A shock absorber for a vehicle includes a pressure tube containing a hydraulic fluid. The shock absorber further includes a piston rod extending within the pressure tube along a longitudinal axis, and including a piston end disposed within the pressure tube. The piston rod includes a rod chamber defined within the piston rod and extending along the longitudinal axis from an upper chamber end distal to the piston end to a lower chamber end proximal to the piston end. The piston rod further includes at least one first opening disposed proximal to the lower chamber end. The shock absorber further includes a first piston assembly, an auxiliary housing, and a damper assembly including a sleeve received within the rod chamber.

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.

A suspension system and associated control methods for improving the effectiveness of driver assistance systems is disclosed where the driver assistance systems can generate and send requests to a suspension control unit (SCU) of the suspension system to actuate (e.g., close) one or more comfort valves in the suspension system to increase the roll stiffness and/or pitch stiffness of the suspension system when the driver assistance systems are taking corrective action. As part of a two-way communication between the suspension control unit (SCU) and the driver assistance systems, the suspension control unit (SCU) communicates target stiffnesses and/or calculated effective stiffnesses to the driver assistance systems, which is used to update the vehicle stability models used by the driver assistance systems.

A road surface condition is determined appropriately. A road surface determining section (84) configured to determine a road surface state includes a threshold setting section (845) configured to set a threshold for determining the road surface state, so that a value of a desired control variable is multiplied by a coefficient determined in accordance with a result of the determination by the road surface determining section (84).

A technology can be realized which increases the sense of unity with a vehicle that is felt by a driver. A suspension control device, which controls the damping force of the suspension of a vehicle, comprises a target control amount calculation unit which sets a target control amount, that is referenced when controlling the damping force of the suspension, such that the period of the phase of the roll angle and the period of the phase of the pitch angle of the vehicle approach a synchronized state, such that the magnitude of the expansion-side damping force is greater than the magnitude of the contraction-side damping force on the front-wheel-side of the vehicle, and such that the contraction-side damping force is greater than or equal to the expansion-side damping force on the rear-wheel-side of the vehicle.

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.

A damper assembly comprises a main tube extending along a center axis between a first end and a second end defining a fluid chamber. A main piston is disposed in the fluid chamber dividing the fluid chamber into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber. A piston rod extends along the center axis coupled to the main piston. An external tube extends about the main tube and defines a compensation chamber therebetween. The external tube includes a protrusion extending radially inwardly from an opened end to abut the main tube. An external piston is located in the compensation chamber and coupled to the main tube, dividing the compensation chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment. The first compartment extends between the protrusion and the external piston for containing a working fluid. The second compartment extends between the closed end and the external piston for containing a gas.

A shock for a vehicle includes a tube elongated along an axis. A piston is disposed in the tube and is moveable relative to the tube along the axis. A rod is connected to the piston. A floating piston is spaced from the piston along the axis and is moveable relative to the tube along the axis. The tube defines a working chamber between the piston and the floating piston. The tube defines a gas chamber. The floating piston separates the gas chamber from the working chamber. The floating piston has a housing slideably engaged with the tube and a membrane fluidly separating the working chamber from the gas chamber. The membrane is flexible relative to the housing.

A suspension controller includes a target current setting unit, a current limitation setting unit, a current outputting unit, a current detector, and an estimated temperature calculator. The target current setting unit sets a target current value. The current limitation setting unit sets a current limitation value. The current outputting unit supplies a solenoid with a current that is based on the target current value, the current limitation value, and a power supply voltage. The solenoid controls a damping force of a suspension. The current detector detects a current value of the current supplied to the solenoid. The estimated temperature calculator calculates an estimated temperature of the solenoid based on the current value detected by the current detector so that the current limitation setting unit changes the current limitation value based on the estimated temperature.

Provided a suspension control appratus including a vehicle behavior detection unit (acceleration sensors), an electrorheological damper provided between a vehicle body (1) and each wheel (2), and a controller configured to execute control so that a damping force of each electrorheological damper is adjusted based on a detection result obtained by the vehicle behavior detection unit. The controller includes a target voltage value setting unit (damping force command calculation unit) configured to obtain a target voltage value to be applied to an electrode tube based on the detection result obtained by the vehicle behavior detection unit, a temperature estimation unit configured to detect or estimate temperature of ERF, and a target voltage value correction unit (output limiting unit) configured to change the target voltage value so that a piston speed (V) is adjusted based on a value obtained by the temperature estimation unit.