Sistemi Sospensioni S.p.a.

Marelli Suspension Systems Italy S.p.a.

Magneti Marelli

Magneti Mirelli S.p.a.

Marelli Europe S.p.a.

Piero Antonio Conti

Giordano Greco

Walter Bruno

Fabio Cotto

Andrea Nepote

Marco Di Vittorio

Simone Marchetti

Andrea Tonoli

Nicola Amati

Renato Galluzzi

Benjamin Talon

Cesare Stefanini

Massimo Seminara

Francesco Inglese

Mario Milazzo

Matteo Vergani

Sanjarbek Ruzimov

A method for controlling the damping characteristic of a shock absorber of a vehicle, particularly for compensating the variation of the operating temperature of the shock absorber, in an active or semi-active suspension system. The compensation of the variation of the operating temperature of the shock absorber takes place by: estimating a mechanical power dissipated in heat by the shock absorber; estimating a thermal power exchanged by the shock absorber with the environment; evaluating the current operating temperature of the shock absorber as a function of the dissipated mechanical power and of the thermal power exchanged with the environment; and controlling the driving current of the control valve of the shock absorber according to a shock absorber reference model indicating a relationship between the damping force of the shock absorber, the operating temperature of the shock absorber and the driving current of the control valve.

Compensation of the thermal effect in a vehicle suspension system

A method for estimating damping characteristics of shock absorbers in an active or semi-active suspension involves providing a reference model of a nominal relation between a road severity index related to vertical acceleration values, and the mean driving current of the control valves of the shock absorbers, acquiring respective relative acceleration or speed data of at least the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, determining a value of the road severity index starting from relative acceleration or speed data of the front wheels of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle body, acquiring values representative of the mean driving current of the control valve of each shock absorber, comparing acquired value of the mean driving current with an expected value of the nominal mean driving current determined as a function of the road severity index according to the reference model, and determining a degradation condition if the acquired value does not correspond to the expected value.

Recognition of degraded performance in a vehicle suspension system

A shock-absorber has a cylindrical body having an inner and an outer cylindrical tubes enclosing a reservoir chamber containing oil, and a rod. A piston divides the internal volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber. The cylindrical body has an intermediate cylindrical tube enclosing with the inner cylindrical tube an intermediate chamber. A first electronically-controlled valve is arranged inside the inner cylindrical tube, so as to be drivingly connected to the rod, and hydraulically connected to the rebound chamber and to the compression chamber to adjust, during rebound phase, flow of the damping fluid from the rebound chamber to the compression chamber. A second electronically-controlled valve is arranged outside the cylindrical body and is hydraulically connected to the reservoir chamber and to the intermediate chamber to adjust, during compression phase, flow of the damping fluid from the compression chamber to the reservoir chamber via the intermediate chamber.

Variable-damping hydraulic shock-absorber for a vehicle suspension

A shock-absorber has an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube, a rod, a main piston and a hydraulic stop member received in a compression chamber and operating during an end section of the compression stroke of the shock-absorber to cause an increase in the hydraulic damping force. The hydraulic stop member has a cup-shaped body mounted in the compression chamber and a first auxiliary piston which is mounted on a cylindrical body rigidly connected to the main piston and is configured to sealingly slide in the cup-shaped body during an end section of the compression stroke, encompassing a working chamber with the cup-shaped body. A sliding member is slidably received inside the cylindrical body for opening or closing at least one first passage of the cylindrical body through which oil flows from the working chamber of the cup-shaped body to the compression chamber of the shock-absorber.

Hydraulic shock-absorber with hydraulic stop member and adjustment device

A rotary damper includes a rotating input member rotating about a rotation axis; a first cylinder and a second cylinder coaxially arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis; a first and a second pistons slidable inside the first and second cylinders and defining a first and a second working chambers containing incompressible working fluids, respectively; motion conversion mechanisms converting the rotary motion of the rotating input member about the rotation axis into reciprocating motion of the first and second pistons; a third cylinder; a fourth cylinder; and a third and fourth pistons, slidable inside the third and fourth cylinders, respectively and separating the inner volume of the respective cylinder into a respective main chamber in fluid communication with the first working chamber and auxiliary chambers; and the second working chamber and auxiliary chambers respectively.

Rotary damper, particularly for vehicle suspension

A damper and spring unit includes a damper having a cylinder and a rod extending along a first axis (z), a spring plate arranged around the cylinder and slidable with respect to the cylinder along the first axis (z), a spring resting at its bottom on the spring plate, and an electro-mechanical adjustment device interposed between the cylinder and the spring plate for adjusting in a continuous and controlled manner the vertical position of the bottom end of the spring and the height of the vehicle from the ground. The adjustment device includes an electric motor generating a rotary motion and a motion conversion mechanism having one screw extending along a second axis (z') parallel to the first axis (z), but spaced therefrom, and driven into rotation by the electric motor about the second axis (z&#x2032;), and a nut meshing with the screw and drivingly connected for translation with the spring plate.

Damper and spring unit for a vehicle suspension provided with an electro-mechanical adjustment device for adjusting the vertical position of the spring

A suspension including a spring interposed between the body (B) of the vehicle and the wheel (W); a regenerative hydraulic shock-absorbing unit comprising a hydraulic shock-absorber arranged parallel to the spring, a motor and pump unit with a volumetric hydraulic machine and an electric machine coupled to the hydraulic machine), and an electronic control unit arranged to control the torque of the electric machine. A hydraulic actuator is arranged in series with the spring. A reservoir and a hydraulic circuit are connected to each other, the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir. The hydraulic circuit includes a valve assembly for controlling the flow of a working fluid between the hydraulic shock-absorber, the hydraulic machine, the hydraulic actuator and the reservoir.

Vehicle suspension with a regenerative hydraulic shock-absorber and with a system for adjusting the attitude of the vehicle

A hydraulic shock-absorber comprises an outer cylindrical tube, an inner cylindrical tube defining with the outer cylindrical tube an annular chamber, a main piston slidably mounted in the inner cylindrical tube and dividing the inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into an extension chamber and a compression chamber, both containing an incompressible damping fluid, a valve assembly mounted on a bottom wall of the inner cylindrical tube and comprising a first compression valve and a first intake valve, a cup-shaped body mounted in the inner cylindrical tube, inside the compression chamber, and an auxiliary piston rigidly connected to the main piston and configured to slide in the cup-shaped body at least during a final section of the compression phase of the shock-absorber. The shock-absorber further comprises a second compression valve configured as a non-return valve allowing the flow of the damping fluid only in the direction from a working chamber of the cup-shaped body towards a lower portion of the compression chamber.

Hydraulic shock-absorber, particularly for a vehicle suspension, with two compression valves

The actuator comprises a cylinder and a rod. The cylinder comprises an inner cylindrical tube and an outer cylindrical tube which extend coaxially to each other along a longitudinal axis (z). The inner cylindrical tube accommodates a plunger which is rigidly connected to the rod and separates an inner volume of the inner cylindrical tube into a compression chamber and an extension chamber, wherein at least the compression chamber contains oil. The inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube enclose with each other a reservoir chamber which is permanently in fluid communication with the extension chamber via at least one first passage provided in the inner cylindrical tube and contains a pressurized gas in a first portion thereof and oil in a remaining portion thereof. The cylinder further comprises an intermediate cylindrical tube which extends along the longitudinal axis (z) between the inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube and encloses, along with the inner cylindrical tube, an intermediate chamber permanently in fluid communication with the compression chamber via at least one second passage provided in the inner cylindrical tube. The actuator further comprises a check valve associated to the inner cylindrical tube to allow the oil to flow in the direction from the reservoir chamber to the compression chamber only, and an electrically-operated flow control valve which is associated to the intermediate cylindrical tube for controlling the flow of the oil between the intermediate chamber and the reservoir chamber. The flow control valve is movable between a first operating position, in which it allows the oil to flow between the intermediate chamber and the reservoir chamber, and a second operating position, in which it prevents the oil from flowing between the intermediate chamber and the reservoir chamber.

Hydraulic linear actuator with a locking system for locking the compression movement of the actuator

The hydraulic shock-absorber comprises a hydraulic stop member having a cup-shaped body, which is adapted to be mounted in a compression chamber, and a plunger, mounted at an end of a rod of the shock-absorber so as to slide in the cup-shaped body when the shock-absorber moves towards the compression end-of-travel position. The cup-shaped body comprises a side wall and a bottom wall which define, along with the plunger, a working chamber in which a damping fluid of the shock-absorber is compressed by the plunger when the latter slides in the working chamber towards the bottom wall of the body. Axial channels are formed on the inner surface of the side wall of the body and allow the damping fluid to flow axially out of the working chamber when the plunger slides in the working chamber towards the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body. The axial channels extend parallel to a longitudinal axis (z) of the cup-shaped body and have a cross-section whose area decreases continuously along this axis (z) towards the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body.

Hydraulic shock-absorber for a vehicle suspension

The hydraulic stop member comprises: a cup-shaped body mounted in a compression chamber of the shock-absorber. A piston is mounted at an end of a rod of the shock-absorber so as to slide in the cup-shaped body when the shock-absorber is close to an end-of-travel position of the compression stroke. The cup-shaped body includes a side wall and a bottom wall which define, along with the piston, a working chamber where a damping fluid of the shock-absorber is compressed by the piston. A bypass conduit connects a working chamber with the portion of the compression chamber placed above a seal ring. A pressure relief valve keeps the bypass conduit closed as long as the pressure in the working chamber remains below a given threshold value and to open the bypass conduit, thereby allowing the discharge of the damping fluid from the working chamber to the compression chamber through the bypass conduit, when the pressure in the working chamber exceeds the threshold value.

Hydraulic compression stop member for a hydraulic shock-absorber for a vehicle suspension with pressure relief device

An apparatus and a method for managing the energy supplied to a low-voltage system of a vehicle. The low-voltage system includes a battery, which supplies the first voltage on a low-voltage bus. A system for charging the battery includes an alternator for supplying a charging voltage to the battery, and motor-vehicle loads supplied by the battery and/or by the alternator. A high-voltage system operates at a second voltage higher than said first voltage. The high-voltage system includes the vehicle energy-recovery stage. The second voltage is supplied through an intermediate energy-storage system and a DC-DC converter. A control module that carries out energy-management operations at least by the alternator. The second voltage of the DC-DC converter is regulated via a control procedure of a hysteretic type.

Apparatus for managing the energy supplied to a low-voltage system of a motor vehicle that comprises an energy-recovery stage, and corresponding method

An apparatus and a method for managing the energy supplied to a low-voltage system of a motor vehicle that comprises an energy-recovery stage. The low-voltage system, operating at a first voltage, comprises a battery, a system for charging the battery, and motor-vehicle loads supplied by the battery and/or by the alternator. A high-voltage system operates at a second voltage higher than the first voltage. The high-voltage system includes the vehicle energy-recovery stage, which supplies the second voltage. The second voltage is supplied through an intermediate energy-storage system and a DC-DC converter, which converts the second voltage into the first voltage on the low-voltage bus. A module regulates the alternator, that activates at least one first operating mode in which the alternator regulates a voltage of the battery at a nominal operating value.

The shock-absorber comprises: a cylinder containing a hydraulic working fluid; a piston slidably arranged in the cylinder so as to split the cylinder into two variable-volume working chambers, namely a first working chamber, or extension chamber, and a second working chamber, or compression chamber; an auxiliary conduit in fluid communication on one side with the first working chamber and on the other with the second working chamber; a train of permanent magnets slidably arranged in the auxiliary conduit so as to reciprocally move along the auxiliary conduit, dragged by the working fluid flowing between the first and second working chambers through the auxiliary conduit as a result of the reciprocating motion of the piston in the cylinder; and electric energy generating device for generating electric energy by exploiting the movement of the train of permanent magnets along the auxiliary conduit.

Growing community of inventors

Asti, Italy

Piero Antonio Conti