Disclosed herein is a sway bar system comprising a damping link that couples a first end of a sway bar to a first location on a vehicle. The damping link is comprised of a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir. There is also a through shaft coupled to a piston, where the piston divides the chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. A high-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the first chamber and the second chamber to the reservoir. A low-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the reservoir to the first chamber and the second chamber. The high-pressure line and the low-pressure line assist in self-centering the sway bar.

A variable flow check valve device is proposed comprising an inlet connected with a first pressure fluid reservoir, an outlet connected with a second pressure fluid reservoir, which is separate and/or separable from the first pressure fluid reservoir, a check valve closing member configured to open and to close the outlet in response to a pressure difference of the pressure fluid on opposite sides of the check valve closing member, and a spool valve with a movable spool disposed in a flow path of the pressure fluid extending from the inlet to the outlet, the spool valve forming a variable orifice within the flow path of the pressure fluid, wherein the variable flow check valve device further comprises a force balancing unit disposed in the flow path of the pressure fluid and configured to create a balancing force to at least partially counteract a force acting on the spool when the pressure fluid passes the at least partially opened spool valve.

A suspension device includes a damper, a pump, an accumulator, a hydraulic pressure circuit disposed between the pump and the accumulator, and the damper configured to adjust a thrust of the damper, a blow flow passage connecting the accumulator to a reservoir, and a relief valve disposed in the blow flow passage and opening when the relief valve reaches a relief pressure to allow a flow from the accumulator side to the reservoir side.

An aerocar with a dual mode suspension system configured to operate in a roadable mode and a flight mode. The aerocar may include a front suspension assembly having a front axle, and a rear suspension assembly having a rear axle. A conduit system provides a hydraulic fluid in fluid communication between the front suspension assembly and the rear suspension assembly. An auxiliary hydraulic fluid reservoir is provided in fluid communication with the conduit system, and configured to selectively maintain or interrupt fluid communication between the front suspension assembly and the rear suspension assembly to adjust damping of the front suspension assembly. A controller may be provided, configured to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid from the rear suspension assembly to the front suspension assembly, for example, when a stroke of the rear suspension exceeds a predetermined value during landing.

A suspension system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle is travelling on a substrate. The suspension system includes a plurality of dampers and a controller disposed in communication with the plurality of dampers. The controller is configured to determine that a receiving coil disposed on the vehicle is inductively receiving electrical energy from a transmitting coil. The transmitting coil is disposed remote from the vehicle. The controller is further configured to control a damping level of each of the plurality of dampers to maintain a distance between the receiving coil and one of the transmitting coil and the substrate within a predetermined range or at a constant value.

Provided is a shock absorber capable of smoothly changing a damping force in a low speed range of piston speed and of opening a main valve with a smaller differential pressure. An auxiliary valve (111) is provided on an upstream side of a main valve (27) in series with the main valve (27). Thus, the damping force in the low speed range of the piston speed can be smoothly changed. Further, the main valve (27) has a simply-supported structure in which an inner peripheral side thereof is prevented from being clamped and is supported in a cantilever state. Thus, the main valve (27) can be opened with a smaller differential pressure.

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 vehicle suspension damper includes: a cylinder and a piston assembly, wherein the piston assembly includes a piston; a working fluid within the cylinder; a bypass cylinder surrounding the cylinder and defining a cylindrical bypass channel; an adjustable bypass port fluidly coupling an interior of the cylinder and the cylindrical bypass channel; and a remotely operable bypass valve slidably disposed within the cylindrical bypass channel, the remotely operable bypass valve configured for, upon actuation of an actuator coupled with the remotely operable bypass valve, adjusting a flow of the working fluid through the adjustable bypass port.

A shock absorber including: a first passage (101) allowing working fluid to flow out from one chamber (19) as a result of movement of a piston (18); a second passage (181) provided in parallel with the first passage; a damping force generating mechanism (41) provided in the first passage, and configured to generate a damping force; a tubular case member (140) including at least a part of the second passage formed therein; an annular disc (134) supported on an inner peripheral side or an outer peripheral side in the case member. An annular seal member (156) configured to seal a gap to the case member is provided on a non-supported side of the annular disc. The shock absorber further includes two chambers (171, 172) in the case member, which are defined and provided by the disc. The disc is configured to block flow to the second passage.

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.