In-wheel suspension system with remote spring and damper means

A suspension system for vehicles having a main vehicle structure, comprising:

• a) an upright adapted to provide a rotatable mounting for a wheel hub configured to carry a wheel and a mounting for a brake caliper, and including a fastening means;
• b) a strut shaft that includes a pumping piston and at least one mounting point adapted for rigid attachment to the fastening means;
• c) a main housing configured with a bearing arrangement adapted to guide and support the strut shaft, a sealing system to contain a pumping fluid, a mounting arrangement for attachment to the main vehicle structure and a fluid outlet port;
• d) a remote suspension module configured with a hydraulic actuation piston, an energy storage device and a damping device;
• e) a hydraulic connection between the fluid outlet port of the main housing and the hydraulic actuation piston of the remote suspension module;
• wherein the wheel is constrained to a predetermined motion by the bearing arrangement guiding the strut shaft and wherein this motion is transmitted to the energy storage device and damping device of the remote suspension module via the pumping fluid, and wherein the upright, strut shaft and main housing are all contained within a volume of the wheel.