US 12,552,218 B1Granted

Air spring suspension system with variable flow valves

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsDevon Robert Hall, Matthew Watts, McGregor Coyne, Brian K. Saylor

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Abstract

An air spring suspension system includes first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies configured to support a frame of the vehicle at front and rear suspension/wheel assemblies of the vehicle. A valve block includes a valve. A compressor supplies pressurized gas to the valve block. A reservoir is in fluid communication with the valve block. The air spring suspension system includes first, second, third, and fourth height sensors. First, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves are in fluid communication with the valve of the valve block and the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively. A pressure sensor senses pressure in the valve block. A vehicle kinematic sensor senses a vehicle kinematic parameter. A controller is configured to control the first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves in response to the pressure, the first, second, third, and fourth height sensors, and the vehicle kinematic parameter.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An air spring suspension system for a vehicle, comprising:

first and second air spring assemblies configured to support a frame of the vehicle at front suspension/wheel assemblies of the vehicle;
third, and fourth air spring assemblies configured to support a frame of the vehicle at rear suspension/wheel assemblies of the vehicle;
a valve block including a valve;
a compressor supplying pressurized gas to the valve block;
a reservoir in fluid communication with the valve block;
first, second, third, and fourth height sensors configured to sense heights corresponding to the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively;
first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves in fluid communication with the valve of the valve block and the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively;
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the valve block;
a vehicle kinematic sensor configured to sense a vehicle kinematic parameter;
and
a controller configured to control the first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves in response to the pressure, the first, second, third, and fourth height sensors, and the vehicle kinematic parameter,
wherein the controller is configured to calculate a valve actuation command for at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves based on an estimated air mass to provide a predetermined movement for at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies.

9 more elements

An air spring suspension system for a vehicle, comprising:

first and second air spring assemblies configured to support a frame of the vehicle at front suspension/wheel assemblies of the vehicle;
third, and fourth air spring assemblies configured to support a frame of the vehicle at rear suspension/wheel assemblies of the vehicle;
a valve block including a valve;
a compressor supplying pressurized air to the valve block;
a reservoir in fluid communication with the valve block;
first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves in fluid communication with the valve of the valve block and the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively;
first, second, third, and fourth height sensors corresponding to the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively;
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the valve block;
and
a controller including:
a suspension control module configured to control the first, second, third, and fourth variable flow valves in response to the pressure;
and
a diagnostic module configured to selectively identify a line leak and an air spring leak corresponding to the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies in response to the pressure during air spring fill operations of the first, second, third, and fourth air spring assemblies, respectively, and the first, second, third, and fourth height sensors.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.