linear electromagnetic actuator through one or more non-flexing cables.

16. The active suspension system of claim 15 wherein the one or more non-flexing cables comprises at least one of a signal cable and a power cable.

17. The active suspension system of claim 15 wherein the linear electromagnetic actuator further comprises an amplifier that is electrically coupled to the controller.

18. The active suspension system of claim 15 wherein the stator is attached to the frame of the vehicle through a bushing.

19. The active suspension system of claim 15 further comprising a control rod having a first end that is attached to the armature and having a second end that is attached to a wheel of the vehicle such that a movement of the armature causes the wheel of the vehicle to move relative to the frame of the vehicle.

20. An electromagnetic actuator for an active suspension system of a vehicle, the actuator comprising:

a stator;

an armature that is magnetically coupled to the stator, the armature being movable relative to the stator;

a housing that surrounds the stator and the armature; and

a first mechanical stop located within the housing, wherein there is relative movement between the armature and the stop when the armature moves, the stop limiting movement of the armature in a first direction.

21. The actuator of claim 20, further including a second mechanical stop located within the housing, wherein there is relative movement between the armature and the second stop when the armature moves, the second stop limiting movement of the armature in a second direction opposite the first direction.

22. The actuator of claim 21, further including a third mechanical stop located within the housing, wherein there is relative movement between the armature and the third stop when the armature moves, the third stop limiting movement of the armature in the second direction.

23. The actuator of claim 20, wherein the stop has a round cross-section.

24. The actuator of claim 20, wherein the stop has a groove.

25. The actuator of claim 20, further including a bearing rail which guides movement of the armature, the stop encircling the bearing rail.

26. The actuator of claim 20, wherein the stop includes neoprene.

27. The actuator of claim 20, wherein the stop includes ethylene propylene diene monomer.

28. An electromagnetic actuator for an active suspension system of a vehicle, the actuator comprising:

a stator;

an armature that is magnetically coupled to the stator, the armature being movable relative to the stator;

a housing that surrounds the stator and the armature; and

a mechanical stop located within the housing, wherein the mechanical stop is made of a material including a polymeric elastomer.

29. The actuator of claim 28, wherein the elastomer is a thermoset polymeric elastomer.

30. The actuator of claim 29, wherein the thermoset polymeric elastomer includes a material chosen from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer, neoprene, nitrile rubber, polyurethane, silicone rubber, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber and fluorocarbons.

31. The actuator of claim 28, wherein the elastomer is a thermoplastic polymeric elastomer.

32. The actuator of claim 31, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric elastomer includes a dynamically vulcanized elastomer.

33. The actuator of claim 28, wherein the polymeric elastomer is in the form selected from a group of forms consisting of a solid foam or a cellular foam.

34. An electromagnetic actuator for an active suspension system of a vehicle, the actuator comprising:

a stator;

an armature that is magnetically coupled to the stator, the armature being movable relative to the stator;

a housing that surrounds the stator and the armature; and

a mechanical stop located within the housing, wherein the mechanical stop has a thickness of from about 10 mm to about 60 mm.

35. The actuator of claim 34, wherein the mechanical stop has a thickness of from about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

36. The actuator of claim 34, wherein the mechanical stop has a thickness of from about 30 mm to about 40 mm.

37. The actuator of claim 34, wherein the mechanical stop has a thickness of about 35 mm.

38. An electromagnetic actuator for an active suspension system of a vehicle, the actuator comprising:

a stator;

an armature that is magnetically coupled to the stator, the armature being movable relative to the stator;

a first bearing rail that guides movement of the armature; and

a first support for supporting a first end of the bearing rail, the support allowing the first end of the bearing rail to move away from a first home position when a first force is applied to the bearing rail, the support returning the first end of the bearing rail to the home position when the force is removed from the first bearing rail.

39. The actuator of claim 38, further including a second support for supporting a second end of the bearing rail, the second support allowing the second end of the bearing rail to move away from a second home position when the force is applied to the bearing rail, the second support returning the second end of the bearing rail to the second home position when the force is removed from the first bearing rail.

40. The actuator of claim 39, further comprising:

a second bearing rail that guides movement of the armature; and

a third support for supporting a first end of the second bearing rail, the third support allowing the first end of the second bearing rail to move away from a third home position when a second force is applied to the second bearing rail, the third support returning the first end of the second bearing rail to the third home position when the second force is removed from the second nearing rail.

41. The actuator of claim 40, further including a fourth support for supporting a second end of the second bearing rail, the fourth support allowing the second end of the second bearing rail to move away from a fourth home position when the second force is applied to the second bearing rail, the fourth support returning the second end of the second bearing rail to the fourth home position when the force is removed from the second bearing rail.

42. The actuator of claim 38, wherein the support includes a mechanical stop which limits movement of the armature.