A spring-absorber system for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle includes a suspension spring with a spring constant k.sub.T and an absorber filled with a fluid and mounted in parallel to the suspension spring. The spring-absorber system also includes at least two additional spring modules via which a total spring constant k.sub.G of the spring-absorber system can be varied.

A multi-mode air shock is disclosed herein. The air shock includes an air spring having a primary air chamber, and a damper having an insertion end to telescope within the primary air chamber and a coupler to couple with a portion of a vehicle. An adjuster housing is fixedly coupled to an end of the air spring opposite of the damper, the adjuster housing having a secondary air chamber in communication with the primary air chamber and a mounting structure to couple with a different portion of the vehicle. There is a bulkhead with a valve to open or close the fluid communication between the primary air chamber and the secondary air chamber. The air shock also includes a tertiary air chamber in fluid communication with the secondary air chamber but not in fluid communication with the primary air chamber except via the secondary air chamber.

A method and apparatus for a vehicle shock absorber comprising a main damper cylinder, a first reservoir and a second reservoir. One embodiment includes a first operational mode where both reservoirs are in fluid communication with the cylinder. In a second operational mode, only one reservoir communicates with the cylinder during fluid evacuation from the cylinder. In each mode, rebound from either or both reservoirs may travel through a single, user-adjustable metering device.

A plurality of traveling wheels are supported via expandable/contractible tubular support members to a vehicle body frame. A hydraulic operation type vehicle height adjustment mechanism provided for each one of the traveling wheels, the vehicle height adjustment mechanism being capable of switching a relative height of the traveling wheel relative to the vehicle body frame within a predetermined length range by expanding/contracting the support member by a hydraulic cylinder. There are provided a hydraulic control valve capable of controlling feeding state of work oil to each one of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders, a controlling section for controlling an operation of the hydraulic control valve to bring the vehicle body to a target state via vehicle height adjustment by the hydraulic cylinder in response to a change in the posture of the vehicle body and a plurality of accumulators connected oil chambers of the respective plurality of hydraulic cylinders.

A mobile working machine, in particular an agricultural device such as a self-propelled sprayer, comprising a structure which is hydraulically supported with respect to an undercarriage by means of cylinders (2, 4) having a piston chamber (6) and a rod chamber (8), wherein a switching device (18, 22, 36, 38) is provided which, in a switching position, fluidically connects the piston chamber (6) of a cylinder (2, 4) to the rod chamber (8) of another cylinder (2, 4), and vice versa, characterised in that, as part of the switching device, first valves (18, 22) and second valves (36, 38) are connected on the fluid-conveying connection (12, 14) between the piston chamber (6) of the one cylinder (2, 4) and the rod chamber (8) of the other cylinder (2, 4), the first valves (18, 22) each being connected on the input side to the piston chamber (6) and to a first hydraulic accumulator (28, 30) and the second valves (36, 38) being connected on the input side to the rod chamber (8) and on the output side to a second hydraulic accumulator (32, 34).

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 method and apparatus for a vehicle shock absorber comprising a main damper cylinder, a first reservoir and a second reservoir. One embodiment includes a first operational mode where both reservoirs are in fluid communication with the cylinder. In a second operational mode, only one reservoir communicates with the cylinder during fluid evacuation from the cylinder. In each mode, rebound from either or both reservoirs may travel through a single, user-adjustable metering device.

A spring-absorber system for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle includes a suspension spring with a spring constant k.sub.T and an absorber filled with a fluid and mounted in parallel to the suspension spring. The spring-absorber system also includes at least two additional spring modules via which a total spring constant k.sub.G of the spring-absorber system can be varied.

A method and apparatus for a vehicle shock absorber comprising a main damper cylinder, a first reservoir and a second reservoir. One embodiment includes a first operational mode where both reservoirs are in fluid communication with the cylinder. In a second operational mode, only one reservoir communicates with the cylinder during fluid evacuation from the cylinder. In each mode, rebound from either or both reservoirs may travel through a single, user-adjustable metering device.

A multi-mode air shock is disclosed herein. The air shock includes an air spring having a primary air chamber, and a damper having an insertion end to telescope within the primary air chamber and a coupler to couple with a portion of a vehicle. An adjuster housing is fixedly coupled to an end of the air spring opposite of the damper, the adjuster housing having a secondary air chamber in communication with the primary air chamber and a mounting structure to couple with a different portion of the vehicle. There is a bulkhead with a valve to open or close the fluid communication between the primary air chamber and the secondary air chamber. The air shock also includes a tertiary air chamber in fluid communication with the secondary air chamber but not in fluid communication with the primary air chamber except via the secondary air chamber.