Vehicle suspension system
AssigneeDunlop Limited
InventorWilfred W. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle suspension system incorporating suspension units (46-48) associated with respective vehicle wheels and selectively controllable to vary the ride height of the vehicle. Vehicle speed sensors and height sensors are responsive to departure of the ride height from a predetermined height datum which is a function of the vehicle speed and to provide a signal related thereto to control movement of at least one suspension unit thereby to tend to move at least a part of the vehicle to said predetermined height datum. Timer means are provided so that the movement of a suspension unit in response to a signal from a height sensor is inhibited until a signal of at least a predetermined magnitude has persisted for at least a prescribed part of a prescribed period of time.
Claims14
A vehicle suspension of variable sensitivity comprising in combination vehicle speed sensing means,
- suspension units associated with respective vehicle wheels and selectively controllable to vary the ride height of the vehicle,
- each suspension unit incorporating an electrical height sensing device responsive to departure of the ride height from a predetermined height datum which is a function of the vehicle speed and to provide a signal related thereto to control movement of at least one suspension unit, thereby to tend to move at least a part of the vehicle to said predetermined height datum and
- timer means whereby the movement of a suspension unit in response to a signal from a height sensing device is inhibited as a function of the magnitude of until a signal of at least a predetermined magnitude has persisted for at least a prescribed part of a prescribed period of time.
A vehicle suspension comprising in combination
- vehicle speed sensing means,
- suspension units associated with respective vehicle wheels and selectively controllable to vary the ride height of the vehicle,
- each suspension unit incorporating an electrical height sensing device responsive to departure of the ride height from a predetermined height datum which is a function of the vehicle speed and to provide a signal related thereto to control movement of at least one suspension unit, thereby to tend to move at least a part of the vehicle to said predetermined height datum,
- a manual override to change the preselected ride height comprising an electronic unit responsive to information indicating that the vehicle is coupled to a load for towing and does not counter a manual override instruction to lock the suspension to a standard ride height when towing;
- timer means whereby the movement of a suspension unit in response to a signal from a height sensing device is inhibited until a signal of at least a predetermined magnitude has persisted for at least a prescribed part of a prescribed period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.