Air suspension system having a damped linkage rod assembly for controlling a height-leveling air valve

A leveling valve assembly for an air suspension system of a heavy vehicle, comprising:

• an air valve mountable to one of a sprung mass and unsprung mass of the vehicle, and which includes a supply port, a suspension port, an exhaust port, and a control arm, wherein, using the control arm, the air valve is operable between at least a first state in which the supply port is directed to the suspension port and a second state in which the suspension port is directed to the exhaust port, and
• a linkage rod assembly mounted in its first end to the control arm of the air valve and mountable in its other, second end to another one of the sprung mass and unsprung mass of the vehicle, and configured to translate a relative movement between the sprung mass and unsprung mass of the vehicle into a movement of the control arm, to thereby regulate a ride height of the vehicle,
• wherein the linkage rod assembly includes a spring and damper arrangement inserted in between the first and second ends of the linkage rod assembly, and configured to dampen or block movement of the control arm due to relative movement between the sprung mass and unsprung mass of the vehicle not caused by a change in a mass loading of the vehicle.