Ford Motor Company Limited

Other

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jon Roland Watson

Joseph M Raad

Douglas Scott Rhode

Steven Adam Hermann

John Allen Oliver

Geoffrey F Bridges

Russell Lee Norton

Juergen Funke

Paul Godesberg

Jason Paulding

David K French

Thorsten Dirk Krupp

A spring isolator for a wheel suspension may include a first side configured to rest on a spring plate of the suspension. The spring isolator may also include a second side, opposite the first side, configured to receive a last coil of a coil spring of the suspension to support the coil spring on the spring plate. The first side may have at least one cavity extending through a thickness of the isolator toward the second side. An elasticity of the isolator between the first and second sides may prevent the last coil from breaking contact with the second side during operation of the suspension.

Spring isolators and suspension systems incorporating same

A method of controlling a vehicle active tilt control system is provided for increasing the operating efficiency and improving operator/passenger comfort associated with the operation of a motor vehicle having an active tilt control system. The tilt control system includes a stabilizer bar adjustable by a hydraulic actuator which is movable in first and second opposing directions for adjusting vehicle body roll resistance provided by the stabilizer bar, and having a pressure control valve for controlling hydraulic pressure to the actuators. The method includes the following steps: a) obtaining a lateral acceleration magnitude signal; b) comparing the lateral acceleration magnitude signal to a first lateral acceleration threshold; c) enabling the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal exceeds the first lateral acceleration threshold; d) disabling the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal is less than the first lateral acceleration threshold; e) comparing the lateral acceleration magnitude signal to a third lateral acceleration threshold; and f) resetting the active tilt control system for the vehicle when the lateral acceleration magnitude signal is less than the third lateral acceleration threshold continuously for at least a predetermined period of time.

Method of controlling a vehicle active tilt control system

A variable stiffness suspension bushing (18) for use in a suspension of a motor vehicle comprises a shaft or rod (40) connected to a suspension member (12), an inner cylinder (42) fixedly connected to the shaft or rod (40), and an outer cylinder (44) fixedly connected to a chassis member (16). A magnetorheological (MR) elastomer (48), having iron particles embedded therein, is interposed between the inner (42) and outer (44) cylinders, and a coil (54) is disposed about the inner cylinder (42). When the coil (54) is energized by electrical current provided from a suspension control module (20), a variable magnetic field is generated so as to influence the magnetorheological (MR) elastomer (48) whereby variable stiffness values of the elastomer (48) are obtained to provide the bushing (18) with variable stiffness characteristics in order to eliminate compromises heretofore necessary when using single, fixed rate bushings.

Method and apparatus for varying the stiffness of a suspension bushing

Method and apparatus for maintaining vehicular ride height in a vehicle having a body, front and rear wheels and an air suspension including front and rear air springs. The method includes sensing vehicle body height relative to the wheels to obtain front and rear vehicle height signals, and sensing vehicle speed to obtain a vehicle speed signal. The method also includes processing the front height signals to obtain a vehicle roll signal that has been compensated for the natural lean of the vehicle, the vehicle roll signal indicating vehicle roll due to steering adjustments by the vehicle operator. The method further includes processing the vehicle speed signal to obtain a vehicle pitch offset signal, indicating vehicle body height change due to longitudinal vehicle acceleration. The method also includes adjusting the height of the vehicle toward a predetermined target ride height based on the vehicle height sensor signals which have been compensated for vehicle roll and pitch.

Method and apparatus for maintaining vehicular ride height

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Jon Roland Watson