Land vehicles – Skates – Ball type roller skates
Patent
1994-03-11
1995-11-14
Rice, Kenneth R.
Land vehicles
Skates
Ball type roller skates
280707, B60G 17015
Patent
active
054660076
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle suspension and in particular, although not exclusively, to a suspension for an untracked wheeled vehicle. It relates also to a vehicle incorporating the suspension of the invention and to method of controlling a vehicle suspension.
The invention is directed particularly but not exclusively to a vehicle of a kind having an air or like gas suspension.
The invention seeks to provide a suspension which offers a facility to achieve good ride characteristics related to the operating condition of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one of its aspects the present invention provides a vehicle suspension comprising in. combination vehicle speed sensing means, suspension units associated with respective vehicle wheels and selectively controllable to vary the ride height of the vehicle, each suspension unit incorporating an electrical height sensing device responsive to departure of the ride height from a predetermined height datum which is a function of the vehicle speed and to provide a signal related thereto to control movement of at least one suspension unit thereby to tend to move at least a part of the vehicle to said predetermined height datum and timer means whereby the movement of a suspension unit in response to a signal from a height sensing device is inhibited until a signal of at least a prescribed magnitude has persisted for at least a prescribed part of a prescribed period of time.
The suspension units each may be gas, e.g pneumatic suspension units and valve means responsive to signals from the height sensing device may be provided for selective control of gas to or from each suspension unit.
Each suspension unit may incorporate a damping device and the damping device may be of a kind which incorporates an electrical height sensing device to provide a signal related to departure of the ride height from a predetermined height datum. An example of a suitable damper unit is a linear variable differential transformer type unit such as described in the specification of UK Patent Application GB 2027207A. Alternatively electrical height sensing devices such as of the types comprising ultrasonic displacement sensors or potentiometers may be employed.
The invention further provides a variable sensitivity system in which the period for which the timer means inhibits movement of a suspension unit in response to a signal from a height sensor is a function of the magnitude of that signal. The sensitivity variation may be substantially continuously variable whereby for example the time delay is a function of an averaged value of the signal from the height sensor or it may be of a stepped kind in which when the magnitude of the signal exceeds a prescribed magnitude there is no time delay or only a short period of time delay whereas when the magnitude of the height departure signal is below a prescribed magnitude the timer means causes a delay of at least a prescribed magnitude.
It is envisaged that the system may have two sensitivity modes, which may be known as insensitive and sensitive modes respectively. The sensitive mode may be invoked for example during initial start up of the vehicle to result in speedy supply of gas to gas suspension units thereby to place the vehicle at approximately the desired ride height. That initial desired ride height may be a height lying within a prescribed band. After a prescribed period following initial start up the system may change to an insensitive mode of operation in which the ride height information is used to position the vehicle more accurately to a particular height. The later positioning may be achieved by the signals from the height sensors indicating departure from a prescribed desired height; if that signal persists continuously for at least a specified period of time or at least a specified proportion of a prescribed period of time, that signal may be regarded as indicative of a valid error situation and control means associated with the suspension system may operate to adjust th
REFERENCES:
patent: 3624456 (1970-11-01), Elliott
patent: 4401310 (1983-08-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 4518169 (1985-05-01), Kuroki et al.
patent: 4693485 (1987-09-01), Kamei et al.
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 35, No. 2, May 1988, New York, N.Y., USA--pp. 193-200, Hirose et al. `Toyota electronic modulated air suspension system for the 1986 Soarer` see p. 197.
Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift, vol. 88, No. 7/8, Aug. 1986, Stuttgart, BRD--pp. 407-413, Bantle und Bott `Der Porsche Typ 959-Gruppe B--en besonderes Automobil--Teil 3`, see p. 410, right col., paragraph 3 --p. 411, left col., paragraph 5.
Dunlop Limited
Rice Kenneth R.
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