A trailer includes a trailer frame having a hitch. A stationary support base is joined to the trailer frame. Two supports are slidably guided on the support base toward and away from each other. A wheel assembly is mounted to an end of each of the supports remote from the other support such that a distance between the wheel assemblies varies with movement of the supports on the support base. A locking device selectively locks each support to the support base in a first position where the wheel assemblies are furthest from each other and a second position where the wheel assemblies are closer to each other.

A lightweight suspension upright or knuckle for a vehicle including a bearing connection interface arranged coaxial with the rolling bearing and including a first sleeve element and a second sleeve element arranged radially outside the first sleeve element and including a BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body that is sandwiched between a first and second shell elements, which are coupled together in a radially superimposed manner and which are preferably obtained in a semi-cured state as self-supporting elements, to be chemically and mechanically bonded together and with the BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body in a later stage during a step of forming a core to fill either completely or partially an empty space delimited between the first and second shell elements.

In one embodiment, one or more suspension systems of a vehicle may be used to mitigate motion sickness by limiting motion in one or more frequency ranges. In another embodiment, an active suspension may be integrated with an autonomous vehicle architecture. In yet another embodiment, the active suspension system of a vehicle may be used to induce motion in a vehicle. The vehicle may be used as a testbed for technical investigations and/or as a platform to enhance the enjoyment of video and/or audio by vehicle occupants. In some embodiments, the active suspensions system may be used to perform gestures as a means of communication with persons inside or outside the vehicle. In some embodiments, the active suspensions system may be used to generate haptic warnings to a vehicle operator or other persons in response to certain road situations.

A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller. The method includes disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.

An active suspension system comprises at least one biasing device configured to support a body from a structure, and at least one motor. A magnetorheological (MR) fluid clutch apparatus(es) is coupled to the at least one motor to receive torque from the motor, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of torque. A mechanism is between the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus and the body to convert the torque received from the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus into a force on the body. Sensor(s) provide information indicative of a state of the body or structure. A controller receives the information indicative of the state of the body or structure and for outputting a signal to control the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting a desired force on the body to control movement of the body according to a desired movement behavior.

A suspension system (2) comprising two flanges (10A, 10B), defining respective absolute reference positions, the second flange (10B) defining a relative reference position relative to the first flange (10A); and a core member (17), which is mobile only along a two degrees of freedom (M19, R19), a damper (21) applying an elastic return for bringing back the core member (17) to two degree reference positions; wherein the positions of the flanges (10A, 10B) and of the core member (17) are mechanically linked so that: when the flanges (10A, 10B) are in the absolute reference positions, the core member (17) is in the two degree reference positions; when the second flange (10B) is away from the relative reference position, the core member is away from the first degree reference position; and when the flanges (10A, 10B) are away from the absolute reference positions, the core member is away from the second degree reference position.

A suspension system (2) comprising two flanges (10A, 10B), defining respective absolute reference positions, the second flange (10B) defining a relative reference position relative to the first flange (10A); and a core member (17), which is mobile only along a two degrees of freedom (M19, R19), a damper (21) applying an elastic return for bringing back the core member (17) to two degree reference positions; wherein the positions of the flanges (10A, 10B) and of the core member (17) are mechanically linked so that: when the flanges (10A, 10B) are in the absolute reference positions, the core member (17) is in the two degree reference positions; when the second flange (10B) is away from the relative reference position, the core member is away from the first degree reference position; and when the flanges (10A, 10B) are away from the absolute reference positions, the core member is away from the second degree reference position.

Provided is a vehicle suspension device capable of obtaining excellent steering stability and good riding comfort in conformity to a tire longitudinal spring constant. The suspension device (1) comprises: an upper arm (2); a lower arm (4); a wheel support (8); and a shock absorber (12) having an upper end attached to a vehicle body (B) of a vehicle and a lower end attached to the lower arm, wherein the upper arm and the lower arm are arranged such that a ratio ζ.sub.scuff of a scuff change-based apparent damping coefficient C.sub.scuff to a critical damping coefficient C.sub.C of the suspension device becomes equal to or greater than a lower limit, under the condition that the vehicle is traveling straight ahead on a flat road at a given vehicle speed, wherein the scuff change-based apparent damping coefficient C.sub.scuff is obtained by dividing, by a stroke speed of a wheel, an up-down directional component of a vehicle width-directional force arising on a ground contact surface of the wheel due to a vehicle width-directional displacement of the wheel occurring along with a stroke of the wheel, and the lower limit is set such that it becomes larger as a tire longitudinal spring constant of the wheel becomes smaller.

A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller. The method includes disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.

A suspension system for a vehicle may include a knuckle configured of rotatably supporting a wheel, and a lower control arm mounted along a vehicle's width direction and connecting the knuckle and a vehicle body, wherein the lower control arm may include a wheel-side end portion connected to a lower portion of the knuckle through a lower external joint, a vehicle body-side front end portion connected to the vehicle body through a front lower inner joint, and a vehicle body-side rear end portion connected to the vehicle body through a rear lower inner joint, wherein one of the vehicle body-side front and rear end portions is connected to a portion of the vehicle body through a compliance control arm.