US 2020/0047580 A1Published application

System and method for vehicle stabilization

AssigneeAktv8 LLC

InventorsJoshua Coombs, Timothy Williams, Gary Meyers

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Abstract

A vehicle stabilization system including a frame; a wheel; a control arm connected to the frame and the wheel; a fluid spring connected to the frame and the control arm; a stabilizer connected to the frame and operable between a retracted and extended position; a reservoir; and a fluid manifold connected to the fluid spring and the chamber, fluidly coupling the spring interior and stabilizer chamber to the reservoir interior. A vehicle stabilization method including maintaining an orientation of the vehicle frame, coupling the frame to a support surface using a stabilizer by introducing a fluid to a chamber of the stabilizer, and retracting a wheel by reducing a quantity of fluid within a fluid spring coupling the wheel to the frame.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A stabilization system for a vehicle, the stabilization system comprising:

a pneumatic control manifold defining a manifold interior;
a fluid reservoir defining a reservoir interior, the reservoir interior configured to contain pressurized fluid;
a support member configured to mount to the vehicle;
a hydraulic lock defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the hydraulic lock comprising:
a volume of substantially incompressible working fluid sealed within the hydraulic lock, the volume of working fluid contained within the first and second chambers;
and
a check valve separating the first chamber from the second chamber;
and
an actuator mechanically connected to the support member, the actuator comprising an extendible member, wherein the extendible member bounds the second chamber;
and
a pneumatic spring defining a spring interior, wherein:
the pneumatic spring comprises a first spring end and a second spring end opposing the first spring end;
the first spring end is connected to the support member proximal the second support end;
and
the second spring end is mechanically coupled to a first member end of the extendible member;
wherein the system is operable between:
an extension mode, in which:
the check valve is configured to enable fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber and to substantially prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber;
the manifold interior fluidly couples the spring interior to the reservoir interior;
in response to the application of pneumatic pressure within the spring interior, the second spring end moves away from the first spring end and the first member end moves along an extension direction, thereby increasing a volume of the second chamber;
and
in response to increasing the volume of the second chamber, the working fluid flows from the first chamber to the second chamber via the check valve;
a locked mode, in which the check valve fluidly isolates the first chamber from the second chamber, thereby substantially preventing retraction of the first member end;
and
a retraction mode, in which:
the check valve is configured to enable bidirectional fluid flow between the first and second chambers;
the second spring end retracts toward the first spring end, and the first member end retracts along a retraction direction opposing the extension direction, thereby decreasing the volume of the second chamber;
and
in response to decreasing the volume of the second chamber, the working fluid flows from the second chamber to the first chamber via the check valve.

26 more elements

A stabilization system for a vehicle, the stabilization system comprising:

a pneumatic control manifold defining a manifold interior;
a fluid reservoir defining a reservoir interior, the reservoir interior configured to contain pressurized fluid;
a support member configured to mechanically couple to the vehicle;
a hydraulic lock defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the hydraulic lock comprising:
a volume of substantially incompressible working fluid sealed within the hydraulic lock, the volume of working fluid contained within the first and second chambers;
and
a check valve separating the first chamber from the second chamber;
and
an actuator comprising:
an extendible member defining a hydraulic chamber, the extendible member comprising:
a first member end;
a sidewall statically connected to the first member end, the sidewall bounding the hydraulic chamber;
and
a volume of substantially incompressible working fluid sealed within the hydraulic chamber;
a static piston mechanically connected to the support member, wherein:
the static piston is arranged within the sidewall;
the static piston separates the hydraulic chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber;
and
the static piston comprises a check valve arranged between the first and second chambers;
and
a floating piston comprising a first piston face and a second piston face opposing the first piston face;
wherein:
the second piston face bounds the first chamber;
and
the first member end bounds the second chamber;
wherein the system is operable between:
an extension mode, in which:
the check valve is configured to enable fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber and to substantially prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber;
the manifold interior fluidly couples the first piston face to the reservoir interior;
and
in response to the application of pneumatic pressure on the first piston face:
the floating piston moves into the first chamber along a piston path, thereby decreasing a volume of the first chamber;
the extendible member moves along an extension direction, thereby increasing a volume of the second chamber;
and the working fluid flows from the first chamber to the second chamber via the check valve;
a locked mode, in which the check valve fluidly isolates the first chamber from the second chamber, thereby substantially preventing retraction of the first member end;
and
a retraction mode, in which:
the check valve is configured to enable bidirectional fluid flow between the first and second chambers;
the floating piston retracts along a reverse piston path opposing the piston path, thereby increasing the volume of the first chamber;
the extendible member retracts along a retraction direction opposing the extension direction, thereby decreasing the volume of the second chamber;
and
the working fluid flows from the second chamber to the first chamber via the check valve.

39 more elements

A stabilization system for a vehicle, the stabilization system comprising:

a pneumatic control manifold defining a manifold interior;
a fluid reservoir defining a reservoir interior, the reservoir interior configured to contain pressurized fluid;
a support member configured to mechanically couple to the vehicle;
a hydraulics module defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the hydraulic lock comprising:
a volume of substantially incompressible working fluid sealed within the hydraulic lock, the volume of working fluid contained within the first and second chambers;
and
a static piston separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the static piston defining an orifice that fluidly couples the first and second chambers;
and
an actuator mechanically connected to the support member, the actuator comprising:
an extendible member comprising a first member end and a sidewall statically connected to the first member end, the sidewall and the first member end bounding the second chamber;
and
a piston comprising a first piston face and a second piston face opposing the first piston face, the second piston face point bounding the first chamber;
wherein the system is operable between:
an extension mode, in which:
the manifold interior fluidly couples the first piston face to the reservoir interior;
and
in response to the application of pneumatic pressure on the first piston face:
the piston moves into the first chamber along a piston path, thereby decreasing a volume of the first chamber;
the extendible member moves along an extension direction, thereby increasing a volume of the second chamber;
and the working fluid flows from the first chamber to the second chamber via the orifice;
and
a retraction mode, in which:
the piston retracts along a reverse piston path opposing the piston path, thereby increasing the volume of the first chamber;
the extendible member retracts along a retraction direction opposing the extension direction, thereby decreasing the volume of the second chamber;
and
the working fluid flows from the second chamber to the first chamber via the orifice.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/659,393Filed 21 Oct 2019
Priority: 16 Dec 2014
Published: 13 Feb 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification29 codes

B60G 17/0155
Characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit: pneumatic unit
B60G 5/00
Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated
B60G 11/27
Having fluid springs only, e.g. hydropneumatic springs: wherein the fluid is a gas
B60G 17/005
Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a…

Family

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