Hydraulic anti-roll system

A hydraulic anti-roll system for a vehicle comprising:

• a first hydraulic actuator;
• a second hydraulic actuator;
• said first hydraulic actuator being adapted to be connected between the suspension and frame of the vehicle on one side and said second hydraulic actuator being adapted to be connected between the suspension and frame of the vehicle on its other side;
• a first compression line connected between a first compression chamber of said first hydraulic actuator and a second expansion chamber of said second hydraulic actuator;
• a second compression line connected between a second compression chamber of said second hydraulic actuator and a first expansion chamber of said first hydraulic actuator;
• an anti-roll control module connected between said first and second compression lines of said first and second hydraulic actuators;
• said anti-roll control module taking-up and resisting the transfer of fluid from the compression of said first hydraulic actuator and the expansion of said second hydraulic actuator via said first compression line;
• said anti-roll control module taking-up and resisting the transfer of fluid from the compression of said second hydraulic actuator and the expansion of said first hydraulic actuator via said second compression line;
• said anti-roll control module comprising:
• a first accumulating actuator connected to a first mounting flange adapted to take-up and resist the transfer of fluid from said first compression chamber and said second expansion chamber via said first compression line;
• a second accumulating actuator connected to a second mounting flange adapted to take-up and resist the transfer of fluid from said second compression chamber and said first expansion chamber via said second compression line;
• said first mounting flange being fixed relative to said second mounting flange;
• and
• an anti-roll spring interconnecting said first accumulating actuator with said second accumulating actuator and biasing said first and second accumulating actuators from compressing;
• a first give back chamber connected in series with said first accumulating actuator adapted to house the additional hydraulic fluid from the take up of said second accumulating actuator;
• and
• a second give back chamber connected in series with said second accumulating actuator adapted to house the additional hydraulic fluid from the take-up of said first accumulating actuator;
• a variable stiffness circuit comprising
• a first anti-roll stiffness reducer connected in series with said first accumulating actuator adapted to reduce the stiffening of said first accumulating actuator;
• a second anti-roll stiffness reducer connected in series with said second accumulating actuator adapted to reduce the stiffening of said second accumulating actuator;
• a first variable stiffness valve connected between said first anti-roll stiffness reducer and said first accumulating actuator adapted to activate and deactivate said first anti-roll stiffness reducer;
• and
• a second variable stiffness valve connected between said second anti-roll stiffness reducer and said second accumulating actuator adapted to activate and deactivate said second anti-roll stiffness reducer;
• and
• an anti-roll stiffness increaser, said anti-roll stiffness increaser adapted for increasing the resistance of said first accumulating actuator and said second accumulating actuator;
• said anti-roll stiffness increaser being connected between said first accumulating actuator and said second accumulating actuator and being selected from the group consisting of:
• an air bladder and an additional spring;
• and
• an anti-roll bypass valve adapted to activate and deactivate said anti-roll control module.

A method of providing anti-roll to a vehicle comprising the steps of:

• mounting a first hydraulic actuator between the suspension and frame of the vehicle on one side;
• mounting a second hydraulic actuator between the suspension and frame of the vehicle on its other side;
• connecting an anti-roll control module connected between the fluid lines of said first and second hydraulic actuators, whereby said anti-roll control module stiffening the compression of said first hydraulic actuator relative to the expansion of said second hydraulic actuator and stiffening the compression of said second hydraulic actuator relative to the expansion of said first hydraulic actuator;
• said anti-roll control module comprising:
• a first accumulating actuator connected to a first mounting flange adapted to take-up and resist the transfer of fluid from said first compression chamber and said second expansion chamber via said first compression line;
• a second accumulating actuator connected to a second mounting flange adapted to take-up and resist the transfer of fluid from said second compression chamber and said first expansion chamber via said second compression line;
• said first mounting flange being fixed relative to said second mounting flange;
• and
• an anti-roll spring interconnecting said first accumulating actuator with said second accumulating actuator and biasing said first and second accumulating actuators from compressing;
• and
• connecting an anti-roll bypass between the fluid lines of said first and second hydraulic actuators valve adapted to activate and deactivate the stiffening of said anti-roll control module.