IP Library Granted Patent US 11,938,772
Granted Patent B2
US 11,938,772 · App. 17/499,556 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

System for grading filling of a hydraulic suspension system

Inventors: Bert Vandersmissen (Lovenjoel, BE); Nandish Calchand (Leuven, BE); Kylian Praet (Antwerp, BE); Stein Slootmaekers (Wellen, BE); Peter Boon (Merchtem, BE)
Assignee: DRiV Automotive Inc.
B60G17/0152B60G17/019B60G2202/416B60G2400/5182B60G2500/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,938,772
App. No.
17/499,556
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for grading filling of a suspension system includes: a pump control module configured to, during first and second periods, operate an electric pump of the suspension system in first and second directions and decreasing and increasing hydraulic fluid pressure within the suspension system, respectively; a monitoring module configured to: store a first pressure of hydraulic fluid within the suspension system measured using a pressure sensor when the first pressure is less than or equal a first predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the first direction; and store a second pressure measured using the pressure sensor when the second pressure is greater than or equal a second predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the second direction; and a grade module configured to determine a grade value for the filling of the suspension system based on the first and second pressures.

Claims (70)

1. A system for grading filling of a suspension system with hydraulic fluid, the system comprising:

a pump control module configured to:

during a first period, operate an electric pump of the suspension system in a first direction and decrease hydraulic fluid pressure within the suspension system; and

during a second period, operate the electric pump of the suspension system in a second direction and increase hydraulic fluid pressure within the suspension system;

a monitoring module configured to:

store a first pressure of hydraulic fluid within the suspension system measured using a pressure sensor when the first pressure is less than or equal a first predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the first direction; and

store a second pressure of hydraulic fluid within the suspension system measured using the pressure sensor when the second pressure is greater than or equal a second predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the second direction; and

a grade module configured to determine a grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the first pressure and the second pressure.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second predetermined pressure is greater than the first predetermined pressure.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first period is before the second period.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an indicator module configured to:

set an indicator to a first state when the grade value is greater than a predetermined value; and

set the indicator to a second state when the grade value is less than the predetermined value.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising an air module configured to determine a volume of air in the suspension system based on the first pressure and the second pressure,

wherein the grade module is configured to determine the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of air in the suspension system.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the grade module is configured to:

decrease the grade value as the volume of air increases; and

increase the grade value as the volume of air decreases.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the grade module is configured to determine the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of air in the suspension system and a predetermined total volume of the suspension system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the grade module is configured to set the grade value based on the equation:

Vt

-

Va

V

t

,

where Vt is the predetermined total volume of the suspension system and Va is the volume of air in the suspension system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the grade module is configured to:

determine a volume of hydraulic fluid in the suspension system based on the first pressure and the second pressure; and

determine the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of hydraulic fluid in the suspension system.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the grade module is configured to:

decrease the grade value as the volume of air increases; and

increase the grade value as the volume of air decreases.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the grade module is configured to determine the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of oil in the suspension system and a predetermined total volume of the suspension system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the grade module is configured to set the grade value based on the equation:

V

h

V

t

,

where Vt is the predetermined total volume of the suspension system and Vh is the volume of hydraulic fluid in the suspension system.

13. A method of grading filling of a suspension system with hydraulic fluid, the method comprising:

during a first period, operating an electric pump of the suspension system in a first direction and decrease hydraulic fluid pressure within the suspension system;

during a second period, operating the electric pump of the suspension system in a second direction and increase hydraulic fluid pressure within the suspension system;

storing a first pressure of hydraulic fluid within the suspension system measured using a pressure sensor when the first pressure is less than or equal a first predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the first direction;

storing a second pressure of hydraulic fluid within the suspension system measured using the pressure sensor when the second pressure is greater than or equal a second predetermined pressure while the pump is operated in the second direction; and

determining a grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the first pressure and the second pressure.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second predetermined pressure is greater than the first predetermined pressure.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first period is before the second period.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

setting an indicator to a first state when the grade value is greater than a predetermined value; and

setting the indicator to a second state when the grade value is less than the predetermined value.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a volume of air in the suspension system based on the first pressure and the second pressure,

wherein determining the grade value includes determining the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of air in the suspension system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein determining the grave value includes:

decreasing the grade value as the volume of air increases; and

increasing the grade value as the volume of air decreases.

19. The method of claim 5 wherein determining the grade value includes determining the grade value for filling of the suspension system with hydraulic fluid based on the volume of air in the suspension system and a predetermined total volume of the suspension system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein determining the grade value includes setting the grade value based on the equation:

Vt

-

Va

V

t

,

where Vt is the predetermined total volume of the suspension system and Va is the volume of air in the suspension system.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 20, 2025
From: DRIV AUTOMOTIVE INC.
To: ADVANCED SUSPENSION TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 072553/0175 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Apr 7, 2023
From: TENNECO INC.; DRIV AUTOMOTIVE INC.; FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL MOTORPARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL WORLD WIDE LLC; TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.; THE PULLMAN COMPANY
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063268/0506 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Nov 22, 2022
From: DRIV AUTOMOTIVE INC.; FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL MOTORPARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL WORLD WIDE LLC; TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.; TENNECO INC.; THE PULLMAN COMPANY
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061989/0689 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: VANDERSMISSEN, BERT; CALCHAND, NANDISH; PRAET, KYLIAN; SLOOTMAEKERS, STEIN; BOON, PETER
To: DRIV AUTOMOTIVE INC.
Reel/Frame 058403/0801 →