Rear suspension controller

Abstract

When a sporadic shock due to a protrusion or dip of a road surface is detected at front wheels of a vehicle during its cruising on the road surface, the characteristic of the rear wheel suspension of the vehicle is altered immediately or just before the rear wheels pass it to improve the controllability and the stability of the vehicle or the smooth feeling of the ride. For that purpose, a rear suspension controller is invented which includes a height sensor for detecting the distance between the body of the vehicle and each of the right and left front wheels thereof, height data calculator which generates a plurality of height data from the front vehicle height, a judgment section which compares each of the height data with a respective reference value that is predetermined corresponding to each height datum and generates comparisons and a rear suspension characteristic alteration devices which alter the spring constant, damping force, etc. of the rear suspensions. The height data calculator extracts substantial data from the front vehicle height signal which represents the shape of the bump or dip for judging adequately when to alter or return the rear suspension characteristic.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.