The damper and spring unit comprises a damper, a spring member extending coaxially to the damper, a bottom spring plate and a vehicle height adjustment device for adjusting the height of the vehicle from the ground. A first damper element is connected to a wheel carrier of the suspension and a second damper element is slidable relative to the first damper element along the longitudinal axis (z). The adjustment device is interposed between the first damper element and the spring member to change the linear position of the bottom spring plate, and a bottom end of the spring member, relative to the first damper element. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylinder is secured to the first damper element and a piston drivingly connected for translation with the bottom spring plate along the longitudinal axis (z) of the damper between a bottom end-of-travel position and a top end-of-travel position.

The damper and spring unit comprises a damper, a spring member extending coaxially to the damper, a bottom spring plate and a vehicle height adjustment device for adjusting the height of the vehicle from the ground. A first damper element is connected to a wheel carrier of the suspension and a second damper element is slidable relative to the first damper element along the longitudinal axis (z). The adjustment device is interposed between the first damper element and the spring member to change the linear position of the bottom spring plate, and a bottom end of the spring member, relative to the first damper element. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylinder is secured to the first damper element and a piston drivingly connected for translation with the bottom spring plate along the longitudinal axis (z) of the damper between a bottom end-of-travel position and a top end-of-travel position.

The four wheel vehicle uses an electric motor (142) for driving the vehicle and a battery unit (160) for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The lower chassis (5) of the vehicle includes a pair of front side frames (10) extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant and a progressively increasing lateral mutual spacing from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof and a plurality of cross members (14, 16, 18) connecting the front side frames to each other. The battery unit is positioned between the two front side frames such that the battery unit overlaps with the front side frames in side view. Thereby, the battery unit can be effectively protected from side impacts.

The four wheel vehicle uses an electric motor (142) for driving the vehicle and a battery unit (160) for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The lower chassis (5) of the vehicle includes a pair of front side frames (10) extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant and a progressively increasing lateral mutual spacing from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof and a plurality of cross members (14, 16, 18) connecting the front side frames to each other. The battery unit is positioned between the two front side frames such that the battery unit overlaps with the front side frames in side view. Thereby, the battery unit can be effectively protected from side impacts.

The four wheel vehicle uses an electric motor (142) for driving the vehicle and a battery unit (160) for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The lower chassis (5) of the vehicle includes a pair of front side frames (10) extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant and a progressively increasing lateral mutual spacing from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof, a pair of rear side frames (12) connected to rear ends of the respective front side frames, and extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof in continuation of the corresponding front side frames in a mutually parallel relationship, and a plurality of cross members (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) connecting the side frames to each other.

The four wheel vehicle uses an electric motor (142) for driving the vehicle and a battery unit (160) for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The lower chassis (5) of the vehicle includes a pair of front side frames (10) extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant and a progressively increasing lateral mutual spacing from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof, a pair of rear side frames (12) connected to rear ends of the respective front side frames, and extending linearly in a fore and aft direction with an upward slant from a front part thereof to a rear part thereof in continuation of the corresponding front side frames in a mutually parallel relationship, and a plurality of cross members (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) connecting the side frames to each other.

A suspension element of a vehicle includes a coil spring, and a bearing part provided with a main stop. The spring is mounted on the bearing part in such a manner that a first end of the spring comes to bear against the main stop. The bearing part includes a secondary stop placed in front of the main stop, against which secondary stop the first end of the spring bears during a method for assembling the suspension element. The secondary stop is capable of moving away under the effect of pressure exerted by the spring on the secondary stop during a stage of compressing the spring after the spring has pivoted about the spring's rotational axis during a stage involving straightening the spring, so that a second end of the spring is made to interact with a centering element, in order to come to bear against the main stop.

A method for reshaping an electric drive signal of a real-time damper in a sprung mass system includes detecting a periodic frequency and magnitude of a target periodic vibration of a sprung mass. The periodic vibration has velocity and elasticity components that are 90 degrees out-of-phase. An electric drive signal to the real-time damper is reshaped by a controller depending on polarity of the velocity component to thereby generate a composite drive signal. The damper is energized using the composite drive signal to modify a damper force. Reshaping the electric drive signal includes injecting a force and/or an intermittent drive suppression component onto the electric drive signal based on the frequency and magnitude. The sprung mass system may have a frame and body, motion and wheel speed sensors, the real-time dampers, road wheels, and a controller programmed to perform the method.

A suspension for a vehicle is configured such that, even in a situation of departing from a range (spring freedom height) in which a coil spring may be tensioned as a rebound state is added in a full rebound state, a lower end of the coil spring is coupled to a spring pad coupled to a leaf spring and continuously supported, so that the separation of the coil spring connecting a suspension arm to a body member may be prevented. The suspension includes the leaf spring provided at the suspension arm connecting a body frame to a knuckle; a spring pad coupled to the leaf spring; and the coil spring supported, at opposite ends of the coil spring, by the body member and the spring pad, the body member being located above the suspension ann.

A suspension for a vehicle is configured such that, even in a situation of departing from a range (spring freedom height) in which a coil spring may be tensioned as a rebound state is added in a full rebound state, a lower end of the coil spring is coupled to a spring pad coupled to a leaf spring and continuously supported, so that the separation of the coil spring connecting a suspension arm to a body member may be prevented. The suspension includes the leaf spring provided at the suspension arm connecting a body frame to a knuckle; a spring pad coupled to the leaf spring; and the coil spring supported, at opposite ends of the coil spring, by the body member and the spring pad, the body member being located above the suspension ann.