A multi-chamber type air spring device includes a chamber part and a valve part. The chamber part is partitioned into spaces. The valve part is configured to control movement of air through an internal boundary of the chamber part via valves. In a powered-off state of the valve part, the valves are in different opened/closed states from one another.

A suspension device for a wheeled vehicle with a plurality of air springs is described. Two main air chambers of two air springs of a respective vehicle axle are connected together via a transverse air chamber which forms an intermediate volume. A compressor arranged between the two transverse air chambers is connected to the first transverse air chamber via a first connecting line in which a first switchable valve is arranged, and to the second transverse air chamber via a second connecting line in which a second switchable valve is arranged, so that direct filling/direct evacuation of the intermediate volumes of the two transverse air chambers is possible.

In a pneumatically sprung vehicle (1) with a front steering axle (A), one rear drive axle (TA) and one trailing axle (SA), traction is controlled by an air suspension system (36), having a “pressure ratio control” mode maintaining a parametrised ratio of air pressures in supporting bellows (2, 4) of the drive axle (TA) compared to air pressures in supporting bellows (3, 5) of the trailing axle (SA); a “relieve loading of trailing axle” mode checking whether relieving of the loading of the trailing axle (SA) is possible without overloading the drive axle (TA); and an “optimum traction” control mode increasing the pressure in the supporting bellows (2, 4) of the drive axle (TA) and reducing the pressure in the supporting bellows (3, 5) of the trailing axle (SA) without exceeding the maximum permissible axle load of the drive axle (TA) while maintaining residual pressure of the trailing axle (SA).

A method for operating a pressure control system having a multistage compressor includes providing, by the multistage compressor, a pressure medium that has been compressed multiple times in order to fill a pressure medium reservoir or pressure medium chambers of the pressure control system. The providing the pressure medium involves providing, by a first compression stage, a precompressed pressure medium and additionally compressing, via a second compression stage, the precompressed pressure medium, and/or introducing an already compressed charge pressure medium into an intermediate volume between the first compression stage and the second compression stage of the multistage compressor and further compressing, by the second compression stage, the charge pressure medium. The charge pressure medium simultaneously passes, via a control line, to a control input of a shut-off valve that interacts with the first compression stage, such that a charge pressure of the charge pressure medium predefines a control pressure.

An air suspension system which includes a Dynamic Load Transfer (DLT) function. DLT is a process of transferring vehicle load, or varying normal loads applied to each wheel of the vehicle, using switchable volume or variable volume air spring assemblies. Switchable or variable volume air spring assemblies have the ability to change air spring volumes, which results in changes in air spring rates, which result in changes in normal loads applied to each wheel. Changes in wheel normal loads change wheel traction (slip) and vehicle dynamics (pitch, roll, yaw displacement, rate and acceleration). Each air spring assembly may have multiple volume air chambers that are switched “on” and “off,” a variable volume air chamber, or the air spring assembly may be coupled with other air springs, or air chambers, that are switched or varied.

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.

An apparatus and method for controlling an air suspension of a vehicle are disclosed. The apparatus includes a compressor configured to supply compressed air, a reservoir configured to store compressed air supplied from the compressor and to supply the stored compressed air to the air suspension during vehicle height control, a road information provider configured to provide road state information of a road in front of the vehicle during travel of the vehicle, and a controller configured to determine a vehicle height control position of the air suspension based on the road state information and to operate the compressor before the vehicle arrives at the determined vehicle height control position, thereby filling the reservoir with the compressed air such that an internal pressure of the reservoir reaches at least a predetermined reference pressure.

A method for operating a pressure control system having a multi-stage compressor includes providing a multiply compressed pressure medium by the multi-stage compressor for filling a pressure medium reservoir or pressure medium chambers of the pressure control system. Providing the multiply compressed pressure medium includes (i) providing, by a first compression stage, a pre-compressed pressure medium and additionally compressing, at least by a second compression stage, the pre-compressed pressure medium, and/or (ii) introducing an already-compressed charging pressure medium into an intermediate volume between the first compression stage and the second compression stage of the multi-stage compressor and further compressing the charging pressure medium at least by the second compression stage. The charging pressure medium simultaneously passes via a control line to a control input of a shut-off valve that interacts with the first compression stage, such that a charging pressure of the charging pressure medium predefines a control pressure.

A multi-chamber type air spring device includes a chamber part and a valve part. The chamber part is partitioned into spaces. The valve part is configured to control movement of air through an internal boundary of the chamber part via valves. In a powered-off state of the valve part, the valves are in different opened/closed states from one another.

An air spring includes a closing member, a rolling piston, and an air spring bellows connected to the rolling piston and the closing member to form a fluid-filled pressure chamber. A level control system for supplying and/or discharging fluid may be integrated into the pressure chamber to control level position based on air spring stroke. The level control system may have a control valve and an actuator connected to the control valve. The actuator may include a guide tube coupled to the rolling piston or closing member, and movably arranged within the pressure chamber. An actuating member may include a pin member and may operate the control valve. A compression spring may have a central spring and a biasing spring, and the guide tube may include a control flange coupled to the pin member, and the biasing spring may be supported to press the pin member against the control valve.