Method and apparatus for controlling vehicle suspension such that suspension characteristics are changed at a point in time when a vehicle wheel reaches a road surface irregularity detected in front of the vehicle
US5347457A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 16, 1991 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 16, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60G2800/916
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicular suspension control apparatus includes a selector valve for changing at least one of spring rigidity or damper rigidity of a suspension which is installed between a wheel and a body of a vehicle and extensibly and retractably supports the vehicle body on the wheel, a forward road surface sensor attached to the vehicle body and adapted to detect an irregularity of a road surface located in front of the vehicle body at a predetermined distance from the mounting position of the sensor when the vehicle body is in a predetermined attitude, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, and a controller for calculating a point of time when the wheel reaches the irregularity of the road surface, in accordance with the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, when the irregularity of the road surface is detected by the forward road surface sensor, and delivering a command signal for lowering at least one of the spring rigidity and the damper rigidity of the suspension to the selector valve by not later than the calculated time point.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.