Electronically controlled sway bar damping link
Disclosed herein is a sway bar system comprising a damping link that couples a first end of a sway bar to a first location on a vehicle. The damping link is comprised of a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir. There is also a through shaft coupled to a piston, where the piston divides the chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. A high-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the first chamber and the second chamber to the reservoir. A low-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the reservoir to the first chamber and the second chamber. The high-pressure line and the low-pressure line assist in self-centering the sway bar.
1. A sway bar system comprising:
a damping link that couples a first end of a sway bar to a first location on a vehicle, wherein said damping link comprises:
a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir;
a through shaft coupled to a piston, wherein said piston divides said chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber;
a high-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said first chamber and said second chamber to said reservoir; and
a low-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said reservoir to said first chamber and said second chamber, wherein said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line assist in self-centering said sway bar.
2. The sway bar system of claim 1 wherein, a first end of said sway bar is coupled to a portion of said body such that said sway bar is offset from said body.
3. The sway bar system of claim 1 wherein, a second end of said sway bar is coupled to a second location on said vehicle.
4. The sway bar system of claim 1 further comprising:
a base valve to control the flow between said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line, wherein said base valve controls the flow between said damping chamber and said reservoir and as such provides the ability to provide a rigid sway bar connection or a loose sway bar connection.
5. The sway bar system of claim 4 wherein, said base valve is selected from a group consisting of a modal valve, a semi active valve, an active valve, a passive valve, an IQS valve, and a two-stage valve.
6. The sway bar system of claim 4 wherein, said base valve is a remotely controlled valve.
7. The sway bar system of claim 4 wherein, said base valve is a manually controlled valve.
8. The sway bar system of claim 1 wherein, the inlets to said high-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber, and the outlets to said low-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber.
9. The sway bar system of claim 8 wherein, said low-pressure line allows fluid to enter said damping chamber from a center port.
10. The sway bar system of claim 1 wherein, said damping link is capable of self-centering said sway bar.
11. A sway bar system comprising:
a first damping link that couples a first end of a sway bar to a first location on a vehicle, wherein said first damping link is capable of self-centering said sway bar;
a second damping link that couples a second end of a sway bar to a second location on a vehicle, wherein said second damping link is capable of self-centering said sway bar, wherein said first damping link and said second damping link comprises:
a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir;
a through shaft coupled to a piston, wherein said piston divides said chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber;
a high-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said first chamber and said second chamber to said reservoir;
a low-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said reservoir to said first chamber and said second chamber, wherein said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line assist in self-centering said sway bar; and
a base valve to control the flow between said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line, wherein said base valve controls the flow between said damping chamber and said reservoir and as such provides the ability to provide a rigid sway bar connection or a loose sway bar connection.
12. The sway bar system of claim 11 wherein, said sway bar is coupled to a portion of said body such that said sway bar is offset from said body.
13. The sway bar system of claim 11 wherein, said base valve is selected from a group consisting of a modal valve, a semi active valve, an active valve, a passive valve, an IQS valve, and a two-stage valve.
14. The sway bar system of claim 11 wherein, said base valve is a remotely controlled valve.
15. The sway bar system of claim 11 wherein, said base valve is a manually controlled valve.
16. The sway bar system of claim 11 wherein, the inlets to said high-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber, and the outlets to said low-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber.
17. The sway bar system of claim 16 wherein, said low-pressure line allows fluid to enter said damping chamber from a center port.
18. A vehicle sway bar system comprising:
at least one damping link that couples a sway bar to a location on a vehicle, wherein said at least one damping link is capable of self-centering said sway bar, wherein said at least one damping link comprises:
a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir;
a through shaft coupled to a piston, wherein said piston divides said chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber;
a high-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said first chamber and said second chamber to said reservoir;
a low-pressure line fluidly coupled with said chamber and said reservoir, to allow fluid to flow from said reservoir to said first chamber and said second chamber, wherein said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line assist in self-centering said sway bar; and
a base valve to control the flow between said high-pressure line and said low-pressure line, wherein said base valve controls the flow between said damping chamber and said reservoir and as such provides the ability to provide a rigid sway bar connection or a loose sway bar connection.
19. The sway bar system of claim 18 wherein, said sway bar is coupled to a portion of said body such that said sway bar is offset from said body.
20. The sway bar system of claim 18 wherein, said base valve is selected from a group consisting of a modal valve, a semi active valve, an active valve, a passive valve, an IQS valve, and a two-stage valve.
21. The sway bar system of claim 18 wherein, said base valve is a remotely controlled valve.
22. The sway bar system of claim 18 wherein, said base valve is a manually controlled valve.
23. The sway bar system of claim 18 wherein, the inlets to said high-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber, and the outlets to said low-pressure line are located at a top end and a bottom end of said damping chamber.
24. The sway bar system of claim 23 wherein, said low-pressure line allows fluid to enter said damping chamber from a center port.