Some embodiments provide a fully-actuated suspension system which can provide adjustable displacement of a sprung mass from a neutral suspension position over an unsprung mass. The system includes a variable pressure air spring which can adjust the neutral suspension position and execute low-frequency displacements and a hydraulically-driven piston which can execute high-frequency displacements. The system can communicate information to a driver, via haptic feedback provided via actuator displacements, which can augment the driver's situational awareness. The system can provide augmented vehicle braking via displacing the unsprung mass of the vehicle towards the surface upon which the vehicle rests to increase the normal force and contact area of the unsprung mass on the surface, unload torsion of the wheel induced by applied braking pressure to the wheel, etc. The system can compensate for vehicle oscillations at frequencies below the primary ride frequency, thereby mitigating the risk of occupant motion sickness.

A spring and damping arrangement for adjusting the spring rate and the driving position of a motorcycle includes a series circuit having at least one helical spring, an air spring unit, and a hydraulic actuating element. The spring rate of the air spring unit is changeable as a function of a force acting from the outside on the spring and damping arrangement, such that the driving position change resulting from the applied force is compensated by the hydraulic loading of the hydraulic actuating element, such that a defined driving position can be adjusted or maintained.

An air spring assembly for a vehicle having a reservoir which is adaptable to meet different packaging requirements. The air spring assembly includes a damper body, at least one piston connected to the damper body, and a bellow connected to the piston, the bellow having a cavity. A top cap is connected to the bellow, and a fitting is connected to the top cap. A reservoir is connected to the fitting such that the reservoir is in fluid communication with the cavity. Air flows between the bellow and the reservoir as a result of movement of the piston and damper body during travel of the vehicle. The reservoir may be tube-shaped, having a consistent diameter, or a varying diameter. The reservoir may also be spherical-shaped, rectangular-shaped, square-shaped, or may be shaped to fit specific packaging requirements such that the reservoir may be positioned in any area of the vehicle.

Disclosed is an electronic level control device for a vehicle having an air suspension system, for example a trailer vehicle having an air suspension system, the vehicle comprising a chassis having an axle and at least two wheels arranged on the axle, wherein an air spring is arranged between the axle and the chassis for at least one of the wheels, wherein an electronic control unit can initiate a level controlling procedure by actuating a solenoid valve, and wherein at least one capacitive level sensor is provided for the axle. The distance between the chassis and the at least one axle can be determined by the level sensor.

A method for analyzing and managing a vehicle load carried by a vehicle, the vehicle having a fluid suspension system, the method including sampling, at a manifold of the fluid suspension system, a set of fluid pressure corresponding to a set of fluid springs of the fluid suspension system, wherein the set of fluid springs supports the vehicle load; determining an existing stiffness distribution, the existing stiffness distribution including a stiffness value associated with each of the set of fluid springs; determining a contextual dataset during vehicle operation; determining a desired stiffness distribution based on the contextual dataset; automatically controlling the set of fluid springs at the plurality of actuation points based on the desired stiffness distribution, wherein controlling the set of fluid springs includes setting the stiffness value of the fluid spring associated with each of the plurality of actuation points.

A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate. The vehicle suspension damper comprises a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure, and a compressible chamber in communication with a damping fluid chamber, wherein the second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber.

The invention relates to an accumulator device (10), consisting of at least two accumulator elements (14, 16) which are combined to form a structural unit (12) and have independently from one another their own accumulator characteristic curves (18, 20), in particular as a result of different preload pressures, wherein the respective accumulator characteristic curves (18, 20) provide a combined total accumulator characteristic curve (22), according to which a fluid can be stored in the structural unit (12) and can be retrieved therefrom. The invention further relates to a hydropneumatic suspension system (24) having such an accumulator device (10).

A dump truck pitching control system that can improve the ride quality of a vehicle body and the drive stability during traveling is provided. The present invention includes: a pitching state amount detection section 194 that detects a state amount of the pitching movement of the vehicle body 10; a spring characteristics calculation section 197 that calculates spring characteristics of suspension cylinders 30, based on detection results of stroke sensors 306, pressure sensors 307, and temperature sensors 308; a pitching target amount calculation section 192 that calculates a target amount of the pitching movement of the vehicle body 10, according to the spring characteristics calculated by the spring characteristics calculation section 197; and a torque correction value calculation section 193 that calculates a torque correction value required to correct the pitching amount, according to the spring characteristics calculated by the spring characteristics calculation section 197.

One or more vehicle sensors can be used in a suspension control system of an agricultural machine to dynamically adjust pistons located proximal to wheels of the machine to substantially control orientation. Such vehicle sensors could include: a speed sensor configured to provide an output indicating a speed of the machine; a turn angle sensor configured to provide an output indicating a turn angle of the machine; and/or an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) configured to detect a chassis-to-horizon angle. The output can be compared to a threshold for determining when to control valves in the suspension system to apply height corrections.

A suspension system is disclosed utilizing oil addition and subtraction to actuate an accumulator to control position and stiffness in an Emulsion Shock/Oleo Pneumatic strut/Air spring strut. The strut maintains ride height for a wide variation in sprung mass and adjusts for the expansion/compression of the gas due to variations in temperature. The strut provides spring and damping characteristics.