Abstract: A method for estimating damping characteristics of shock absorbers in an active or semi-active suspension involves providing a reference model of a nominal relation between a road severity index related to vertical acceleration values, and the mean driving current of the control valves of the shock absorbers, acquiring respective relative acceleration or speed data of at least the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, determining a value of the road severity index starting from relative acceleration or speed data of the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, acquiring values representative of the mean driving current of the control valve of each shock absorber, comparing acquired value of the mean driving current with an expected value of the nominal mean driving current determined as a function of the road severity index according to the reference model, and determining a degradation condition if the acquired value does not correspond to the expected value.

Abstract: A shock-absorber has a cylindrical body having an inner and an outer cylindrical tubes enclosing a reservoir chamber containing oil, and a rod. A piston divides the internal volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber. The cylindrical body has an intermediate cylindrical tube enclosing with the inner cylindrical tube an intermediate chamber. A first electronically-controlled valve is arranged inside the inner cylindrical tube, so as to be drivingly connected to the rod, and hydraulically connected to the rebound chamber and to the compression chamber to adjust, during rebound phase, flow of the damping fluid from the rebound chamber to the compression chamber.

Abstract: A shock-absorber has an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube, a rod, a main piston and a hydraulic stop member received in a compression chamber and operating during an end section of the compression stroke of the shock-absorber to cause an increase in the hydraulic damping force. The hydraulic stop member has a cup-shaped body mounted in the compression chamber and a first auxiliary piston which is mounted on a cylindrical body rigidly connected to the main piston and is configured to sealingly slide in the cup-shaped body during an end section of the compression stroke, encompassing a working chamber with the cup-shaped body. A sliding member is slidably received inside the cylindrical body for opening or closing at least one first passage of the cylindrical body through which oil flows from the working chamber of the cup-shaped body to the compression chamber of the shock-absorber.

Abstract: A rotary damper includes a rotating input member rotating about a rotation axis; a first cylinder and a second cylinder coaxially arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis; a first and a second pistons slidable inside the first and second cylinders and defining a first and a second working chambers containing incompressible working fluids, respectively; motion conversion mechanisms converting the rotary motion of the rotating input member about the rotation axis into reciprocating motion of the first and second pistons; a third cylinder; a fourth cylinder; and a third and fourth pistons, slidable inside the third and fourth cylinders, respectively and separating the inner volume of the respective cylinder into a respective main chamber in fluid communication with the first working chamber and auxiliary chambers; and the second working chamber and auxiliary chambers respectively.

Abstract: A shock-absorber has an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube, a rod, a main piston and a hydraulic stop member received in a compression chamber and operating during an end section of the compression stroke of the shock-absorber to cause an increase in the hydraulic damping force. The hydraulic stop member has a cup-shaped body mounted in the compression chamber and a first auxiliary piston which is mounted on a cylindrical body rigidly connected to the main piston and is configured to sealingly slide in the cup-shaped body during an end section of the compression stroke, encompassing a working chamber with the cup-shaped body. A sliding member is slidably received inside the cylindrical body for opening or closing at least one first passage of the cylindrical body through which oil flows from the working chamber of the cup-shaped body to the compression chamber of the shock-absorber.

Abstract: A method for controlling the damping characteristic of a shock absorber of a vehicle, particularly for compensating the variation of the operating temperature of the shock absorber, in an active or semi-active suspension system. The compensation of the variation of the operating temperature of the shock absorber takes place by: estimating a mechanical power dissipated in heat by the shock absorber; estimating a thermal power exchanged by the shock absorber with the environment; evaluating the current operating temperature of the shock absorber as a function of the dissipated mechanical power and of the thermal power exchanged with the environment; and controlling the driving current of the control valve of the shock absorber according to a shock absorber reference model indicating a relationship between the damping force of the shock absorber, the operating temperature of the shock absorber and the driving current of the control valve.

Abstract: A shock-absorber has a cylindrical body having an inner and an outer cylindrical tubes enclosing a reservoir chamber containing oil, and a rod. A piston divides the internal volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber. The cylindrical body has an intermediate cylindrical tube enclosing with the inner cylindrical tube an intermediate chamber. A first electronically-controlled valve is arranged inside the inner cylindrical tube, so as to be drivingly connected to the rod, and hydraulically connected to the rebound chamber and to the compression chamber to adjust, during rebound phase, flow of the damping fluid from the rebound chamber to the compression chamber.

Abstract: A method for estimating damping characteristics of shock absorbers in an active or semi-active suspension involves providing a reference model of a nominal relation between a road severity index related to vertical acceleration values, and the mean driving current of the control valves of the shock absorbers, acquiring respective relative acceleration or speed data of at least the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, determining a value of the road severity index starting from relative acceleration or speed data of the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, acquiring values representative of the mean driving current of the control valve of each shock absorber, comparing acquired value of the mean driving current with an expected value of the nominal mean driving current determined as a function of the road severity index according to the reference model, and determining a degradation condition if the acquired value does not correspond to the expected value.

Abstract: A damper and spring unit includes a damper having a cylinder and a rod extending along a first axis (z), a spring plate arranged around the cylinder and slidable with respect to the cylinder along the first axis (z), a spring resting at its bottom on the spring plate, and an electro-mechanical adjustment device interposed between the cylinder and the spring plate for adjusting in a continuous and controlled manner the vertical position of the bottom end of the spring and the height of the vehicle from the ground. The adjustment device includes an electric motor generating a rotary motion and a motion conversion mechanism having one screw extending along a second axis (z?) parallel to the first axis (z), but spaced therefrom, and driven into rotation by the electric motor about the second axis (z?), and a nut meshing with the screw and drivingly connected for translation with the spring plate.

Abstract: A suspension including a spring interposed between the body (B) of the vehicle and the wheel (W); a regenerative hydraulic shock-absorbing unit comprising a hydraulic shock-absorber arranged parallel to the spring, a motor and pump unit with a volumetric hydraulic machine and an electric machine coupled to the hydraulic machine), and an electronic control unit arranged to control the torque of the electric machine. A hydraulic actuator is arranged in series with the spring. A reservoir and a hydraulic circuit are connected to each other, the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir. The hydraulic circuit includes a valve assembly for controlling the flow of a working fluid between the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine, the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir.

Abstract: A hydraulic shock-absorber comprises an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube defining with the outer cylindrical tube an annular chamber, a main piston slidably mounted in the inner cylindrical tube and dividing the inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into an extension chamber and a compression chamber, both containing an incompressible damping fluid, a valve assembly mounted on a bottom wall of the inner cylindrical tube and comprising a first compression valve and a first intake valve, a cup-shaped body mounted in the inner cylindrical tube, inside the compression chamber, and an auxiliary piston rigidly connected to the main piston and configured to slide in the cup-shaped body at least during a final section of the compression phase of the shock-absorber.

Abstract: A rotary damper includes a rotating input member rotating about a rotation axis; a first cylinder and a second cylinder coaxially arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis; a first and a second pistons slidable inside the first and second cylinders and defining a first and a second working chambers containing incompressible working fluids, respectively; motion conversion mechanisms converting the rotary motion of the rotating input member about the rotation axis into reciprocating motion of the first and second pistons; a third cylinder; a fourth cylinder; and a third and fourth pistons, slidable inside the third and fourth cylinders, respectively and separating the inner volume of the respective cylinder into a respective main chamber in fluid communication with the first working chamber and auxiliary chambers; and the second working chamber and auxiliary chambers respectively.

Abstract: The actuator comprises a cylinder and a rod. The cylinder comprises an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube which extend coaxially to each other along a longitudinal axis (z). The inner cylindrical tube accommodates a plunger which is rigidly connected to the rod and separates an inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a compression chamber and an extension chamber, wherein at least the compression chamber contains oil. The inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube enclose with each other a reservoir chamber which is permanently in fluid communication with the extension chamber via at least one first passage provided in the inner cylindrical tube and contains a pressurized gas in a first portion thereof and oil in a remaining portion thereof.

Abstract: A hydraulic shock-absorber comprises an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube defining with the outer cylindrical tube an annular chamber, a main piston slidably mounted in the inner cylindrical tube and dividing the inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into an extension chamber and a compression chamber, both containing an incompressible damping fluid, a valve assembly mounted on a bottom wall of the inner cylindrical tube and comprising a first compression valve and a first intake valve, a cup-shaped body mounted in the inner cylindrical tube, inside the compression chamber, and an auxiliary piston rigidly connected to the main piston and configured to slide in the cup-shaped body at least during a final section of the compression phase of the shock-absorber.

Abstract: A damper and spring unit includes a damper having a cylinder and a rod extending along a first axis (z), a spring plate arranged around the cylinder and slidable with respect to the cylinder along the first axis (z), a spring resting at its bottom on the spring plate, and an electro-mechanical adjustment device interposed between the cylinder and the spring plate for adjusting in a continuous and controlled manner the vertical position of the bottom end of the spring and the height of the vehicle from the ground. The adjustment device includes an electric motor generating a rotary motion and a motion conversion mechanism having one screw extending along a second axis (z?) parallel to the first axis (z), but spaced therefrom, and driven into rotation by the electric motor about the second axis (z?), and a nut meshing with the screw and drivingly connected for translation with the spring plate.

Abstract: The actuator comprises a cylinder and a rod. The cylinder comprises an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube which extend coaxially to each other along a longitudinal axis (z). The inner cylindrical tube accommodates a plunger which is rigidly connected to the rod and separates an inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a compression chamber and an extension chamber, wherein at least the compression chamber contains oil. The inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube enclose with each other a reservoir chamber which is permanently in fluid communication with the extension chamber via at least one first passage provided in the inner cylindrical tube and contains a pressurized gas in a first portion thereof and oil in a remaining portion thereof.

Abstract: A suspension including a spring interposed between the body (B) of the vehicle and the wheel (W); a regenerative hydraulic shock-absorbing unit comprising a hydraulic shock-absorber arranged parallel to the spring, a motor and pump unit with a volumetric hydraulic machine and an electric machine coupled to the hydraulic machine), and an electronic control unit arranged to control the torque of the electric machine. A hydraulic actuator is arranged in series with the spring. A reservoir and a hydraulic circuit are connected to each other, the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir. The hydraulic circuit includes a valve assembly for controlling the flow of a working fluid between the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine, the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir.

Abstract: The hydraulic shock-absorber comprises a hydraulic stop member having a cup-shaped body, which is adapted to be mounted in a compression chamber, and a plunger, mounted at an end of a rod of the shock-absorber so as to slide in the cup-shaped body when the shock-absorber moves towards the compression end-of-travel position. The cup-shaped body comprises a side wall and a bottom wall which define, along with the plunger, a working chamber in which a damping fluid of the shock-absorber is compressed by the plunger when the latter slides in the working chamber towards the bottom wall of the body. Axial channels are formed on the inner surface of the side wall of the body and allow the damping fluid to flow axially out of the working chamber when the plunger slides in the working chamber towards the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body.

Abstract: The hydraulic stop member comprises: a cup-shaped body mounted in a compression chamber of the shock-absorber. A piston is mounted at an end of a rod of the shock-absorber so as to slide in the cup-shaped body when the shock-absorber is close to an end-of-travel position of the compression stroke. The cup-shaped body includes a side wall and a bottom wall which define, along with the piston, a working chamber where a damping fluid of the shock-absorber is compressed by the piston. A bypass conduit connects a working chamber with the portion of the compression chamber placed above a seal ring. A pressure relief valve keeps the bypass conduit closed as long as the pressure in the working chamber remains below a given threshold value and to open the bypass conduit, thereby allowing the discharge of the damping fluid from the working chamber to the compression chamber through the bypass conduit, when the pressure in the working chamber exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for managing the energy supplied to a low-voltage system of a vehicle. The low-voltage system includes a battery, which supplies the first voltage on a low-voltage bus. A system for charging the battery includes an alternator for supplying a charging voltage to the battery, and motor-vehicle loads supplied by the battery and/or by the alternator. A high-voltage system operates at a second voltage higher than said first voltage. The high-voltage system includes the vehicle energy-recovery stage. The second voltage is supplied through an intermediate energy-storage system and a DC-DC converter. A control module that carries out energy-management operations at least by the alternator. The second voltage of the DC-DC converter is regulated via a control procedure of a hysteretic type.