US 8,374,748 B2Granted

Land vehicles and systems with controllable suspension systems

AssigneeLord Corporation

InventorMark R. Jolly

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Abstract

The land vehicle includes a body, a power plant and a plurality of land engagers, the land engagers for engaging land and propelling the land vehicle across land. The land vehicle includes a controllable suspension system, the controllable suspension system for controlling suspension movements between the body and the land engagers. The land vehicle includes a computer system and suspension sensors located proximate the land engagers for measuring suspension parameters representative of suspension movements between the body and the land engagers and outputting a plurality of suspension sensor measurement output signals. The land vehicle includes controllable force suspension members located proximate the land engagers and the suspension sensors, the controllable force suspension members applying suspension travel forces between the body and the land engagers to control the suspension movements. The land vehicle computer system includes controllable suspension system algorithms for controlling the controllable force suspension members to control vehicle body motion and the suspension movements between the body and the land engagers and inhibit the driver from crossing into an identified impending driver vehicle safety margin.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A land vehicle for driving by a driver, said land vehicle having a body, a power plant and a plurality of land engagers, said land engagers for engaging land and propelling said land vehicle across land, said land vehicle including

a controllable suspension system, said controllable suspension system for controlling a plurality of suspension movements between said body and said land engagers,
a computer system with computer readable medium;
a plurality of suspension sensors located proximal to said land engagers for measuring a plurality of suspension parameters representative of suspension movements between said body and said land engagers and outputting a plurality of suspension sensor measurement output signals;
a plurality of controllable force suspension members located proximal said land engagers and said suspension sensors, said controllable force suspension members for applying a plurality of controllable suspension travel forces between said body and said land engagers to control said suspension movements;
a body motion sensor, said body motion sensor for outputting a plurality of vehicle body motion measurement output signals;
a vehicle databus interfacing with said computer system, said vehicle databus communicating a plurality of vehicle data communication signals;
wherein said computer system receives said suspension sensor measurement output signals and said vehicle body motion measurement output signals and said computer readable medium including a first program instruction with said computer system executing a controllable suspension system algorithm for controlling said controllable force suspension members to control vehicle body motion and said suspension movements between said body and said land engagers, and said computer readable medium including a second program instruction with said computer system executing a driver suspension feedback algorithm for monitoring vehicle data communication signals to identify an impending driver land vehicle safety margin and controlling said controllable force suspension members to warn said driver of said impending driver land vehicle safety margin.

4 more elements

A method of controlling a vehicle driven by a driver, said vehicle having a body, a power plant, and a controllable suspension system, said controllable suspension system for controlling a plurality of suspension movements, said method including:

providing a plurality of suspension sensors for measuring a plurality of suspension parameters representative of suspension movements of said body and outputting a plurality of suspension sensor measurement output signals;
providing a plurality of controllable force suspension members, said controllable force suspension members for applying a plurality of controllable suspension travel forces;
providing a body motion sensor, said body motion sensor for outputting a plurality of vehicle body motion measurement output signals;
monitoring a plurality of sensor signals to identify an impending driver vehicle safety margin and controlling said controllable force suspension members to inhibit said driver from crossing into said identified impending driver land vehicle safety margin.

1 more element

A vehicle driver control system for controlling a vehicle driven by a driver, said vehicle having a body, a power plant, and a controllable suspension sub-system, said controllable suspension sub-system for controlling a plurality of suspension movements, said vehicle driver control system including:

a plurality of suspension sensors for measuring a plurality of suspension parameters representative of suspension movements of said body and outputting a plurality of suspension sensor measurement output signals;
a plurality of controllable force suspension members, said controllable force suspension members for applying a plurality of controllable suspension travel forces;
a body motion sensor, said body motion sensor for outputting a plurality of vehicle body motion measurement output signals;
a vehicle databus, said vehicle databus communicating a plurality of vehicle data communication signals;
a computer sub-system for monitoring a plurality of signals to identify an impending driver vehicle safety margin and controlling said controllable force suspension members to inhibit said driver from crossing into said identified impending driver land vehicle safety margin.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/780,061Filed 14 May 2010 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 Mar 2009
Published: US 2011/0035105 A110 Feb 2011
Granted: 12 Feb 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B60G 17/015
Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a…
B60G 17/0185
Characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method: for failure detection
B60G 2400/102
Acceleration; Deceleration: vertical
B60G 2400/104
Acceleration; Deceleration: lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle