A vehicle height control apparatus considering a strong wind traveling situation may include: a strong wind zone determining unit for obtaining wind speed information of a current position by using map information to which the wind speed information is corresponded and current position information of a vehicle, and generating strong wind zone information by comparing the obtained wind speed information with a predetermined reference wind speed to determine a strong wind zone; a strong wind traveling situation determining unit for generating strong wind traveling situation information by determining the strong wind traveling situation based on the strong wind zone information and the vehicle speed information of the current position; and a control signal generating unit for generating a control signal of a vehicle height adjusting device according to the strong wind traveling situation information.

A suspension system for controlling movement of a vehicle wheel may include a spring and damper assembly coupling the wheel to the vehicle chassis for movement of the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The spring and damper assembly may include a spring coupled to a damper member configured to extend and retract the wheel relative to the vehicle chassis. The suspension system may further include a damper actuator located remotely from the spring and damper assembly and configured to modify an amount of damping and/or wheel extension. The suspension system may also include a spring actuator integrated with the damper actuator and configured to control an amount of deflection of the spring and/or to alter a spring rate. The damper actuator may be provided at a location in the vehicle separated from the spring and damper assembly.

In a compressed air supply system for a first compressed air consumer circuit such as an air spring system of a vehicle, a first compressed air line leads to the first compressed air consumer circuit and a distribution line leads to further consumer circuits. A priority valve arrangement is disposed between the first compressed air line, wherein the first compressed air line comprises no safety valve. The first compressed air consumer circuit can therefore be filled at a higher priority, and achieve operational readiness quickly in air spring processes such as lifting or raising activities.

A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and changing a vehicle height according to supply and discharge of a working fluid; a supply source of the working fluid; opening and closing valves interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; a control unit configured to execute vehicle height adjustment such that the vehicle height of the vehicle height adjustment units reaches a target vehicle height; and a storage unit configured to store state information indicating a changed state of an actual vehicle height with respect to a current target vehicle height, wherein the control unit modifies a subsequent target vehicle height when subsequent control is executed, based on the state information stored in the storage unit, and executes vehicle height adjustment.

A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and changing a vehicle height according to supply and discharge of a working fluid; a supply source of the working fluid; opening and closing valves interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; a control unit configured to execute vehicle height adjustment such that the vehicle height of the vehicle height adjustment units reaches a target vehicle height; and a storage unit configured to store state information indicating a changed state of an actual vehicle height with respect to a current target vehicle height, wherein the control unit modifies a subsequent target vehicle height when subsequent control is executed, based on the state information stored in the storage unit, and executes vehicle height adjustment.

Disclosed is a configurable dynamic valve. In various embodiments the valve operates to control a pneumatic leveling system for vehicles and provide the capability for an operator to select an elevated or lowered ride height, to block air flow in and out of the leveling air bags, or to dump air from the air bags controlling the ride height. In various embodiments, the valve utilizes rotary disks which contain actuate apertures, wherein the disks form seals between ports which connect various inlet and outlet chambers such that the pneumatically selected operative disk apertures and ports provide air flow in or out of leveling air bags dynamically at a selected ride height during varying load and road conditions. In various embodiments, the modular design of the valve components allows for an easily configurable valve which may be customized to a particular application with a minimum of effort and manufacturing cost.

A vehicle-height control system includes: a fluid supply and discharge device including a compressor configured to suck fluid, and a tank configured to supply the fluid; an actuator-side passage connected to the fluid supply and discharge device; a vehicle-height control actuator provided for a wheel and connected to the actuator-side passage via a vehicle-height control valve; and a vehicle height controller configured to control a vehicle height for the wheel by controlling the fluid supply and discharge device and the vehicle-height control valve to control supply and discharge of the fluid in the vehicle-height control actuator. The vehicle height controller includes a start controller configured to open the vehicle-height control valve after establishing communication between the actuator-side passage and at least one of the tank and the compressor in a state in which the vehicle-height control valve is closed at a start of control of the vehicle height.

An air spring with damping characteristics for a suspension assembly of a heavy-duty vehicle includes a bellows chamber, a piston chamber and an asymmetrical orifice. The asymmetrical orifice is in fluid communication with the bellows chamber and the piston chamber of the air spring. The asymmetrical orifice provides asymmetrical damping characteristics to the air spring of the heavy-duty vehicle.

An air spring with damping characteristics for a suspension assembly of a heavy-duty vehicle includes a bellows chamber, a piston chamber and an asymmetrical orifice. The asymmetrical orifice is in fluid communication with the bellows chamber and the piston chamber of the air spring. The asymmetrical orifice provides asymmetrical damping characteristics to the air spring of the heavy-duty vehicle.

A damper assembly has a longitudinal axis and includes a damper housing with a side wall portion and an end wall portion defining a damping chamber containing a quantity of damping fluid. A photon source and a photon receptor are operatively disposed in optical communication with the non-gaseous damping fluid in the damping chamber. The photon source is operable to direct a photon through the non-gaseous damping fluid toward an associated target surface. The photon receptor is operable to receive the photon reflected off the associated target surface through the non-gaseous damping fluid. A sensor suitable for such use as well as spring and damper assemblies and suspension systems are also included.