A regenerative shock absorber that include a housing and a piston that moves at least partially through the housing when the shock is compressed or extended from a rest position. When the piston moves, hydraulic fluid is pressurized and drives a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor, in turn, drives an electric generator that produced electric energy. The electric energy may be provided to a vehicle, among other things. The regenerative shock absorber may also provide ride performance that comparable to or exceeds that of conventional shock absorbers.

A seat assembly includes one or more adjustable components disposed in a seat portion or a seatback of the seat assembly and are actively operable between stowed and deployed positions based on real-time occupant position information. A controller is operably coupled to the adjustable components and configured to adjust the adjustable components towards the deployed position when a pressure force is detected by one or more sensors disposed in either the seat portion or the seatback, or both. The pressure forces are applied by the vehicle occupant as the vehicle occupant applies pressure to portions of the vehicle seat during movement of the vehicle. The adjustable components are moveable to a degree that is calculated as a function of the pressure value sensed by the sensors in the seat assembly.

A seat assembly includes one or more adjustable components disposed in a seat portion or a seatback of the seat assembly. The adjustable components are operable between stowed and deployed positions. A controller is operably coupled to the adjustable components and configured to adjust the adjustable components towards the deployed position when a seat occupant is seated in the seat assembly. The controller moves one or more of the adjustable components towards the deployed position until a pressure force is detected by one or more sensors disposed in either the seat portion or the seatback, or both. The pressure forces are detected by the sensors as one or more of the adjustable components contacts a vehicle occupant. Movement of the adjustable components may cease immediately when a pressure value is detected and may also continue until a threshold pressure value is reached.

A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle includes identifying an amplitude and a frequency of at least one harmonic event in a topology of a surface to be traversed by the vehicle, and, with a controller, altering at least one response characteristic of at least one adjustable component of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event. Systems and methods relate to controlling vehicle suspension systems.

A regenerative shock absorber that include a housing and a piston that moves at least partially through the housing when the shock is compressed or extended from a rest position. When the piston moves, hydraulic fluid is pressurized and drives a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor, in turn, drives an electric generator that produced electric energy. The electric energy may be provided to a vehicle, among other things. The regenerative shock absorber may also provide ride performance that comparable to or exceeds that of conventional shock absorbers.

A suspension device (S) which is a means for solving the problem of the present invention includes an actuator (AC) movable in a telescopic manner, a pump (4), a liquid pressure circuit (FC) provided between the actuator (AC) and the pump (4) and supplying a liquid discharged from the pump (4) to the actuator (AC) so that the actuator (AC) expands and contracts, and a controller (C) controlling the driving of the pump (4), in which the pump (4) is controlled by obtaining a target rotation number of the pump (4) on the basis of road surface displacement detected by a preview sensor (41).

A system and method for accounting for a mismatch that exists between a vehicle's bumper and potential impact point using an active suspension is disclosed. The system and method determine that a mismatch exists between a vehicle's bumper and a potential impact point and actuate the suspension to account for the determined mismatch. The system and method account for the mismatch existing between a vehicle's bumper and a potential impact point using a sensor for detecting that a mismatch exists between the bumper and the potential impact point, and a suspension configured to be actuated to account for the sensed mismatch to enable improved alignment of the bumper and the potential impact point.

A vehicle includes a chassis and a vehicle body supported by the chassis. At least one dynamically adjustable body mount connects the vehicle body to the chassis. The at least one dynamically adjustable body mount includes a selectively adjustable parameter. One or more vehicle sensors is associated with the vehicle. The one or more vehicle sensors is operable to detect one or more vehicle parameters. A control system is operatively connected to the at least one dynamically adjustable body mount and the one or more vehicle sensors. The control system is operable to alter the selectively adjustable parameter of the at least one dynamically adjustable body mount to substantially isolate the body from road and vehicle induced vibration in response to at least one of the one or more vehicle parameters and the one or more road surface parameters.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for cooling damping fluid in a vehicle suspension damper unit. A damping unit includes a piston mounted in a fluid cylinder. A bypass fluid circuit having an integrated cooling assembly disposed therein is fluidly coupled to the fluid cylinder at axial locations that, at least at one point in the piston stroke, are located on opposite sides of the piston. The cooling assembly may include a cylinder having cooling fins thermally coupled to an exterior surface of the cylinder and made of a thermally conductive material. The bypass channel may include a check valve that permits fluid flow in only one direction through the bypass channel. The check valve may be remotely operated, either manually or automatically by an electronic controller. A vehicle suspension system may implement one or more damper units throughout the vehicle, controlled separately or collectively, automatically or manually.

The present exemplary embodiments relate to a variable damping force shock absorber in which variable valves each capable of varying a damping force during compression and rebound strokes are installed inside a cylinder, and thus, a volume of an apparatus is reduced to easily secure an installation space and prevent interference with peripheral components.