IP Library Granted Patent US 11,685,218
Granted Patent B2
US 11,685,218 · App. 16/943,404 · Granted Jun 27, 2023

Hydraulic suspension system and method for operation of said system

Inventors: Alessandro Benevelli (Reggio Emilia, IT); Stefano Fasano (Reggio Emilia, IT); Daniele Dodi (Sant'Ilario d'Enza, IT)
Assignee: Dana Motion Systems Italia S.R.L.
B60G17/08B60G13/08B60G17/005B60G2202/24B60G2204/4605B60G2204/62B60G2206/41B60G2400/252B60G2400/60B60G2500/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,685,218
App. No.
16/943,404
Granted
Jun 27, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for hydraulic vehicle suspension are provided. A hydraulic suspension system, in one example, includes a first manifold including a piston-side interface and a rod-side interface fluidically coupled to a piston chamber and a rod chamber, respectively, for each of a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder. In the system, the first manifold includes a first electrically activated valve fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces, a first damping device, and a second damping device, the first electrically activated valve is configured to lock and unlock vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders and, while vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders is locked, the first electrically activated valve permits fluidic communication between the first and second hydraulic cylinders to permit free roll motion in the hydraulic suspension system.

Claims (16)

1. A hydraulic suspension system, comprising:

a first manifold including a piston-side interface and a rod-side interface fluidically coupled to a piston chamber and a rod chamber, respectively, for each of a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder;

wherein the first manifold includes:

a first electrically activated valve fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces, a first damping device, and a second damping device;

wherein the first electrically activated valve is configured to lock and unlock vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders; and

wherein while vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders is locked, the first electrically activated valve permits fluidic communication between the first and second hydraulic cylinders to permit free roll movement in the hydraulic suspension system independent of a plurality of check valves in the first manifold.

2. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 1 , wherein energizing the first electrically activated valve closes the first electrically activated valve to lock the vertical motion and de-energizing the first electrically activated valve opens the first electrically activated valve to unlock the vertical motion.

3. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 2 , wherein closing the first electrically activated valve activates a bridge connection and wherein the bridge connection fluidically couples the piston chambers of the first and second hydraulic cylinders and restricts fluid flow to the first and second damping devices from the piston chambers.

4. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 3 , wherein the bridge connection is configured to:

allow the free roll movement in the suspension system independent of the plurality of check valves in the first manifold; and

stabilize pressure in the piston chambers of the first and second hydraulic cylinders after transients between the piston chambers of the first and second hydraulic cylinders and a plurality of accumulators fluidically coupled to the first and second damping devices.

5. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 1 , wherein while the vertical motion in the first and second hydraulic cylinders is unlocked by the first electrically activated valve, the first damping device is in fluidic communication with the first hydraulic cylinder and the second damping device is in fluidic communication with the second hydraulic cylinder.

6. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of piloted check valves fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces and the rod-side interfaces of the first manifold.

7. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of piloted check valves are fluidically coupled to a load sensing (LS) component via a second electrically activated valve.

8. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 6 , further comprising a leveling manifold fluidically coupled to the first manifold, wherein when leveling operation in the leveling manifold is active, the plurality of piloted check valves unlock suspension roll motion to balance cylinder leveling independently of a status of at least one electrically activated piloting control valve in the first manifold.

9. The hydraulic suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hydraulic cylinders are fluidically coupled to an independent front suspension assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2020
From: BENEVELLI, ALESSANDRO; FASANO, STEFANO; DODI, DANIELE
To: DANA MOTION SYSTEMS ITALIA S.R.L.
Reel/Frame 053356/0617 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220032719A1 · Feb 3, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,643,366