Passive and active suspension with optimization of energy usage
AssigneeTenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
InventorKoenraad Reybrouck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic actuator includes a shock absorber and a control system that is separate from the shock absorber and which generates damping loads for the hydraulic actuator. The control system generates the damping load by using a pair of variable valves, a pair of check valves, an accumulator, a pump/motor and a flow controller. The forces are generated in all four quadrants of compression/rebound and active/passive. A device which recuperates the energy generated by the hydraulic actuator can be incorporated into the hydraulic actuator to generate energy in the form of electrical energy.
Claims12
A hydraulic actuator comprising:
- a pressure tube defining a fluid chamber;
- a piston slidably disposed within said pressure tube, said piston dividing said fluid chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
- said upper working chamber having an upper flow port and said lower working chamber having a lower flow port;
- a control system disposed outside of said fluid chamber generating damping forces for said hydraulic actuator, said control system being in direct fluid communication with said upper and lower working chambers;
- and
- said control system including a flow controller, a first adaptive valve in direct fluid communication with said upper flow port of said upper working chamber, and a second adaptive valve in direct fluid communication with said lower flow port of said lower working chamber, said first and second adaptive valves configured to enable a range of flows and pressure drops for different flow rates, to thus enable an active damping force to be generated by said control system;
- and
- said flow controller in fluid communication with a motor/pump, said upper working chamber and said lower working chamber, and further being in direct flow communication with said upper and lower working chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.