Control device of a vehicle suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065473-B2
Application number	US-201615239387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A control device of a vehicle suspension has a suspension device mounted between a supporting vehicle structure and a vehicle part that is movably mounted. The control device includes a blocking device for blocking a compression or rebound motion occurring at the suspension device in correspondence with a blocking command transmitted to a control unit. The control unit determines a characteristic weight value for a current loading of the suspension device when the blocking command is set and stores it as a pertinent value in a memory unit. The control unit determines a value for the weight when the blocking command is reset in order to cancel a blocking of the suspension device according to the result of a comparison with the value stored in the memory unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device of a vehicle suspension, comprising:
a suspension device which is mounted between a supporting vehicle structure and a vehicle part
a blocking device to block a compression or rebound motion occurring on the suspension device in accordance with a blocking command transmitted to a control unit;
wherein, when the control unit sets the blocking command, the control unit determines a characteristic weight value for a current loading of the suspension device and stores it as a pertinent value in a memory unit;
wherein, when the control unit resets the blocking command, the control unit determines a new value for the weight in order to cancel a blocking of the suspension device according to a result of a comparison with the values stored in the memory unit;
wherein the control unit cancels the blocking command gradually while it maintains a preset unblocking sequence within a time span that is dependent on the comparison result.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit induces an output of driver information indicating the cancellation of the blocking.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the suspension device comprises a hydraulic suspension strut of a wheel of an agricultural utility vehicle.

4. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the blocking device comprises a 3/2-way valve or proportional valve disposed between a working chamber of the hydraulic suspension strut and a diaphragm accumulator.

5. The control device of claim 4 , wherein the 3/2-way valve or the proportional valve comprises a leak-tight blocking position.

6. The control device of claim 3 , wherein the value determined for the weight comprises a difference between the working pressures of opposing working chambers of the hydraulic suspension strut.

7. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the setting or resetting of the blocking command takes place on the basis of a manual operator input or automatically upon detection of an operating state indicating a changing load of the suspension device.

8. The control device of claim 1 , wherein during the blocking of the suspension device, the control unit outputs a status signal for limiting vehicle speed.

9. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit executes the blocking or the cancellation of the blocking only in the presence of a status signal indicating a vehicle stop.

10. An agricultural utility vehicle, comprising:
a frame;
a vehicle suspension with a suspended front axle; and
a control device including a suspension device mounted between a supporting vehicle structure and a vehicle part, a blocking device to block a compression or rebound motion occurring on the suspension device in accordance with a blocking command transmitted to a control unit;
wherein, when the control unit sets the blocking command, the control unit determines a characteristic weight value for a current loading of the suspension device and stores it as a pertinent value in a memory unit;
wherein, when the control unit resets the blocking command, the control unit determines a new value for the weight in order to cancel a blocking of the suspension device according to a result of a comparison with the values stored in the memory unit;
wherein the control unit cancels the blocking command gradually while it maintains a preset unblocking sequence within a time span that is dependent on the comparison result.

11. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the control unit induces an output of driver information indicating the cancellation of the blocking.

12. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the suspension device comprises a hydraulic suspension strut of a wheel or of an agricultural utility vehicle.

13. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the blocking device comprises a 3/2-way valve or proportional valve disposed between a working chamber of the hydraulic suspension strut and a diaphragm accumulator.

14. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the 3/2-way valve or the proportional valve comprises a leak-tight blocking position.

15. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the value determined for the weight comprises a difference between the working pressures of opposing working chambers of the hydraulic suspension strut.

16. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the setting or resetting of the blocking command takes place on the basis of a manual operator input or automatically upon detection of an operating state indicating a changing load of the suspension device.

17. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein during the blocking of the suspension device, the control unit outputs a status signal for limiting vehicle speed.

18. The agricultural utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the control unit executes the blocking or the cancellation of the blocking only in the presence of a status signal indicating a vehicle stop.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Von Holst Christian
• Hegler Tobias
• Klittich Mathias
• Kremb Michael
• Rössel Norman
• Wehle Andreas
• Wolf Günther

Classifications

• B62D33/0608

  pneumatic or hydraulic suspension · CPC title

• B60G17/005 Primary

  Suspension locking arrangements {(for retractable wheels B62D61/12)} · CPC title

• B60G17/018

  characterised by the use of a specific signal treatment or control method · CPC title

• B60G11/265

  hydraulic springs · CPC title

• B60G2202/154

  with an accumulator · CPC title