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US 12,691,716 B1Granted
Suspension system, vehicle, and method of adjusting the suspension system
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDevon R. Hall, Matthew Watts, Brian K. Saylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension system, vehicle, and method of adjusting the suspension system include a chassis having a first mounting point and a second mounting point spaced apart from the first mounting point; a suspension including a suspension mount attached to the chassis at one of the first mounting point and the second mounting point; and an actuator attached to and configured to shift the suspension mount between the first mounting point and the second mounting point.
Claims19
A suspension system for a vehicle, the suspension system comprising:
- a chassis having a first mounting point and a second mounting point spaced apart from the first mounting point;
- a suspension including a suspension mount attached to the chassis at one of the first mounting point and the second mounting point;
- and
- an actuator attached to and configured to shift the suspension mount between the first mounting point and the second mounting point;
- wherein:
- the first mounting point is a nominal location such that the suspension has a first jounce recession value and the chassis has a first pitch gradient value;
- and
- the second mounting point is an adjusted location such that the suspension has a second jounce recession value that is less than the first jounce recession value and the chassis has a second pitch gradient value that is less than the first pitch gradient value.
5 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a wheel configured for traveling along a surface and including a wheel hub;
- and
- a suspension system configured to optimize contact between the wheel and the surface, the suspension system including:
- a chassis spaced apart from the wheel and including a first mounting point and a second mounting point spaced apart from the first mounting point;
- a suspension including a control arm having:
- an inboard end disposed adjacent to the chassis;
- an outboard end disposed adjacent to the wheel hub;
- a suspension mount disposed on the inboard end and attached to the chassis at one of the first mounting point and the second mounting point;
- and
- a joint disposed on the outboard end and including a steering knuckle attached to the wheel hub;
- and
- an actuator attached to and configured to shift the suspension mount between the first mounting point and the second mounting point.
9 more elements
A method of adjusting a suspension system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- monitoring:
- an inertial measurement unit of the vehicle configured for sensing a longitudinal acceleration and an angular rate of the vehicle as a wheel of the vehicle travels along a surface;
- a demand condition requesting adjustment of the suspension system, wherein the suspension system includes:
- a chassis having a first mounting point and a second mounting point spaced apart from the first mounting point;
- a suspension including a suspension mount attached to the chassis at one of the first mounting point and the second mounting point;
- and
- an actuator attached to and configured to shift the suspension mount between the first mounting point and the second mounting point;
- and
- a threshold positional condition of the vehicle;
- concurrent to monitoring, setting, with a controller that is disposed in electrical communication with the inertial measurement unit and the actuator and configured for actuating the actuator on demand and in real time based on the longitudinal acceleration and the angular rate, one of an on flag and an off flag for each of:
- the longitudinal acceleration;
- the angular rate;
- the demand condition;
- and
- the threshold positional condition;
- and
- after setting at least one on flag, commanding the actuator to shift the suspension mount between the first mounting point and the second mounting point to thereby adjust the suspension system of the vehicle.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.