Suspension arrangement and method for controlling suspension arrangements

A suspension arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

• a base and a structure;
• at least one air spring and a spring control of the at least one air spring, wherein
• the spring control has a pressure accumulator with a hydraulic chamber, an air chamber and a diaphragm, the diaphragm separating the hydraulic chamber and the air chamber, and
• the hydraulic chamber of the pressure accumulator is connected to a pump for a fluid, wherein the air chamber of the pressure accumulator is connected to the air spring, wherein
• a switching element is interposed between and directly connected to the air chamber of the pressure accumulator and the air spring, and
• the switching element connects connecting lines to one another in one switching position and closes them against one another in another switching position.

A method for controlling a suspension arrangement for a utility vehicle having a base and a structure, wherein the suspension arrangement comprises at least one first spring and at least one second spring, wherein the at least one first spring and the at least one second spring have spring fastenings which are connected on one hand to fastening devices of the structure and on the other hand to the base,

• the method comprising the steps of:
• S1) operating the suspension arrangement in a first operating position without loading only with the at least one first spring;
• S2) operating the suspension arrangement in a second operating position, in the case of which a maximum load is present, with the at least one first spring and with the at least one second spring, in that the at least one second spring is arranged parallel to the first spring by way of an adjustment device and is connected to the structure;
• S3) operating the suspension arrangement in a third operating position, in which a load in a range from 20% to 80%, of the maximum load is present, only with the at least one second spring, wherein the at least one first spring is detached from the structure;
• and
• S4) operating the suspension arrangement in a fourth operating position, in which the structure is adjusted into a raised position by way of the adjustment device and the at least one second spring, wherein the at least one first spring is detached from the structure.

A method for controlling a suspension arrangement for a utility vehicle having a base and a structure, wherein the suspension arrangement has at least one air spring and a spring control of the at least one air spring, the method comprising the steps of:

• VS1) providing the suspension arrangement with an air spring having an adjustable rigidity, wherein the suspension arrangement has at least one pressure accumulator connected to the air spring;
• VS2) filling a hydraulic chamber of the at least one pressure accumulator with hydraulic fluid and generating a pressure in the hydraulic chamber;
• VS3) transferring the pressure of the hydraulic chamber to an air volume of an air chamber which communicates with the air spring;
• and
• VS4) controlling the suspension arrangement by adjusting a rigidity of the air spring by varying the pressure or a filling quantity of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic chamber of the pressure accumulator, wherein
• in method step VS4, the rigidity of the air spring is maintained by a switching element that is interposed between and directly connected to the air chamber of the pressure accumulator and the air spring, and
• the switching element connects connecting lines to one another in one switching position and closes them against one another in another switching position.