A control valve device for a regulation of damping characteristics, in particular of shock absorbers, includes a valve slide and a hydraulic fail-safe unit which is configured, in a de-energized operation state, to provide a fail-safe damping characteristic of the valve slide, the damping hardness of which in a rebound direction lies between a minimally possible rebound damping hardness and a maximally possible rebound damping hardness, and the damping hardness of which in a compression direction lies between a minimally possible compression damping hardness and a maximally possible compression damping hardness.

The suspension includes a hydraulic actuator and a supply hydraulic circuit connected to the hydraulic actuator to supply a compression chamber and an extension chamber of the hydraulic actuator with a working fluid. The supply hydraulic circuit includes a hydraulic pump, a high-pressure line connected to a delivery port of the hydraulic pump, a low-pressure line connected to a suction port of the hydraulic pump, and a flow control valve connected on one side to the compression chamber and extension chamber of the hydraulic actuator and on the other side to the high-pressure line and low-pressure line. The flow control valve is a rotary spool valve having comprising a spool which is rotatable continuously between a plurality of operating positions.

A hydraulic damper comprising a moveable rod, a collar, and a ring. The moveable rod having a centerline axis. The collar circumscribing and coupled to the moveable rod. The ring axially adjacent the collar and having an inner wall, an outer wall, a first wall, and a second wall. The inner wall circumscribing the moveable rod. The outer wall circumscribing the inner wall. The ring further having a boss provided on the first wall.

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors may also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based on sensor output signals.

A vehicle control device includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor detects wheel speed. The controller estimates sprung mass state based on detected information in a prescribed frequency range. The controller controls a variable-damping force shock absorber to bring the estimated sprung mass state to a target sprung mass state. The controller estimates wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel. The controller determines the estimation accuracy of the sprung mass state has deteriorated when a rate of change of a stationary component extracted from components of wheel rim braking/drive torque acting on a wheel is detected to equal or exceed a prescribed value. The controller controls the variable-damping force shock absorber to a more limited extent than when the estimation accuracy has not deteriorated.

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors are also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based vehicle conditions determined by sensor output signals.

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 enemy 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.

A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller. The method includes disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.

Described are devices, systems, and methods that enable greater control and customization of variable suspension systems via mechanical modification, among other advantages. In one example, a linkage device is configured to be attached to a suspension arm of a vehicle and to a vehicle frame of the vehicle. The linkage device is configured to mechanically modify one or more physical states detected by a sensor of the vehicle, thereby causing the sensor to output modified signals to a controller, and causing the controller to output modified control signals to a variable shock absorber connected between the vehicle frame and the suspension arm, thereby modifying one or more variable physical properties of the variable shock absorber.

A damper valve for a vibration damper, in particular of a motorized vehicle, comprises a valve body, at least one control disc arranged on the valve body and at least one rotatably mounted adjustment element, wherein the valve body, the control disc and the adjustment element are arranged coaxially, wherein the control disc is connected to the adjustment element for conjoint rotation and the control disc is rotatable relative to the valve body in order to open up at least one of a plurality of through-channels in the valve body for the flow of a damper fluid or to block the flow, wherein the valve body has a plurality of recesses with different opening areas which are covered by at least one valve disc, wherein in each case one through-channel leads into in each case one of the recesses.