An electronic external bypass for a shock assembly is disclosed herein. The electronic external bypass has a compression side fluid connection, a rebound side fluid connection, and an external bypass fluid flow path physically separate from the shock assembly, the external bypass fluid flow path fluidly coupling the compression side fluid connection with the rebound side fluid connection. The electronic external bypass includes a solenoid circuit, the solenoid circuit to control a flow of a working fluid through the external bypass fluid flow path, the solenoid circuit includes a poppet valve and an active valve configured to control a pop pressure of the poppet valve, such that the solenoid circuit provides an infinitely adjustable bypass pressure for the shock assembly.

A regenerative shock absorber that includes 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.

A suspension system and associated control methods for improving the effectiveness of driver assistance systems is disclosed where the driver assistance systems can generate and send requests to a suspension control unit (SCU) of the suspension system to actuate (e.g., close) one or more comfort valves in the suspension system to increase the roll stiffness and/or pitch stiffness of the suspension system when the driver assistance systems are taking corrective action. As part of a two-way communication between the suspension control unit (SCU) and the driver assistance systems, the suspension control unit (SCU) communicates target stiffnesses and/or calculated effective stiffnesses to the driver assistance systems, which is used to update the vehicle stability models used by the driver assistance systems.

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 device and a method of estimating damper force and damper velocity in an active suspension system. First and second pressure sensors sense pressures of a rebound chamber and a compression chamber of a damper in the active suspension system. A controller calculates damper force using the pressures and effective hydraulic pressure areas of the rebound chamber and the compression chamber and calculating damper velocity using pressure-fluid rate characteristics of first to third valve sets and the pressures of the rebound chamber and the compression chamber such that a sum of fluid rates is zero in a node connected between any one of the first to third valve sets and the rebound chamber or the compression chamber, the first to third valve sets being connected between the rebound chamber and an accumulator, between the rebound chamber and the compression chamber, or between the compression chamber and the accumulator.

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 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 hydraulic suspension system includes a suspension cylinder, a pump, and a control valve therebetween. The control valve includes a spool reciprocally movable between a pump flow position and a tank flow position in which a control port of the control valve is in communication with a pump and a tank, respectively. A piloted logic element in fluid communication with and interposed between the control valve and the suspension cylinder is selectively movable between a through-flow position in which fluid can flow in either direction between a chamber of the suspension cylinder and the control port of the control valve and a blocked position in which fluid is prevented from flowing in or out of the chamber of the suspension cylinder. The logic element is biased to the blocking position, moving to the through-flow position when subjected to a crack pressure delivered from the control port of the control valve.

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.

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.