Patent classifications
B60G21/005
Heavy duty vehicle suspension with user controlled pneumatic assist
A suspension kit is provided for use in heavy duty vehicles having an independent front suspension including air springs, the kit includes an anti-roll bar having two ends, each end configured for connection to the front suspension in operational relationship to an associated one of two front wheel assemblies, at least one ping tank in fluid communication with an associated one of the air springs, a valve in fluid communication between each at least one ping tank and the associated air spring, a control switch connected to each valve for moving the valve between an open position, allowing fluid communication between the at least one ping tank and the air spring, and a closed position, closing fluid communication between the at least one ping tank and the air spring. An associated front suspension is also provided.
SUSPENSION SYSTEM
A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; first and second wheel assemblies each having a rotation axis; first and second suspension linkages, each suspension linkage coupling a respective wheel assembly to the vehicle body to permit motion of the rotation axis of that wheel assembly relative to the vehicle body; first and second dampers, each damper coupled to a respective suspension linkage to constrain the motion of the associated wheel assembly by applying a damper force to the suspension linkage; first and second springs, each spring coupled to a respective suspension linkage; and a cross-vehicle linkage coupled between the first and second springs, the cross-vehicle linkage being configured to have: (i) a first mode in which the cross vehicle linkage prohibits the first and second springs from constraining the motion of the associated wheel assembly, and (ii) a second mode in which the cross vehicle linkage permits the first and second springs to constrain the motion of the associated wheel assembly.