Distributed power suspension system

• US 20040145100A1
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liquidspring Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Liquidspring Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Delorenzis, Damon
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 267/64.28
• 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 17/0165 to an external condition, e.g. rough road surface, side wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/416 using a pump, e.g. in the line connecting the lower chamber to the upper chamber of the actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/206 Body oscillation speed; Body vibration frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/821 Uneven, rough road sensing affecting vehicle body vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/02 Supply or exhaust flow rates; Pump operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/43 Filling or drainage arrangements, e.g. for supply of gas filling vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied, or solidified gases F17C

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vibration control or vehicular suspension system. In one embodiment, the system uses a liquid spring filled with a compressible liquid. In such an embodiment, a suspension system, in addition to being able to change stiffness and damping properties, has the ability to level a vehicle or other structure or device to a desired height and compensate the level height for the addition or subtraction of load.

The liquid spring can be either a passive or an active system. An active system uses a second volume of compressible fluid. A passive system uses only a single volume of compressible fluid. Further, the liquid spring can provide either spring force or both spring and damping forces. Alternatively, a single volume liquid spring can be utilized in conjunction with a conventional damper.

Claims

1. In a suspension system having at least two struts, a leveling system separately comprising for each strut:

a power supply, a fluid reservoir wherein the fluid reservoir is connected to the strut by a fluid passage and the power supply serves to increase the pressure of fluid in the fluid passage; and

a valve coupled to the fluid passage, the valve selectively operable to place the fluid reservoir in communication with the strut to vary the fluid quantity in the strut.

2. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a pump and a motor.

3. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the pump is a hydraulic pump.

4. The suspension system of claim 3 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

5. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the motor is an electric motor.

6. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a membrane-type pump.

7. The suspension system of claim 6 wherein the motor comprises a piezo-electric pump.

8. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the valve is a valve which allows fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir toward the strut, but not in the opposite direction.

9. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the valve is a check valve.

10. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the fluid reservoir is a low pressure reservoir.

11. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

12. The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising a second volume of fluid which is selectively placed in communication with the strut.

13. The suspension system of claim 12 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

14. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the power supply responds directly to commands from a leveling control.

15. The suspension system of claim 14 wherein the leveling control is a computer.

16. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the motor operates the pump to increase the pressure of fluid in the fluid passage until it is greater than the fluid pressure in the strut.

17. The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising a means to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

18. The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising a dump valve to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

19. In a suspension system having at least two struts, a leveling system comprising:

a first power supply, a first separate quantity of fluid, a first fluid reservoir, a first strut wherein the first fluid reservoir is connected to the first strut by a first fluid passage and the first power supply serves to increase the pressure of the fluid in the first fluid passage; and

a first valve coupled to the first fluid passage, the first valve selectively operable to place the first fluid reservoir in communication with the first strut to vary the fluid quantity in the first strut; and

a second power supply, a second separate quantity of fluid, a second fluid reservoir, a second strut wherein the second fluid reservoir is connected to the second strut by a second fluid passage and the second power supply serves to increase the pressure of the fluid in the second fluid passage; and

a second valve coupled to the second fluid passage, the second valve selectively operable to place the second fluid reservoir in communication with the second strut to vary the fluid quantity in the second strut.

20. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second power supplies each comprise a pump and a motor.

21. The suspension system of claim 20 wherein the pump is a hydraulic pump.

22. The suspension system of claim 21 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

23. The suspension system of claim 20 wherein the motor is an electric motor.

24. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second power supplies each comprises a membrane-type pump.

25. The suspension system of claim 24 wherein the first and second power supplies each comprises a piezo-electric pump.

26. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second valves are valves which allow fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir toward the strut, but not in the opposite direction.

27. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second valves are check valves.

28. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second fluid reservoirs are low pressure reservoirs.

29. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

30. The suspension system of claim 19 further comprising a second volume of fluid which is selectively placed in communication with the strut.

31. The suspension system of claim 30 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

32. The suspension system of claim 19 wherein the first and second power supplies respond directly to commands from a leveling control.

33. The suspension system of claim 32 wherein the leveling control is a computer.

34. The suspension system of claim 20 wherein the first motor operates the first pump to increase the pressure of fluid in the first fluid passage until it is greater than the fluid pressure in the first strut and the second motor operates the second pump to increase the pressure of fluid in the second fluid passage until it is greater than the fluid pressure in the second strut.

35. The suspension system of claim 19 further comprising a means to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

36. The suspension system of claim 19 further comprising a dump valve to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

37. In a suspension system, a leveling system comprising a motor, a pump, a check valve, a fluid reservoir and a strut wherein the fluid reservoir is connected to the strut by a fluid passage, and the motor operates the pump to increase the pressure of fluid in the fluid passage until it is greater than the fluid pressure in the strut, at which point the check valve opens to allow fluid to pass from the fluid passage into the strut.

38. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the pump is a hydraulic pump.

39. The suspension system of claim 38 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

40. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the motor is an electric motor.

41. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the motor is a piezo-electric motor.

42. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the fluid reservoir is a low pressure reservoir.

43. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

44. The suspension system of claim 37 further comprising a second volume of fluid which is selectively placed in communication with the strut.

45. The suspension system of claim 44 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

46. The suspension system of claim 37 wherein the motor and pump respond directly to commands from a leveling control.

47. The suspension system of claim 46 wherein the leveling control is a computer.

48. The suspension system of claim 37 further comprising a means to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

49. The suspension system of claim 37 further comprising a dump valve to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

50. In a suspension system having at least one strut, a leveling system comprising a power supply, a fluid reservoir and a check valve wherein the power supply serves to increase the pressure of fluid in the fluid passage for one strut only and the check valve serves to place one fluid reservoir only in connection with one strut only by use of one fluid passage only.

51. The suspension system of claim 50 wherein the power supply comprises a pump and a motor.

52. The suspension system of claim 51 wherein the pump is a hydraulic pump.

53. The suspension system of claim 52 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

54. The suspension system of claim 51 wherein the motor is an electric motor.

55. The suspension system of claim 50 wherein the power supply comprises a membrane-type pump.

56. The suspension system of claim 55 wherein the motor comprises a piezo-electric pump.

57. The suspension system of claim 50 wherein the fluid reservoir is a low pressure reservoir.

58. The suspension system of claim 50 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

59. The suspension system of claim 50 further comprising a second volume of fluid which is selectively placed in communication with the strut.

60. The suspension system of claim 53 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

61. The suspension system of claim 50 wherein the power supply responds directly to commands from a leveling control.

62. The suspension system of claim 61 wherein the leveling control is a computer.

63. The suspension system of claim 50 further comprising a means to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

64. The suspension system of claim 50 further comprising a dump valve to selectively allow fluid to drain from the strut to the fluid reservoir.

65. In a suspension system having at least two struts, a leveling system comprising for each strut:

a power supply, a fluid reservoir, a strut wherein the fluid reservoir is connected to the strut by a fluid passage, a means for selectively introducing fluid from the reservoir into the strut, and a means for selectively removing fluid from the strut.

66. The suspension system of claim 65 where in the power supply comprises a pump and a motor.

67. The suspension system of claim 66 wherein the pump is a hydraulic pump.

68. The suspension system of claim 67 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.

69. The suspension system of claim 66 wherein the motor is an electric motor.

70. The suspension system of claim 65 wherein the power supply comprises a membrane-type pump.

71. The suspension system of claim 70 wherein the motor comprises a piezo-electric pump.

72. The suspension system of claim 65 wherein the fluid reservoir is a low pressure reservoir.

73. The suspension system of claim 65 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

74. The suspension system of claim 65 further comprising a second volume of fluid which is selectively placed in communication with the strut.

75. The suspension system of claim 74 wherein the fluid is a compressible fluid.

76. The suspension system of claim 65 wherein the power supply responds directly to commands from a leveling control.

77. The suspension system of claim 76 wherein the leveling control is a computer.

78. The suspension system of claim 66 wherein the motor operates the pump to increase the pressure of fluid in the fluid passage until it is greater than the fluid pressure in the strut.