Active vehicle suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12479256-B2
Application number	US-202318342854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system includes an actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller. The method includes disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, detecting a wheel event requiring control of the active suspension; and sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor in response to the wheel event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method of on-demand energy delivery to an active suspension system, comprising:
disposing an active suspension system in a vehicle between a wheel mount and a vehicle body, the active suspension system comprising an actuator body, a piston disposed in the actuator body, a hydraulic pump, an electric motor, a plurality of sensors, an energy storage facility, and a controller; detecting a wheel event; and based on the detected wheel event, sourcing energy from the energy storage facility and delivering it to the electric motor to provide an active force, using the hydraulic pump, to the piston in response to the wheel event, wherein the active force moves the piston in a compression direction in at least one operating mode.

2 . A method of operating a vehicle that includes an active suspension system:
detecting a situation during operation of the vehicle using at least one sensor on the vehicle; based on information from the at least one sensor, estimating an active force needed to respond to the situation; and with a controller, commanding a hydraulic pump of an active suspension actuator to apply the active force on the vehicle, wherein the active force is configured to actively move a piston disposed in an actuator body of the active suspension actuator in a compression direction in at least one operating mode.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising assigning a confidence factor to the active force needed to respond to the situation.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising commanding the hydraulic pump of the active suspension actuator of the active suspension system to output the active force, when the confidence factor is above a threshold value.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein commanding the hydraulic pump of the active suspension actuator to output the active force additionally depends on input from a driver of the vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor on the vehicle includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, a position or velocity sensor of the active suspension system, a position or velocity sensor of the vehicle, a position sensor of a steering wheel, or a look-ahead camera.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the active force, an output from the at least one sensor on the vehicle, and the input from the driver of the vehicle are input into an actuator control logic which determines a required output command to the hydraulic pump of the active suspension actuator.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the active force is determined from the group consisting of a status of the vehicle, a road condition, and a measured alertness of a driver of the vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein a measured input, from the driver of the vehicle, includes one of the group consisting of selecting a mode of driving, engaging in an emergency maneuver, or a steering wheel angle.

Assignees

• Clearmotion Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Zackary Martin
• Giovanardi Marco
• Tucker Clive
• Leehey Jonathan R
• O'Shea Colin Patrick
• Schneider Johannes
• Gorelik Vladimir
• Zuckerman Richard Anthony
• Neil Patrick W
• Sawyer Tyson David
• Wendell Ross J

Classifications

• B60G2600/182

  Active control means · CPC title

• B60G2600/73

  Electrical control · CPC title

• B60G2600/21

  Self-controlled or adjusted · CPC title

• B60G2204/40

  Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions · CPC title

• B60G2202/42

  Electric actuator · CPC title