Active vehicle suspension system

An active suspension actuator system, comprising:

• a first housing that includes:
• a controller;
• and
• a rotary position sensor;
• a second housing that includes:
• a quantity of hydraulic fluid contained in a volume in the second housing;
• a bullkhead portion that separates the volume in the second housing from the first housing,
• an electric motor with a stator and a rotor, wherein the electric motor is received in a cavity partially formed by a second portion of the second housing and the bulkhead portion;
• a hydraulic pump that is positioned coaxially relative to the rotor and operatively coupled to the rotor, wherein the rotor is immersed in the quantity of hydraulic fluid;
• a source magnet coaxially located and connected to the rotor and immersed in the quantity of hydraulic fluid, wherein the source magnet has a magnetic field;
• a sensor shield received in a central opening of the bulkhead portion and interposed between the source magnet and rotary position sensor, wherein the sensor shield is constructed from a non-magnetic material, wherein an inner surface of the sensor shield is exposed to a pressure of the quantity of hydraulic fluid, and wherein the sensor shield is configured to maintain an air gap between an outer surface of the sensor shield and the rotary position sensor;
• and
• a first port and a second port wherein at least the first port is in fluid communication with the quantity of hydraulic fluid,
• wherein the rotary position sensor is configured and positioned to measure an orientation of a portion of the magnetic field of the source magnet that penetrates through the sensor shield, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an angular position of the rotor based on the measurement;
• and
• an actuator that includes:
• a first actuator port and a second actuator port;
• wherein the first actuator port is in fluid communication with the first port of the second housing and the second actuator port is in fluid communication with the second port of the second housing.

A method of operating an electro-hydraulic pump of an active suspension actuator system, the method comprising:

• disposing a magnetic sensor target on a rotor, of an electric motor of the electro-hydraulic pump, that is immersed in a hydraulic fluid;
• disposing a diaphragm to establish a dry region that does not contain hydraulic fluid so that the magnetic sensor target passes proximal to a magnetic sensor across the diaphragm as the rotor rotates;
• positioning the magnetic sensor in the dry region;
• detecting an orientation of a magnetic field of the magnetic sensor target as it passes proximal to the magnetic sensor due to a rotation of the rotor;
• determining an angular position of the rotor;
• and
• controlling an electric motor driving the electro-hydraulic pump at least partially based on the angular position of the rotor.

A system comprising:

• a housing comprising a first compartment configured to contain hydraulic fluid;
• a sensor compartment connected to the first compartment;
• a rotary position sensor disposed in the sensor compartment;
• an electric motor disposed in the first compartment, wherein the electric motor includes a rotor configured to be immersed in the hydraulic fluid in the first compartment;
• a hydraulic pump configured to be disposed in the hydraulic fluid in the first compartment, wherein the electric motor is operatively coupled to the hydraulic pump;
• a bulkhead at least partially separating the first compartment from the sensor compartment;
• a sensor shield integrated with the bulkhead, wherein the sensor shield and the bulkhead are configured to separate the hydraulic fluid in the first compartment from the sensor compartment;
• a source magnet attached to a first end portion of the rotor and configured to be immersed in the hydraulic fluid in the first compartment;
• and
• an air gap disposed between the sensor shield and the rotary position sensor, wherein the source magnet is coaxial with a rotational axis of the rotor, and wherein the rotary position sensor is configured and positioned to sense a magnetic flux of the source magnet through the sensor shield.