Suspension system with optimized damper response for wide range of events

A method for providing a progressive optimal constrained damping response of a damper to a wheel assembly with respect to a sprung body, applicable to a multiplicity of jounce events based upon a progressive optimal constrained events damping function, a model generated with respect to a wheel center of the wheel assembly configured to execute the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first plot of a predetermined damping force for acting on a wheel center of a wheel assembly applicable to wheel center velocities below substantially a predetermined wheel center velocity between the sprung body of the vehicle and the wheel assembly, u1, the predetermined wheel center velocity, u1, based on ride and handling considerations for the vehicle;
• generating a peak initial wheel center velocity between the sprung body of the vehicle and the wheel assembly respective to each jounce event for the vehicle traveling at a predetermined forward velocity, each peak initial wheel center velocity obtained from a table;
• for each jounce event of said multiplicity of jounce events and each peak initial wheel center velocity respective to each jounce event, obtaining a second plot of a progressive optimal constrained event damping function generated from one degree of freedom nonlinear mechanical system model equations of motion of the wheel center, wherein conditions applied to the equations include no initial external forces acting on the wheel assembly, an initial displacement x0 of the wheel center when the initial velocity of the wheel assembly is U0, and a total force acting on the wheel center being substantially constant during deceleration of the wheel center from the velocity U0 to a predetermined wheel center velocity u2, wherein the substantially constant total force is related to a determined travel length of the wheel center such that when the wheel center is at the determined travel length, the wheel assembly velocity is zero, the first damper force is zero and the suspension spring is compressed the determined travel length by which the suspension spring force is equal to the substantially constant total force and when the wheel center is at displacement x0 the wheel assembly velocity is U0 and the suspension spring is compressed by x0;
• constructing a low envelope curve passing through each peak initial wheel center velocity of the second plot for each respective jounce event;
• combining the low envelope curve with said first plot to obtain the progressive optimal constrained events damping function applicable to the multiplicity of jounce events;
• and
• adjusting the damping response of the damper to the wheel assembly with respect to the sprung body of the vehicle responsive to said progressive optimal constrained events damping function.

A method for providing a progressive optimal constrained damping response of a damper to a wheel assembly with respect to a sprung body, applicable to a multiplicity of jounce events based upon a progressive optimal constrained events damping function, a model generated with respect to a wheel center of the wheel assembly configured to execute the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first plot of a predetermined damping force for acting on a wheel center of a wheel assembly applicable to wheel center velocities below substantially a predetermined wheel center velocity between the sprung body of the vehicle and the wheel assembly, u1, the predetermined wheel center velocity, u1 based on ride and handling considerations for the vehicle;
• generating a peak initial wheel center velocity between the sprung body of the vehicle and the wheel assembly respective to each jounce event for the vehicle traveling at a predetermined forward velocity, each peak initial wheel center velocity obtained from a table;
• for each jounce event of said multiplicity of jounce events, obtaining a second plot of a progressive optimal constrained event damping function generated from quarter car nonlinear mechanical system model equations of motion of the wheel center, wherein conditions applied to the equations include no initial external forces acting on the wheel assembly, an initial displacement x0 of the wheel center when the initial velocity of the wheel assembly is U0, and a total force acting on the wheel center being substantially constant during deceleration of the wheel center from the velocity U0 to a predetermined wheel center velocity u2, wherein the substantially constant total force is related to a determined travel length of the wheel center such that when the wheel center is at the determined travel length, the wheel assembly velocity is zero, the first damper force is zero and the suspension spring is compressed the determined travel length by which the suspension spring force is equal to the substantially constant total force and when the wheel center is at displacement x0 the wheel assembly velocity is U0 and the suspension spring is compressed by x0;
• constructing a low envelope curve passing through each peak initial wheel center velocity of the second plot for each respective jounce event;
• combining the low envelope curve with said first plot to obtain the progressive optimal constrained events damping function applicable to the multiplicity of jounce events;
• and
• adjusting the damping response of the damper to the wheel assembly with respect to the sprung body of the vehicle responsive to said progressive optimal constrained events damping function.