A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.

A method to control, while driving along a curve, a road vehicle with a variable stiffness and with rear steering wheels. The method comprises the steps of: determining an actual attitude angle of the road vehicle; establishing a desired attitude angle; determining an actual yaw rate of the road vehicle; establishing a desired yaw rate; and changing, in a simultaneous and coordinated manner, the steering angle of the rear wheels and the distribution of the stiffness of the connection of the four wheels to the frame depending on a difference between the actual attitude angle and the desired attitude angle and depending on a difference between the actual yaw rate and the desired yaw rate.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

A method for controlling vehicle motion is described. The method includes accessing a set of control signals including a measured vehicle speed value associated with a movement of a vehicle. A control signal associated with user-induced input is also accessed. The method compares the measured vehicle speed value with a predetermined vehicle speed threshold value to achieve a speed value threshold approach status, and then compares the set of values to achieve a user-induced input threshold value approach status. The method monitors a state of a valve within the vehicle suspension damper, and determines a control mode for the vehicle suspension damper. The method also regulates damping forces within the vehicle suspension damper.

A damper including inner and outer tubes and a control valve. A piston is slidably disposed within the inner tube to define first and second working chambers. An intermediate member assembly is disposed annularly about the inner tube. An intermediate channel is positioned radially between the intermediate member assembly and the inner tube and a reservoir channel is positioned radially between the intermediate member assembly and the outer tube. A first unidirectional blocking valve forms a first partition between first and second intermediate channel portions of the intermediate channel. A second unidirectional blocking valve forms a second partition between the second intermediate channel portion and a third intermediate channel portion. An external control valve has a control valve inlet that is arranged in fluid communication with the second intermediate channel portion.

A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.

A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.

The present application pertains to a system comprising a multi-axle trailer with a front and a rear. The a multi-axle trailer comprises at least one lift axle configured to be raised or lowered to distribute weight, to increase trailer deflection during a turn, or both. A jeep is mounted between the trailer and a tractor wherein the jeep is configured to decrease weight on one or more axles. A booster is mounted to the rear of the multi-axle trailer. The system is configured such that during raising of the at least one lift axle an increase in air pressure to one or more other axles is increased to offset weight.

A roll vibration damping control system includes an electronic control unit configured to: compute a sum of a product of a roll moment of inertia and a roll angular acceleration of a vehicle body, a product of a roll damping coefficient and a first-order integral of the roll angular acceleration, and a product of an equivalent roll stiffness of the vehicle and a second-order integral of the roll angular acceleration, as a controlled roll moment to be applied to the vehicle body; compute a roll moment around a center of gravity of a sprung mass as a correction roll moment, the roll moment being generated by lateral force on wheels due to roll motion; and compute a target roll moment based on a value obtained by correcting the controlled roll moment with the correction roll moment.

A control system includes: a target volume module configured to determine a target volume of hydraulic fluid within a suspension system of a vehicle based on a target pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the suspension system; a volume command module configured to generate a volume command based on the target volume and a present volume of the hydraulic fluid within first and second circuits; a command module configured to, based on the volume command, generate: a pump command for an electric hydraulic fluid pump; and first and second valve commands for first and second seat valves that regulate hydraulic fluid flow to and from the first and second circuits, respectively; a valve control module that actuates the first and second seat valves based on the first and second valve commands, respectively; and a pump control module that controls operation of the pump based on the pump command.