Vehicle suspension control system and method for eliminating manifold exhaust noise on compressor start

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10442267-B2
Application number	US-201715713533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

An air management system and method are provided. The system includes a compressor and a reservoir tank coupled to the compressor. A manifold block has a plurality of valves and is coupled to the reservoir tank and the compressor for controlling air flow. At least one pressure sensor is coupled to the manifold block. The compressor includes a boost valve for selectively directly connecting the reservoir tank and an air inlet of the compressor. An electronic control unit is coupled to the valves, compressor, and the at least one pressure sensor and is configured to provide pressurized air from the reservoir tank to the air inlet, determine a pressure difference between the manifold block and the boost valve, and retain pressure in the manifold block in response to the pressure difference being less than a predetermined amount to reduce startup torque of the compressor without exhausting the manifold block.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air management system for controlling an air suspension assembly of an automotive vehicle comprising:
a compressor for providing pressurized air;
a reservoir tank coupled to said compressor for containing a volume of the pressurized air;
a manifold block having a plurality of valves coupled with the air suspension assembly and coupled to said reservoir tank and said compressor for controlling air flow to the air suspension assembly;
at least one pressure sensor coupled to said manifold block for determining a pressure in said air management system;
a boost valve coupled to said reservoir tank for selectively directly connecting said reservoir tank and an inlet of said compressor;
an electronic control unit coupled to said plurality of valves and said compressor and said at least one pressure sensor and said boost valve and configured to:
provide the pressurized air from said reservoir tank to said inlet of said compressor using said boost valve,
determine a pressure difference between said manifold block and said boost valve, and
retain pressure in said manifold block in response to the pressure difference being less than a predetermined amount to provide for a reduction in startup torque of said compressor without exhausting said manifold block,
wherein said at least one pressure sensor includes a boost valve pressure sensor disposed at said boost valve and said electronic control unit is further configured to determine a pressure at said boost valve using said boost valve pressure sensor.

2. The air management system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to exhaust said manifold block in response to the pressure difference being greater than the predetermined amount.

3. The air management system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to start a motor of said compressor.

4. The air management system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to verify that said motor of said compressor has started.

5. The air management system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said electronic control unit is further configured to monitor a current supplied to said motor of said compressor.

6. The air management system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said at least one pressure sensor includes a reservoir pressure sensor disposed in said reservoir tank and said electronic control unit is further configured to determine a pressure in said reservoir tank using said reservoir pressure sensor.

7. The air management system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said manifold block includes plurality of suspension ports fluidly connected to said compressor and to a plurality of air springs of the air suspension assembly and said manifold block includes a reservoir port fluidly connected to said plurality of suspension ports and a first reservoir valve and a second reservoir valve each disposed in line with said reservoir port for selectively inhibiting and allowing air to be conveyed between said manifold block and said reservoir tank.

8. The air management system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said boost valve is disposed in said compressor.

9. A method of operating an air management system including a compressor and a manifold block coupled to an air suspension assembly and the compressor for reducing a startup torque of the compressor, comprising the steps of:
pressurizing air in a reservoir tank;
providing the pressurized air from the reservoir tank to an air inlet of the compressor;
determining a pressure difference between the manifold block and the air inlet of the compressor using at least one pressure sensor;
retaining pressure in the manifold block in response to the pressure difference being less than a predetermined amount; and
starting a motor of the compressor,
wherein the step of determining the pressure difference between the manifold block and the air inlet of the compressor includes determining a pressure difference between a manifold pressure in the manifold block and a boost pressure in a boost valve,
wherein the step of determining a pressure difference between a manifold pressure in the manifold block and a boost pressure in a boost valve includes determining the pressure at the boost valve using a boost valve pressure sensor disposed at the boost valve.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including the step of exhausting the manifold block in response to the pressure difference being greater than the predetermined amount.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the pressurized air from the reservoir tank to the air inlet of the compressor includes operating a boost valve of the compressor to provide the pressurized air from the reservoir tank to the air inlet of the compressor.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the step of determining a pressure difference between a manifold pressure in the manifold block and a boost pressure in a boost valve includes determining the pressure in the manifold block using the at least one pressure sensor disposed in the manifold block.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including the step of reducing startup torque of a motor of the compressor in response to the retaining of pressure in the manifold block.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 , further including the step of eliminating noise associated with air being exhausted from the manifold block in response to the retaining of pressure in the manifold block.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 , further including the step of conserving air in the manifold block in response to the retaining of pressure in the manifold block.

16. The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including the step of verifying that the motor of the compressor has started.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the step of verifying that the motor of the compressor has started includes monitoring a current supplied to the motor of the compressor.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the step of verifying that the motor of the compressor has started includes monitoring a pressure at a primary outlet of the compressor using the at least one pressure sensor.

19. A method of operating an air management system including a compressor and a manifold block coupled to an air suspension assembly and the compressor for reducing a startup torque of the compressor, comprising the steps of:
pressurizing air in a reservoir tank;
providing the pressurized air from the reservoir tank to an air inlet of the compressor;
determining a pressure difference between the manifold block and the air inlet of the compressor using at least one pressure sensor;
retaining pressure in the manifold block in response to the pressure difference being less than a predetermined amount; and
starting a motor of the compressor,
wherein the method further includes the step of verifying that the motor of the compressor has started, and
wherein the step of verifying that the motor of the compressor has started includes monitoring a pressure at a primary outlet of the compressor using the at least one pressure sensor.

Assignees

• Beijingwest Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Riddiford Bryan Peter

Classifications

• B60G11/27

  wherein the fluid is a gas · CPC title

• B60G17/015 Primary

  the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements ({B60G17/002}, B60G17/005 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2202/413

  Hydraulic actuator · CPC title

• B60G17/0155 Primary

  pneumatic unit · CPC title

• B60G17/0523 Primary

  Regulating distributors or valves for pneumatic springs · CPC title