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AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsWilliam McMurray Stewart, John Matthew Ginder, Larry Dean Elie, Mark Edward Nichols
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A variable stiffness suspension bushing (18) that is useful in a suspension of a motor vehicle to reduce brake shudder includes a shaft or rod (40) connected to a suspension member (12), an inner cylinder (42) fixedly connected to the shaft or rod (40), and an outer cylinder (44) fixedly connected to a chassis member (16). A magnetorheological (MR) elastomer (48), having iron particles embedded therein, is interposed between the inner (42) and outer (44) cylinders, and a coil (54) is disposed about the inner cylinder (42). When the coil (54) is energized by electrical current provided from a suspension control module (20), a variable magnetic field is generated so as to influence the magnetorheological (MR) elastomer (48) whereby variable stiffness values of the elastomer (48) are obtained to provide the bushing (18) with variable stiffness characteristics in order to eliminate compromises heretofore necessary when using single, fixed rate bushings.
A controllable suspension apparatus for controlling the relative displacement of a first structural component with respect to a second structural component in response to an operating state of a brake system of a motor vehicle, said controllable suspension apparatus comprising:
A controllable suspension apparatus for controlling the relative displacement of a longitudinal suspension member in a motor vehicle relative to a chassis member of said vehicle, said controllable suspension apparatus comprising:
A method of controlling a variable stiffness suspension bushing having a magnetorheological elastomer disposed therein for reducing the displacement of a suspension member in a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.