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.

A stopped vehicle height of an air suspension for a stop-side wheel on a side that stops first is determined in consideration of a vehicle height that changes in accordance with a vehicle height change of the air suspension for a supply/discharge-side wheel on another side after a stop. Thus, when vehicle height adjustment of the air suspension for the supply/discharge-side wheel is finished, the stopped vehicle height of the air suspension for the stop-side wheel can be adjusted to the vicinity of a target value and the precision in the vehicle height adjustment can be increased.

A device for the height adjustment of a road vehicle interposed between a frame and a suspension of the road vehicle so as to allow the vehicle to shift from a road configuration to a race configuration and vice versa. The device comprises a base body provided with a first end, which can mechanically be connected to the frame of the road vehicle; a first mass, which can be connected to the base body so as to be movable along a sliding axis; a second mass, which is connected to the first mass so as to be movable along the sliding axis as well and is configured to be able to be connected to a suspension of the road vehicle and to change the stroke of the suspension depending on the position of the second movable mass.

A method of setting the rides height of the air springs and air pressures of the tires, including receiving a user selected setting or preprogrammed ride height settings; sensing a ride height of, and air pressure within, each of the air springs; determining the weight of the vehicle based on the sensed ride height and air pressure within each of the air springs; providing specified ride heights for the left and right front and rear air springs; determining specified air pressures for the left and right front and rear tire inflators, based upon the determined weight of the vehicle and selected setting; inflating the left and right front and rear air springs to the specified ride heights; and inflating the left and right front and rear tires to the specified air pressures.

Methods and systems are provided for an electric heavy-duty vehicle. In one example, a system for the vehicle may include a wheel hub assembly coupled to a frame of the vehicle via a first wishbone arm and a second wishbone arm, and an air spring coupled at opposite ends to a first link and a second link, each of the first link and the second link being pivotably coupled to the frame of the vehicle, the second link further being pivotably coupled to the first wishbone arm. The air spring may be positioned above the wheel hub assembly with respect to the vehicle.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle speed obtainer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle, which includes a plurality of wheels, relative to an axle of each of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle. The vehicle speed obtainer is configured to obtain a vehicle speed, which is a traveling speed of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body, based on the vehicle speed obtained by the vehicle speed obtainer. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a failure of the vehicle speed obtainer to obtain an accurate value of the vehicle speed.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is drivable when supplied with a current and configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to perform such control that a target current set based on the relative position is supplied to the changer so as to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body of the vehicle. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a failure to make the target current flow to the changer.

An air management system for a vehicle. The air management system includes at least one air spring. A compressor is provided for filling the air spring. A central air line is fluidly connected to the air spring and the compressor. At least one spring air line extends between the central air line and the air spring. At least one suspension valve is disposed along the spring air line. At least one auxiliary air line extends between the spring air line and the central air line. At least one high flow exhaust valve is disposed along the auxiliary air line. At least one isolation check valve is disposed in series with the high flow exhaust along the spring air line. The isolation check valve allows air to pass through therethrough from the air spring to the central air line while preventing air from passing therethrough from the central air line to the air spring.

An air suspension control system is for a vehicle with a first and a second axle. The system has an auxiliary control unit connected to a main control unit via a data link. The auxiliary unit has a pressure sensor associated with the first axle for determining pressure measurements of the first axle as pressure sensor signals and an input for receiving height sensor signals. The input can be connected to a first height sensor on the first axle for receiving first height signals and to a second height sensor on the second axle for receiving second height signals. The auxiliary unit is adapted to transmit the first and/or second height sensor signals and/or the pressure sensor signals to the main unit. The main unit is adapted to carry out weighing for the first and/or second axle in dependence on the first and/or second height signals and/or the pressure signals.

A controlled air spring system with a compressed air supply for height regulation of a vehicle includes a number of air springs and a reservoir for the storage of compressed air, a number of switching valves for height regulation, and a controller configured to actuate the number of switching valves. The at least one switching valve is actuated with a number of sequential switching periods and switches over in a switching period, between a first switching state with an open valve state and a second switching state with a closed valve state, the switching period of the number of sequential shifting periods having the open valve state and the closed valve state. The controller is configured to set a speed for a height change of the height regulation. The setting of the speed takes place via an open/closed parameter.