Device comprising a suspension system

• US 9,377,074 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lorey, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/314,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150001771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/02 using gas only or vacuum F16F9/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0218 Mono-tubular units F16F9/0227, F16F9/0236, F16F9/0245 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0281 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/049 multi-chamber units F16F9/0472, F16F9/05 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/46 allowing control from a distance , i.e. location of means for control input being remote from site of valves, e.g. on damper external wall attachment of valve units to cylinders F16F9/325
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/50 Special means providing automatic damping adjustment, i.e. self-adjustment of damping by particular sliding movements of a valve element, other than flexions or displacement of valve discsF16F9/53 takes precedence; Special means providing self-adjustment of spring characteristics

Abstract

The invention relates to a device comprising a suspension system, which suspension system comprises a first part to which a mass is applied, a second part and an air spring arranged between said first part and said second part, at least one additional volume means for air being provided, the volume of which can be connected in a controlled manner, and a control means for connecting the volume of the additional volume means, wherein, via the control means, a pressure accumulator and the additional volume means are in fluid communication with the air spring such that a force/displacement characteristic line of the air spring can itself be modified depending on a deflection displacement and/or rebound displacement and/or speed and/or acceleration of the first part in a presettable manner, by connecting the additional volume and/or the pressure accumulator by means of the control means during the deflection and/or rebound of the first part.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a suspension system, the suspension system comprising;

a first part to which a mass is applied;

a second part;

at least one air spring arranged between said first part and said second part;

at least one additional volume means for air, the volume of which is selectively connected to a volume of the air spring in a controlled manner; and

a control means for connecting the volume of the additional volume means and the volume of the air spring, wherein via the control means, a pressure accumulator and the additional volume means are in fluid communication with the air spring such that a force/displacement characteristic line of the air spring is modified in a presettable manner depending on at least one of a deflection displacement, a rebound displacement, a deflection speed, a rebound speed, a deflection acceleration and a rebound acceleration of the first part relative to the second part, by connecting at least one of the additional volume means and the pressure accumulator by means of the control means during the deflection and rebound of the first part relative to the second part, wherein the control means is free of electrical components.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a cylinder inside which a movable piston is arranged, the additional volume means and the pressure accumulator are selectively connectable via at least one of a movement and a presettable position of the piston inside the cylinder.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the control means comprises at least one valve means, via which the position of the piston inside the cylinder can be at least one of modified and set in a presettable manner, and at least one of the additional volume means and the pressure accumulator is brought into fluid communication with the air spring in an open position of the valve means.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the valve means is in the form of a flapper valve, which is arranged on an air opening of the piston, via which the additional volume means is selectively brought into fluid communication with the air spring.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein, depending on at least one of the deflection displacement, the rebound displacement, the speed, and the acceleration of the first part relative to the second part and on the internal pressure of the air spring which is dependent thereon, the flapper valve opens or closes automatically.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the valve means is operated in the open position if an internal pressure of the pressure accumulator is greater than an internal pressure of the air spring, wherein the piston is selectively displaced inside the cylinder via the open position of the valve means such that the additional volume means can be connected.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein the valve means is operated in a closed position if an internal pressure of the pressure accumulator is equal to an internal pressure the air spring, and an internal pressure of the additional volume means is less than one of the internal pressure of the pressure accumulator and the internal pressure of the air spring.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein, after at least one of the deflection and rebound of the first part, a pressure compensation is carried out by the control means, the internal pressures of the air spring, of the additional volume means and of the pressure accumulator, respectively, being equal in the pressure compensation.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the air spring is coupled to the additional volume means via a fluid connection of a piston of the control means, the fluid connection of the piston is a fluid duct inside the piston, and the additional volume means is selectively connected to the air spring via the fluid connection of the piston, via a movement of the piston in a cylinder of the control means.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first part is an oscillating part and in that the second part is a stationary part.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first part is coupled to the second part via a guide means, wherein the guide means is a scissor-action frame.

12. A device comprising a suspension system, the suspension system comprising:

a first part to which a mass is applied;

a second part;

at least one air spring arranged between said first part and said second part;

at least one additional volume means for air, the volume of which is selectively connected to a volume of the air spring in a controlled manner;

a control means for connecting the volume of the additional volume means and the volume of the air spring, wherein via the control means, a pressure accumulator and the additional volume means are in fluid communication with the air spring such that a force/displacement characteristic line of the air spring is modified in a presettable manner depending on at least one of a deflection displacement, a rebound displacement, a deflection speed, a rebound speed, a deflection acceleration and a rebound acceleration of the first part relative to the second part, by connecting at least one of the additional volume means and the pressure accumulator by means of the control means during the deflection and rebound of the first part relative to the second part; and

wherein in a first configuration of the control means the additional volume means and the air spring means are connected by a first fluid line with a first communication path that passes through a piston of the control means, wherein in a second configuration of the control means the additional volume means is connected to the air spring by the first fluid line and by a second fluid line with a second communication path that passes through the piston of the control means.