Vehicle height adjustment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9758007-B2
Application number	US-201414548686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 29, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

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 pressure tank storing the working fluid; a compressor pressure-feeding the working fluid; a valve body block formed by opening and closing valves, and interposed between the pressure tank and the compressor, and the vehicle height adjustment units; and a control unit adjusting a vehicle height by controlling the valve body block, wherein the valve body block is connected to the pressure tank, and working fluid outlet and inlet of the compressor, and upon the completion of the pressure feed of the working fluid, the control unit controls such that the working fluid outlet and inlet are communicated with each other.

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 supply and discharge of a working fluid;
a pressure tank that stores the working fluid;
a compressor that pressure-feeds the working fluid;
a valve body block that is formed by a plurality of opening and closing valves, and is interposed between the pressure tank and the compressor, and the vehicle height adjustment units; and
a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height for each of the vehicle height adjustment units by controlling the valve body block, wherein
the valve body block is connected to the pressure tank, and is connected to a working fluid outlet and a working fluid inlet of the compressor, and
upon the completion of pressure feed of the working fluid by the compressor, the control unit controls the opening and closing valves in such a manner that the working fluid outlet and the working fluid inlet of the compressor are communicated with each other.

2. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when a predetermined period elapses after the completion of the pressure feed of the working fluid by the compressor, the control unit communicates the working fluid outlet with the working fluid inlet of the compressor.

3. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of opening and closing valves include 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
upon the completion of the pressure feed of the working fluid by the compressor, the control unit opens the third and fourth opening and closing valves.

4. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein 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.

5. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein 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.

6. The vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to claim 4 ,
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.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Kondo Yusuke
• Suzuki Takanori
• Ogino Atsuto

Classifications

• B60G17/0565 Primary

  Height adjusting valves · CPC title

• B60G17/0525

  Height adjusting or levelling valves · CPC title

• B60G2500/2021

  Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• B60G2800/202

  kneeling, e.g. for letting passengers on/off · CPC title

• B60G17/017

  characterised by their use when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. during loading, engine start-up or switch-off · CPC title