Vehicle suspension system, and method of operating same

The method of controlling the operation of a vehicle suspension system having a servoactuator operatively arranged to act between a portion of a body and a terrain-following member, which method comprises the steps of:

• providing a high-gain closed servoloop immediately about said servoactuator;
• determining an error between a desired force to be transmitted from said member to said body portion and the actual force transmitted from said member to said body portion;
• and
• supplying a command signal to said servoloop as a function of such force error;
• thereby to operated said servoactuator so as to urge said force error toward zero.

In a force generating system operatively arranged between a first member and a second member, the improvement which comprises:

• a servoactuator arranged to act between said members;
• a high-gain servoloop closed immediately about said servoactuator;
• means for determining an error between a desired force to be transmitted from said first member to said second member and the actual force transmitted from said first member to said second member, and
• conversion means for supplying a command signal to said servoloop as a function of such force error;
• whereby said servoactuator will be operated so as to drive said force error toward zero.

The method of controlling the operation of a force generating system having a servoactuator operatively arranged to act between a first member and a second member, which method comprises the steps of:

• providing a high-gain closed servoloop immediately about said servoactuator;
• determining an error between a desired force to be transmitted from said first member to said second member and the actual force transmitted from said first member to said second member;
• and
• supply a command signal to said servoloop as a function of such force error;
• thereby to operate said servoactuator so as to urge said force error toward zero.