Vehicle height adjustment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9266403-B2
Application number	US-201414548762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 29, 2013
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjusting a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid; a supply source of the working fluid; opening and closing valves interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; and a control unit adjusting a vehicle height for each of the vehicle height adjustment units to at least one of a first vehicle height suitable for at least one of boarding and deboarding, and a second vehicle height suitable for travelling, wherein when the control unit acquires preparation information indicative of the transition of a preparation state to at least one of boarding and deboarding preparation states, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the second vehicle height to the first vehicle height.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle height adjustment apparatus comprising:
a plurality of vehicle height adjustment units that are respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjust a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid;
a supply source of the working fluid;
a plurality of opening and closing valves that are interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; and
a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height for each of the vehicle height adjustment units to at least one of a first vehicle height suitable for at least one of boarding and deboarding, and a second vehicle height suitable for travelling,
wherein when the control unit acquires preparation information indicative of the transition of a preparation state to at least one of a boarding preparation state and a deboarding preparation state, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the second vehicle height to the first vehicle height,
wherein the supply source includes a pressure tank that stores the working fluid, and a compressor that pressure-feeds the working fluid,
the plurality of opening and closing valves includes first and second opening and closing valves, a first end of each of which is connected to the pressure tank; a third opening and closing valve, a first end of which is connected to an outlet of the compressor and a second end of the second opening and closing valve, and a second end of which is connected to the vehicle height adjustment unit; and a fourth opening and closing valve, a first end of which is connected to an inlet of the compressor and a second end of the first opening and closing valve, and a second end of which is connected to the vehicle height adjustment unit, and
when the working fluid flows from the pressure tank to the vehicle height adjustment unit due to a pressure difference therebetween, the control unit selects at least one of a first flow passage system that is formed when the first and fourth opening and closing valves are opened, and a second flow passage system that is formed when the second and third opening and closing valves are opened.

2. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit acquires at least one of door open information and door unlocking information as the preparation information indicative of the boarding preparation state.

3. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit acquires at least one of door open information, door unlocking information, seat belt release information, shift information, parking brake information, and vehicle power source OFF information as the preparation information indicative of the deboarding preparation state.

4. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the control unit acquires the preparation information, the control unit adjusts a vehicle height for the vehicle height adjustment unit that corresponds to a door associated with the preparation information.

5. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units to the first vehicle height, the vehicle body is inclined in a lateral direction of a vehicle.

6. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the control unit acquires completion information indicative of the completion of boarding or the completion of deboarding, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the first vehicle height to the second vehicle height.

7. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a fluid regeneration apparatus and a throttle mechanism are disposed at the outlet of the compressor, and the second end of the second opening and closing valve and the first end of the third opening and closing valve are connected to each other and the throttle mechanism.

8. A vehicle height adjustment apparatus comprising:
a plurality of vehicle height adjustment units that are respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjust a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid;
a supply source of the working fluid;
a plurality of opening and closing valves that are interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the supply source; and
a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height for each of the vehicle height adjustment units to at least one of a first vehicle height suitable for at least one of boarding and deboarding, and a second vehicle height suitable for travelling,
wherein when the control unit acquires preparation information indicative of the transition of a preparation state to at least one of a boarding preparation state and a deboarding preparation state, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the second vehicle height to the first vehicle height,
wherein the supply source includes a pressure tank that stores the working fluid, and a compressor that pressure-feeds the working fluid,
the plurality of opening and closing valves includes first and second opening and closing valves, a first end of each of which is connected to the pressure tank; a third opening and closing valve, a first end of which is connected to an outlet of the compressor and a second end of the second opening and closing valve, and a second end of which is connected to the vehicle height adjustment unit; and a fourth opening and closing valve, a first end of which is connected to an inlet of the compressor and a second end of the first opening and closing valve, and a second end of which is connected to the vehicle height adjustment unit, and
when the working fluid flows from the pressure tank toward the vehicle height adjustment unit due to a pressure difference therebetween, the control unit uses a first flow passage system that is formed when the first and fourth opening and closing valves are opened, and a second flow passage system that is formed when the second and third opening and closing valves are opened.

9. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the control unit acquires at least one of door open information and door unlocking information as the preparation information indicative of the boarding preparation state.

10. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the control unit acquires at least one of door open information, door unlocking information, seat belt release information, shift information, parking brake information, and vehicle power source OFF information as the preparation information indicative of the deboarding preparation state.

11. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein when the control unit acquires the preparation information, the control unit adjusts a vehicle height for the vehicle height adjustment unit that corresponds to a door associated with the preparation information.

12. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein when the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units to the first vehicle height, the vehicle body is inclined in a lateral direction of a vehicle.

13. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein when the control unit acquires completion information indicative of the completion of boarding or the completion of deboarding, the control unit adjusts the vehicle height adjustment units from the first vehicle height to the second vehicle height.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Suzuki Takanori
• Ogino Atsuto

Classifications

• B60G2500/2021

  Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• B60G2400/952

  of door or bonnet · CPC title

• B60G17/0565

  Height adjusting valves · CPC title

• B60G2400/252

  vertical · CPC title

• B60G17/0525

  Height adjusting or levelling valves · CPC title