Abstract: In a system for controlling the US-OS characteristic of a vehicle having front and rear suspensions, a device for changing the US-OS characteristic is provided which is adapted to alter the roll stiffness distribution between the front and the rear suspensions. A turning state quantity is detected and the changing rate of a turning state quantity is determined. A control device is further provided which is adapted to respond to the turning state quantity and the changing rate of the turning state quantity, and to control the US-OS characteristic changing device so that the higher the changing rate of the turning state quantity is, the more the US-OS characteristic may be shifted toward higher over-steer, and for the same changing rate the higher the turning state quantity is, the more the US-OS characteristic may be shifted toward higher under-steer.

Abstract: In a hydraulic suspension system, a plurality of actuators having working fluid chambers are provided. Each actuator is adapted to increase and decrease vehicle height as the results of the supply and the discharge of working fluid into and from its working fluid chamber, respectively. A plurality of accumulators are connected with associated working fluid chambers. Working fluid supply passages supply working fluid into the working fluid chambers and working fluid discharge passages discharge working fluid from the working fluid chambers. Pressure control devices are provided in the supply passages and the discharge passages. Each pressure control device means is adapted to control the supply of the working fluid into and the discharge from the associated working fluid chamber to adjust the pressure within the chamber. The suspension system further comprises flow resistance control devices.

Abstract: A pressure control system for suspension delivers a pressure which is proportional to a current level chosen to energize a solenoid of a pressure control valve to a shock absorber of a suspension. A change in the pressure of a return path which supplies a low pressure to the pressure control valve causes the pressure which is applied to the suspension to change. In order to suppress such change, a junction of the pressure control valve with the return path has an orifice interposed therein or is connected to a low pressure accumulator. On the other hand, in the event a depression occurs in the output of the high pressure piping, a cut valve which functions to isolate the suspension from the pressure control valve may be temporarily cut off in response to a pressure fluctuation in the high pressure piping. In order to prevent this, an orifice is interposed between the high pressure piping and a pilot chamber of the cut valve.

Abstract: Provided is a suspension controller which has a plurality of control sections in a control mechanism and which has the order of priority among the suspension controls when two or more different suspension controls are simultaneously instructed from the control sections, so as to optimally control the suspension characteristic according to both the road condition and the running condition of the vehicle. The suspension controller of the invention includes a preference mechanism or logic for preferentially altering the suspension characteristic to a harder state in order to reduce the vibration of the vehicle body and to prevent an abrupt change of the vehicle attitude, thus providing good control, high stability and riding comfort.

Abstract: A suspension control system which provides a vehicle height signal representative of a vehicle height, a vehicle height data signal responsive to said vehicle height signal, and a first determination signal representative of a suspension characteristic alteration if a difference between a maximum and minimum value of said vehicle height data signal within a predetermined suspension characteristic alteration determination time interval exceeds a first value thereof, and which alters said suspension characteristic in response to said first determination signal.

Abstract: A suspension controller of a vehicle having a suspension between a body and a wheel, includes: a vehicle height detection means for detecting a vehicle height at a front wheel and for generating a vehicle height signal according to the detected height; a determination means for receiving the vehicle height signal, and for generating height data responsive to the vehicle height signal, for determining whether the difference between the maximum and the minimum value of the height data during a predetermined period is greater than a reference value, the period being determined within a cycle time of sprung mass vibration, and for generating a suspension control signal, and a suspension characteristic alteration means for altering characteristics of the suspension in response to the suspension control signal.

Abstract: A suspension controller for a vehicle is provided to effectively absorb vibrations such as resonant vibration of the mass of the wheel when the wheel is not on the ground, namely, "resonant vibration of unsprung mass". The suspension controller includes: a vehicle height detection means at a front wheel; a vehicle height determination means for comparing the vehicle height with a predetermined reference value; a cycle time determination means for detecting the cycle time of the vehicle height signal and for comparing the detected cycle time with a predetermined reference value; a control means for generating a suspension characteristic alteration signal based upon the vehicle height determination result and the cycle time determination result; and a suspension characteristic alteration means for altering a suspension characteristic of the vehicle in response to the suspension characteristic alteration signal.

Abstract: A near rear suspension controller for a vehicle having a suspension between a vehicle body and a rear wheel includes: a front height detection section for measuring a distance between the vehicle body and a front wheel for generating a front height signal; a judgement section for generating a judgment result signal when the front height signal exceeds a predetermined range; and a rear height control section for increasing the rear vehicle height when it receives the judgment result signal.

Abstract: When a sporadic shock due to a protrusion or sinking of a road surface is detected at front wheels of a vehicle during its cruising on the road surface, the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle is immediately altered to improve the controllability and the stability of the vehicle or the feel of the ride thereof. For that purpose, a height sensor for detecting the distance between the body of the vehicle and each of the right and left front wheels thereof, a judgement section by which a front wheel vehicle height signal generated by the height sensor is compared with a predetermined reference range signal, and a controller for altering the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle depending on the result of the comparison are provided. In addition, a returning control of the characteristic of the suspension to the original state immediately after the rear wheels of the vehicle have passed over the protrusion or sinking which causes a sporadic shock may be performed.

Abstract: A rear suspension controller for controlling the suspension characteristic of a vehicle having a suspension which supports a vehicle body on plural wheels, wherein the acceleration of the vertical movement of at least one of the front wheels is measured and a corresponding signal is produced for detecting sporadic irregularities on a road surface. This acceleration signal is compared against preset reference signals and the characteristic of the rear suspension is altered, e.g., the suspension is made harder or softer, in dependence on the comparison in order to keep the controllability and stability or to maintain a good ride comfort according to demand. Additionally, the preset reference signals themselves are changed depending upon the vehicle speed because the influence of the shock caused by the irregularities changes according to the vehicle speed.

Abstract: When a single shock due to a bump or dip in a road surface is detected at the front wheel of a vehicle running on the road, the characteristic of the air suspensions is immediately altered to improve comfort of ride thereof. For that purpose, a distance between the body of the vehicle and the front wheel is detected and when the distance exceeds a predetermined value, the suspension characteristic is altered to a softer state by communicating the air chambers of the front and the rear air suspensions. Further, the pressures of the air chambers are detected and, in case the pressure difference is greater than predetermined value, the communicating operation is prohibited in order to prevent an abrupt change of the vehicle posture.

Abstract: According to the present invention, as soon as the sporadic protrusion or sinking of a road surface is detected at the front wheel of the vehicle during its running on the road surface, the air chambers of the air suspensions for the right and the left rear wheels of the vehicle are connected to each other to alter the spring constant of the rear suspensions to `soft` when the rear wheel passes over the sporadic protrusion or sinking of the road surface, so that the feel of ride of the vehicle and the controllability and stability thereof are kept good. After the rear wheel moves over the sporadic protrusion or sinking, the characteristic of the rear suspensions is returned to the original state appropriate to the normal running state of the vehicle. Detectors for the sporadic protrusion or sinking of the road surface may be provided for the right and the left front wheels of the vehicle, respectively. The rear suspensions of the vehicle can be more appropriately controlled by that.

Abstract: A suspension controller for providing improved ride comfort and stable drivability with the suspension characteristic altered responsive to the condition of a road surface and a running vehicle speed.

Abstract: A suspension controller is provided to effectively absorb a sporadic shock by appropriately altering a suspension characteristic. Especially, when a sporadic shock is detected, which is caused by riding-through a dip or riding-over a bump of the front wheels, the suspension controller of the invention can alter the rear suspension characteristic before the rear wheels ride through the dip or over the bump. The suspension controller of the invention particularly includes restoration means for restoring the altered suspension characteristic when a predetermined delay time interval has elapsed from a time point at which a vehicle height data was determined to be out of a predetermined range by determination means, and for starting the recount of the predetermined delay time interval if the vehicle height data is again determined to be out of the predetermined range by the determination means before the predetermined delay time interval elapses from the first determination.

Abstract: A suspension controller for improving the riding comfort, particularly for preventing bumping of bound stoppers or rebound stoppers against the vehicle body includes: a vehicle height detection means for detecting a vehicle height at a front wheel and for generating a vehicle height signal according to the distance; a conversion means for converting the detected vehicle height signal into a corresponding converted height signal, wherein the converted height signal increases more sharply than the actual vehicle height signal when the actual vehicle height signal is greater then a preset value and decreases sharply when the vehicle height signal is less than another preset value; a control means for generating a suspension characteristic alteration signal depending on the converted height signal; and a suspension characteristic alteration means for altering characteristics of suspensions of the vehicle in response to the suspension characteristic alteration signal.

Abstract: A new rear suspension controller is invented for improving a ride comfort or for improving controllability and stability when a vehicle passes a sporadic bump or dip of otherwise smooth road surface. It includes: a front vehicle height detector which measures a distance between the vehicle body and a front wheel; a first judgment means which detects a sporadic bump or dip by comparing the signal from the front vehicle height detector with a preset standard value; a rear vehicle height detector which measures a distance between the vehicle body and a rear wheel; a second judgment means which detects the bump or dip that the front wheel has passed; and a rear suspension characteristic alteration means which alters, for example, a spring constant of air suspensions, a dumping force of shock absorbers, stabilizer compliance, etc. when the first judgment means detected the bump or dip and returns the characteristic after the second judgment means judges that the rear wheel has passed it.

Abstract: A suspension controller for controlling the suspension characteristic of a vehicle having a suspension which supports a vehicle body on plural wheels, wherein the distance between the vehicle body and at least one of the wheels is measured and a corresponding signal indicating the height of the vehicle is produced. This height signal is compared against preset reference signals and the characteristic of the suspension is altered, e.g., the suspension is made harder or softer, in dependance on the comparison. Additionally, the preset reference signals themselves are changed depending upon the alteration in the characteristic of the suspension. Changing the reference signals eliminates influence of the change in the amplitude of vibration of the height of the vehicle as a result of altering of the suspension characterisitc, whereby exact detection of a change in the amplitude of the vibration due to irregularities of the road surface is enabled to prevent overcontrol and hunting.

Abstract: This invention relates to a rear height controller for a vehicle having a height adjuster between the body and a rear wheel. The controller includes a front height detector which detects a sporadic bump or dip of a road surface on which the vehicle is running by measuring the distance between the body and a front wheel. The front height data is sent to a bump or dip judgment section in which the height data from the right and the left height detectors is judged whether the data corresponds to a predetermined size of bump or dip. If the data is judged to correspond to a bump or dip of a predetermined size, the judgment section sends a signal to a rear height adjuster. If the right front wheel sinks into a dip, the left rear body height is lowered in order to keep the posture of the vehicle unchanged when the right rear wheel sinks into the dip. If the right front wheel rides onto a bump, the left rear body height is raised.

Abstract: When a sporadic shock due to a protrusion or dip of a road surface is detected at front wheels of a vehicle during its cruising on the road surface, the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle is altered immediately or just before the rear wheels pass it to improve the controllability and the stability of the vehicle or the smooth feeling of the ride. For that purpose, a rear suspension controller is invented which includes a height sensor for detecting the distance between the body of the vehicle and each of the right and left front wheels thereof, height data calculator which generates a plurality of height data from the front vehicle height, a judgment section which compares each of the height data with a respective reference value that is predetermined corresponding to each height datum and generates comparisons and a rear suspension characteristic alteration devices which alter the spring constant, damping force, etc. of the rear suspensions.

Abstract: Present invention relates to an apparatus to improve the riding feel of the vehicle when the rear wheels pass over a sporadic hollows or protrusions of a ground by altering the rear suspension characteristic, i.e. the spring constant and the damping force of the shock absorbers after such hollows or protrusions are detected by front wheels of the vehicle passing thereover and the detected hollow or protrusion is judged to exceed a predetermined size. Besides that, the present invention has another control measures to give a priority to the maintenance of the vehicle posture when the driving condition is that need drivability and stability more than the riding comfort over the above-mentioned rear suspension characteristic alteration.