A steering centering/damping mechanism for a steerable heavy-duty vehicle axle/suspension system which includes a mechanically operated structure that provides a positive steering centering force to the axle/suspension system at a zero steer angle. The mechanically operated structure of the steering centering/damping mechanism also provides a positive steering centering force that increases in intensity as the steer angle of the axle/suspension system increases. In an embodiment of the steering centering/damping mechanism, the mechanically operated structure is a flat spring integrated into one or more steering assemblies of the axle/suspension system. The flat spring is in a pre-loaded condition at a zero steer angle to provide the positive steering centering force to the axle/suspension system at the zero steer angle, and is increasingly elastically deformed with increasing steer angles to provide the positive steering centering force which increases in intensity as the steer angle of the axle/suspension system increases.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for pre-emptively managing suspension loads. A control system (100, 200) is configured to receive a driving surface signal (165) indicative of a property of a driving surface ahead of the vehicle (600). The control system is further configured to determine, in dependence on the received driving surface signal and on a current vehicle operational state, an attribute parameter. The attribute parameter, when provided to an actuator (318a, 318b . . . 318z) of the suspension system, causes the actuator to act to control a suspension force acting on the suspension system due to a movement of the vehicle along the driving surface to be below a predetermined suspension force value. The control system is further configured to output an actuator control signal (155) to the actuator of the suspension system to control the actuator in dependence on the determined attribute parameter.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system (100, 200) for a vehicle suspension system of a vehicle. The vehicle suspension system comprises a plurality of connected subsystems (302, 304, 306). The control system comprises one or more controllers (110). The control system is configured to: determine if a first subsystem (302) of the plurality of connected subsystems has entered a fault state (312-2), wherein the fault state is an abnormal operating state (402); determine a compensatory operating state (314-2, 316-2) of a further subsystem of the plurality of electrically connected subsystems, in dependence on determining that the first subsystem has entered the fault state, wherein the further subsystem operating in the compensatory operating state, with the first subsystem operating in the fault state, causes the vehicle suspension system to operate in a higher vehicle stability mode in comparison to the vehicle suspension system operating with the first subsystem operating in the fault state without the further subsystem operating in the compensatory operating state (404); and output, to the further subsystem, in dependence on determining the compensatory operating state, a compensatory operation signal (155) to cause the further subsystem to operate in the compensatory operating state with the first subsystem operating in the fault state (406).

In a rolling type vehicle including a pair of left and right front wheels wherein a vehicle body is capable of rolling, the spacing between left and right front wheels is maintained as a small spacing while providing an actuator for controlling the inclination angle (lean angle) of a vehicle body. The rolling type vehicle includes left and right upper arms, and lower arms for supporting the left and right front wheels on the vehicle body with a shock absorber support arm swingably supported by the vehicle body and connected to the left and right lower arms through shock absorber units. An actuator is capable of controlling the swinging of the shock absorber support arm. The actuator forms a front suspension frame body of a closed structure together with a vehicle body side frame.

A control method includes calculating a roll angle and a roll angular velocity of a vehicle, setting damping forces applied to front and rear wheel dampers to execute first and second modes according to signs of the roll angle and roll angular velocity, and controlling the front and rear wheel dampers in consideration of the damping forces. Upon determination that the signs of the roll angle and the roll angular velocity are different, in the first mode, damping force greater than front wheel reference force and damping force smaller than rear wheel reference force are set to be applied to the front wheel dampers and the rear wheel dampers, respectively, and in the second mode, damping force smaller than the front wheel reference force and damping force greater than the rear wheel reference force are set to be applied to the front wheel dampers and the rear wheel dampers, respectively.

A wheel support or a pivot bearing of a vehicle includes a receiving molding for a ball-joint pin of a track rod for changing the toe angle of a wheel rotatably secured to the wheel support or pivot bearing. The receiving molding is provided with an elastomer layer which lies at least partly in a force transmission path from the ball-joint pin to the wheel support or pivot bearing. The elasticity or possible elastic deformability of the elastomer layer is lower in the receiving molding sections via which a greater force component is transmitted, in particular in the range of smaller track angles, when the track rod is moved in order to steer the wheel than in receiving molding sections via which a smaller force component or no force component is transmitted when the track rod is moved in order to steer the wheel.

Arrangements (e.g., method, apparatus, computer-readable non-transitory media embodying a program) for compensating for understeer or oversteer behavior in a vehicle having a fully active suspension, including: determining whether an understeer or oversteer condition exists; determining a compensation torque needed to correct the understeer or oversteer condition; and generating the compensation torque by using the fully active suspension to shift tire loads between tires.

An embodiment independent corner module includes a knuckle unit positioned on an inner side surface of a wheel, a steering unit disposed to face a strut coupled to the knuckle unit, the steering unit having a center shaft configured to be fixed to a vehicle body and configured to rotate about the center shaft, a guide rail configured to define a movement path through which the steering unit rotates and moves, and a rack steering unit positioned in the steering unit, fastened to the knuckle unit, and configured to apply rotating force to the knuckle unit in response to a movement in a longitudinal direction.

A wheel action-based active suspension damping adjustment apparatus recognizes wheel actions through a steering apparatus, distance measuring apparatuses and force sensors and calculates an action damping magnitude according to damping parameters determined by different wheel actions, thereby achieving optimal adjustment under different actions. The changes in an inclination angle of a vehicle cabin floor and a vertical acceleration are monitored by using an inclination angle sensor and acceleration sensors, and meanwhile, an inclination angle damping and an acceleration damping are determined according to exceeding amplitudes, and a total damping of active suspensions is fed back and corrected, thereby further enhancing an adjustment and control effect of the active suspensions. According to the method, basic damping, action damping, inclination angle damping and acceleration damping data is output and recorded, and classified according to a vehicle state and the wheel actions, data changes under a same classification are compared.

A wheel action-based active suspension damping adjustment apparatus recognizes wheel actions through a steering apparatus, distance measuring apparatuses and force sensors and calculates an action damping magnitude according to damping parameters determined by different wheel actions, thereby achieving optimal adjustment under different actions. The changes in an inclination angle of a vehicle cabin floor and a vertical acceleration are monitored by using an inclination angle sensor and acceleration sensors, and meanwhile, an inclination angle damping and an acceleration damping are determined according to exceeding amplitudes, and a total damping of active suspensions is fed back and corrected, thereby further enhancing an adjustment and control effect of the active suspensions. According to the method, basic damping, action damping, inclination angle damping and acceleration damping data is output and recorded, and classified according to a vehicle state and the wheel actions, data changes under a same classification are compared.