Energy storing suspension components for use in suspension systems for wheeled vehicles and trailers, and suspension systems incorporating such energy storing suspension components are disclosed. The energy storing suspension components include an axle seat portion, a first end, and a first limb extending between the axle seat portion and the first end. The axle seat portion includes first and second surfaces with at least one of the first and second surfaces having at least two spaced apart recesses that are spaced from a center of the axle seat portion, the recesses being configured to receive respective protrusions extending from at least one suspension component that is connected to the energy storing suspension component when coupled within an axle coupling assembly.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a detector, and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The detector is configured to detect the relative position. The controller is configured to control the changer to change the relative position based on a detection value detected by the detector so as to control a height of the body as a vehicle height. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the vehicle height when there is a possibility of a malfunction in the detector.

The invention relates to a strut rod made of composite material for a suspension of a front axle of a vehicle, including: an upper part coupled to a rod and piston assembly connected to a vehicle body; and a U-shaped lower part including two brackets for fixing a knuckle arm of the vehicle. This strut rod includes means for detecting a crack. This detection means includes at least one additional edge positioned so as to project from an outer surface of the U-shaped lower part of the strut rod in a region where a crack possibly occurs in the case of an accidental shock on a wheel of the vehicle.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to make the relative position a target value so as to control a vehicle height of the body. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the relative position when there is a possibility of a malfunction in a detector configured to detect a parameter for control.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle speed obtainer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle, which includes a plurality of wheels, relative to an axle of each of the plurality of wheels of the vehicle. The vehicle speed obtainer is configured to obtain a vehicle speed, which is a traveling speed of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body, based on the vehicle speed obtained by the vehicle speed obtainer. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a failure of the vehicle speed obtainer to obtain an accurate value of the vehicle speed.

A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is drivable when supplied with a current and configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to perform such control that a target current set based on the relative position is supplied to the changer so as to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body of the vehicle. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a failure to make the target current flow to the changer.

A four-wheeled vehicle includes: a frame; two front suspension assemblies and two rear suspension assemblies connected to the frame; two front wheels operatively connected to corresponding ones of the two front suspension assemblies; two rear wheels operatively connected to corresponding ones of the two rear suspension assemblies; a motor connected to the frame; a front differential and a rear differential operatively connecting the motor to the two front wheels and the two rear wheels respectively; and a steering system. The steering system includes a front steering assembly for steering the front wheels and a rear steering assembly for steering the rear wheels. The front steering assembly includes a user-operated steering input device. The rear steering assembly includes an actuator operatively connected to the rear wheels and operable to modify a steering angle thereof. The actuator is mounted to the frame and is disposed completely rearward of the rear differential.

A method of producing an anti-roll moment distribution module for a vehicle comprises determining understeer characteristics of the vehicle, determining a maximum lateral acceleration of the vehicle, adjusting understeer characteristics of the vehicle based on the maximum lateral acceleration, determining reference understeer characteristics, determining a plurality of reference yaw rates based on (i) the maximum lateral acceleration and (ii) the reference understeer characteristics using a non-linear quasi static vehicle model, storing the plurality of reference yaw rates in a first look up table in the anti-roll moment distribution module, determining a plurality of feedforward contributions using the non-linear quasi static model of the vehicle. Each feedforward contribution of the plurality of feedforward contributions can be used to determine a front to total anti-roll moment distribution for the vehicle. The plurality of feedforward contributions are stored in a second look up table in the anti-roll moment distribution module.

A central joint device for chassis components (2), particularly three-point link, is suggested. The central joint device comprises at least one housing unit (3), at least one joint pin unit (4) which is movably supported at least partially inside of the housing unit (3), and at least one sensor unit (5), particularly a magnetic sensor unit, which is provided for contactless detection of roll motions and pitch motions of the housing unit (3) and of the joint pin unit (4) relative to one another. The sensor unit (5) comprises at least one encoder element (6) and at least one sensor element (7). The encoder element (6) and the sensor element (7) are arranged to be spaced apart from one another and movable relative to one another.

The present invention relates to a method for determining a desired speed of a vehicle (1), preferably an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle comprises a shock absorber arrangement (2), preferably an hydraulic shock absorber arrangement, having an elastic hysteresis. The method comprises—obtaining (501) a reference value indicative of the energy dissipated by the shock absorber arrangement (2) in a reference driving condition of a vehicle and—determining (502) a speed of the vehicle for which the value indicative of the energy dissipated by the shock absorber arrangement (2) in a similar driving condition is expected to fall within a predetermined energy dissipation range, using said reference value.