Continental Aktiengesellschaft

Continental Teves, Ag and Company Ohg

Zf Sachs Ag

Continental Aktiengessellschaft

Alexander Stiller

Ralph Gronau

Uwe Folchert

Thomas Kutsche

Marc Nettelmann

Hermann Hoinkhaus

Harald Schaumburg

Jörg Grotendorst

Jörg Kock

Stefan Sommer

Stefan Zoufal

Christian Maurischat

Andreas Rieckmann

Eberhard Hees

Wolfgang Schumacher

Christian Treder

Ralf Johannknecht

Wolfgang Schmitt

In a self-contained ride level control system for a motor vehicle, the accumulator pressure is controlled as follows: determination of the current pressure Psof the compressed air accumulator (); definition of at least one level whereto the vehicle can be lifted or lowered; determination os the air volume required for lifting or lowering the motor vehicle from the current level and bringing it to a given level; determination of the subsequent accumulator pressure Psfor reducing the current accumulator pressure Psif the motor vehicle is lifted from its current level up to the given level or determination of the subsequent accumulator pressure Psfor increasing the current accumulator pressure Psif the motor vehicle has been lowered from the current level to the given level; filling the compressed air accumulator () with compressed air if the subsequent pressure Psis below a lower threshold value Ps (U) and emptying the compressed air accumulator if the subsequent pressure Psis higher than an upper threshold value (0).

Self-contained ride level control system for a motor vehicle

Disclosed is a pneumatic level control system equalizer of a motor vehicle equipped with a battery and a generator supplying the battery, as well as a compressor driven by an electric motor and associated with the level control system equalizer, the electric motor of the compressor being only supplied with electric current by the vehicle battery and/or generator in certain conditions. The power requirements of the level control system equalizer can be pre-evaluated for a change of level and/or a filling of the pressure tank to be performed.

Motor vehicle equipped with a pneumatic level control system

The damper force in vehicles having a ride level control system is controlled by, when the leveling system is activated, a signal that is generated and transmitted to a damper force control device (). When the level control system is activated, the damper force is adapted, and especially reduced for a rapid control.

Method for controlling the damper force in vehicles having a ride level control system

A method controls the level of a pneumatic level-control system of a motor vehicle including at least two axles, at least one pneumatic spring () per axle, optionally one or more pressure accumulators (), at least one pressure sensor (), elements () for determining the distance between at least one wheel and/or an axle and the vehicle body, a control unit () and a compressor (). The axle levels are controlled in sequence and adjusted from a starting level to a target level. During a positive adjustment operation the compressor () is at least operated temporarily and/or a connection of at least one pneumatic spring () to the pressure accumulator () is established. The positive adjustment operation for the pneumatic spring or springs () on an axle from a starting level to a higher target level is interrupted by the control unit (), if at least one shut-off condition of the compressor () has been fulfilled and/or the pressure level is too low in the pressure accumulator (). To prevent the vehicle from leaning, after the interruption of the positive adjustment operation, the level in all axles is adjusted to a common intermediate level, which is closer to the target level than to the starting level.

Method for controlling the level of pneumatic level control systems in motor vehicles

A method determines a driving state from a plurality of driving states sorted in accordance with the degree of danger thereof. In the method, at least one test criterion for at least one driving parameter is allocated to each of the driving states. At least one of the driving parameters is detected and, based on the driving parameter, a test is made to determine if one of the driving states from the plurality of driving states is present. This testing is in a time sequence starting with the most dangerous of the driving states by evaluating the test criterion corresponding thereto.

Method and arrangement for detecting a driving state

One or several vibration dampers of a vehicle suspension have a damping force arrangement wherein a control signal is computed within the actuating range in accordance with a standard control method for adjusting the damper characteristic. The drive of a damper adjustable in accordance with this invention is so improved that body movements (notwithstanding a harder adjusted damping for critical driving situations) are substantially suppressed as early as possible. In specific driving situations, the adjusting range of the damper force is changed in that the upper limit of the adjusting range is raised or lowered and/or the lower limit of the adjusting range is raised or lowered. A soft damper setting takes place preferably in dependence upon signals which announce or display a change of the vehicle longitudinal deceleration or vehicle transverse acceleration.

Electrically adjustable semiactive damper control

The invention relates to a method for determining the wheel loading of a motor vehicle wheel, with an attached air spring, with the aid of which the vehicle chassis is suspended relative to the motor vehicle wheel, including the following steps: a stationary wheel loading is calculated from the product of the effective cross-sectional area of the air spring and the pressure therein; a dynamic wheel loading is calculated from the product of the spring stiffness of the air spring and the deflection from the rest position thereof; the wheel loading is determined by adding the stationary and dynamic wheel loadings.

Method for determining the wheel loading of a motor vehicle

An adjustable shock absorber () includes a damping force changing device () which continuously adjusts the damping force characteristic of the shock absorber in response to input control signals. A first signal is generated by a first sensor which represents the damping force movement. At least a second signal is generated by at least a second device (. . . ) which represents the vertical bodywork speed (V) and/or the vehicle longitudinal speed (). Based on this, a control signal () for adjusting the damping force characteristic is computed in accordance with a control law in the manner that the change of the desired current can be limited over time.

Adjustable shock absorber for a motor vehicle

A method controls the damper current of a damper of a motor vehicle. The damper is adjustable by an electrical current and the permissible change of the current per time interval is delimited by a limit.

Method for controlling the damper current for an electrically adjustable damper

A method controls (open loop and/or closed loop) the damping force of adjustable dampers in vehicles, especially in motor vehicles, with active or semi-active damping systems. The method effects economically and rapidly a reliable control (open loop or closed loop). The control (open loop and closed loop) takes place in dependence upon the damper velocity (V) and the damper velocity signals are determined with the aid of distance sensors and difference formation of the distance sensor signals over a predetermined time difference.

Method for controlling the damping force of an adjustable damper in a motor vehicle

A method detects leakages in a motor vehicle air spring system which includes a plurality of air springs and has a level control arrangement. The level control arrangement includes: an electronic control apparatus; a plurality of elevation determination sensors associated with corresponding ones of the air springs; a pressure sensor; a plurality of air spring valves corresponding to respective ones of the air springs and a compressor. The elevation determination sensors and the pressure sensor are connected to the control apparatus for supplying signals thereto. The control apparatus functions to process the signals for controlling the air spring valves and the compressor for controlling the motor vehicle upwardly or downwardly in elevation.

Method for detecting a leakage in an air spring system of a motor vehicle

A method is provided for determining correction values for the wheel speeds of a vehicle, comprising the step of determining the speeds of the vehicle wheels during travel, with the speeds of the vehicle wheels being evaluated, in groups, for at least one vehicle axle and at least one vehicle side values of correction for the individual vehicle wheels being determined in accordance with the evaluation results. Moreover, a device is provided for determining corection values, comprising wheel sensors for determining the speeds of wheels of the vehicle during travel, and a determining means evaluating the speeds of the vehicle wheels, in groups, for at least one vehicle axle and at least one vehicle side, and determining correction values for the individual vehicle wheels in accordance with the results of evaluation.

Method and device for determining correction values for wheel speeds

An air spring arrangement of the motor vehicle is equipped with a tire-fill device which includes the fill unit ( ) and a tire-fill connection unit ( ). A filling of a reserve tire is ensured even when there is an electric fault in the level control system. The tire-fill connection unit ( ) includes an air supply connection ( ), a proximity switch ( ), an electric sensor connection ( ) and a pneumatic connection ( ) for rapid coupling and valve connection. The proximity switch ( ) includes a reed contact ( ) which includes three terminals ( , , ) which are connected to a control apparatus ( ). A component ( ) has a pneumatic valve connection ( ) and a permanent magnet ( ) and is connected to the pneumatic connection ( ). The permanent magnet ( ) excites the reed contact ( ) to switch when the component ( ) is connected to the tire-fill connection unit ( ).

Motor vehicle air spring system having a tire-fill connection

The invention is directed to a method of filling a pressurized medium chamber of a level control system which includes a pressurized medium store and a compressor. The pressurized medium chamber is filled from the pressurized medium store over a time span during which the pressurized medium difference between the pressurized medium store and the pressurized medium chamber exceeds a threshold value. When the pressurized medium difference between the pressurized medium store and the pressurized medium chamber reaches the threshold value, a further filling of the pressurized medium chamber is necessary and takes place by means of the compressor of the level control system.

Method of filling a pressurized medium chamber of a level control system from a pressurized medium store

The invention is directed to a method for controlling the level of a vehicle body of a motor vehicle with a level control system having a plurality of actuator elements with which the level of the vehicle body can be lowered by discharging an actuating fluid from the actuator elements. The level control system includes a control unit. A first level of the vehicle body is determined relative to a reference point directly before a discharge operation. A discharge operation of the vehicle body is initiated when the first level lies above a pregiven level. After initiating a discharge operation, a check is made in the control unit as to whether the vehicle body has lowered from the first level in accordance with an input. The discharge operation is interrupted when the vehicle body has not lowered from the first level in accordance with the input.

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Garbsen, Germany

Alexander Stiller