Automotive suspension system with vehicle height control

Patent · Mon Mar 02 23:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6739237

Iijima, Y

This patent describes an automotive suspension system including a vehicle height control system comprising: a suspension strut suspending a suspension member from a vehicle body and including a shock absorber which produces a damping force in response to vertical motion of a vehicle body with respect to the suspension member; a vehicle height sensor for detecting the vertical position of the vehicle body with respect to the suspension member and producing a height-indicative signal having a value directly representative thereof; a damping force adjusting mechanism associated with the shock absorber for adjusting the magnitude of damping force by adjusting the cross-sectional area of a flow-restriction orifice in the shock absorber, the damping force adjusting mechanism including an electrical actuator for adjusting the cross-sectional area; and a vehicle height-adjusting mechanism associated with the shock absorber for controlling a height-adjusting force applied to the shock absorber, which force is effective to separate the vehicle body from the suspension member.

• Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Patent Number(s): US 4647069
• OSTI ID: 6739237
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330601* -- Vehicle Design Factors-- Body & Chassis
ACTUATORS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DAMPING
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
HEIGHT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
SHOCK ABSORBERS
SIGNALS
SUPPORTS
VEHICLES