Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Robert G Izak

Larry G Gepfrey

Robert P Marble

Bo Yu

Brian K Saylor

Brian D Christoff

John K Dagg

Christian E Thomas

Andrew Thomas Cunningham

James C O'Kane

Hojjat Izadi

Nojan Medinei

Donald Eng

Walter B Cwycyshyn

Jeffrey A Mosher

Scott A Kolp

Michael W Neal

Adam Douglas Stanton

Andrei Balaceanu

A system for active roll control for a vehicle body is provided and includes a sensor operable to monitor a tilt of the body and a suspension system. The suspension system includes an active sway bar including a first bar portion, a second bar portion, and an active roll control motor disposed between the first bar portion and the second bar portion. The active roll control motor is operable to turn the first bar portion in relation to the second bar portion. The system further includes a computerized active roll control controller which is operative to monitor a driving mode including one of straight-line driving and rounding a curve on a road, monitor an output of the sensor, determine a desired roll moment based upon the driving mode and the output of the sensor, and control the active roll control motor based upon the desired roll moment.

Method and system for active roll control

A vehicle fluid spring system is adapted to absorb road shock imparted onto at least one road wheel of a vehicle. The vehicle fluid spring system includes a fluid spring and a variable volume unit. The fluid spring includes a fluid chamber adapted to change in volume. The variable volume unit including a rigid piston cylinder, a piston, a fluid cavity, and an actuator. The piston is adapted to reciprocate within, and is in sliding contact with, the rigid piston cylinder. The fluid cavity is defined by the piston cylinder and the piston. The actuator is adapted to drive the piston changing a volume of the fluid cavity. The fluid cavity is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber.

Continuously variable rate fluid spring system for a vehicle, and method of operation

Presented are flutter countermeasure devices and control logic for active aerodynamic systems, methods for making/using such active aero systems, and vehicles equipped with spoiler flutter countermeasure devices for increasing downforce and decreasing drag. A method of operating an active aerodynamic system of a motor vehicle includes detecting, via a system controller based on sensor data received from one or more sensing devices, a flutter excitation experienced by a spoiler of the active aero system during operation of the motor vehicle. The controller determines a harmonic oscillation amplitude of the flutter excitation experienced by the spoiler, and then determines if this harmonic oscillation amplitude exceeds a vehicle-calibrated threshold amplitude. If so, the system controller determines a damping force sufficient to mitigate or eliminate the harmonic oscillation amplitude. The controller then commands a flutter countermeasure device operatively attached to the spoiler to generate the damping force and thereby mitigate the flutter excitation.

Spoiler flutter countermeasure devices and control logic for active aerodynamic systems of motor vehicles

A method of controlling relative roll torque in vehicles having a front active sway bar and a rear active sway bar is provided. The front active sway bar varies roll torque of a front axle and the rear active sway bar varies roll torque of a rear axle. The method includes monitoring dynamic driving conditions during operation of the vehicle and biasing tire lateral load transfer distribution (TLLTD) relative to the front axle based on the monitored dynamic driving conditions. Positive bias of the TLLTD increases the portion of a total roll torque carried by the front active sway bar. Biasing TLLTD occurs during one or more dynamic bias events triggered as monitored dynamic driving conditions exceed one or more calibrated thresholds.

Variable tire lateral load transfer distribution

A process for correcting longitudinal roll from an offset load using active roll control within a vehicle is provided. The process includes, within a computerized controller using axle-based control to control a suspension system, operating programming to control pneumatic pressure supplied to each of a plurality of air spring devices within the suspension system to execute a vehicle leveling event including one of adjusting a height of the vehicle or maintaining the height of the vehicle. The process further includes operating programming to, simultaneously with the controlling the pneumatic pressure, utilize a plurality of active sway bars to provide an offset torque to the vehicle body. Each of the plurality of active sway bars is associated with one of a plurality of axles. Providing the offset torque is based upon a number of moles of air in each of the plurality of air spring devices and reducing the longitudinal roll.

Process and system for correcting longitudinal roll from offset load using active roll control

An actuator includes a first housing, a second housing fixed to the first housing, and a piston configured to translate relative to each of the first housing and the second housing. The actuator also includes a locking device configured to selectively restrain the piston in a predetermined position relative to each of the first housing and the second housing and release the piston. The actuator additionally includes an actuation mechanism configured to activate the locking device to thereby restrain the piston in the predetermined position. Also disclosed is a suspension system for a vehicle employing such an actuator at a suspension corner, wherein the actuator is used to set a ride height of the vehicle at the suspension corner.

Ride height control actuator

A damper assembly includes a housing. A method of forming a damper assembly includes extruding the housing formed of aluminum. The housing defines a first chamber and a first passage spaced from each other, with a first inlet fluidly connecting the first chamber and the first passage. A piston is disposed in the first chamber and is movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction. A first restrictor valve is disposed in the first passage. The first restrictor valve is configured to restrict a flow of liquid into the first passage from the first chamber and the first inlet as the piston moves in one of the first and second directions which causes the liquid in the first chamber to increase a pressure applied to a first side of the piston to dampen movement of the piston.

Damper assembly and a method of forming the damper assembly

A vehicle and a height adjustment system for the vehicle are disclosed. A valve includes a member movable between a first position operating first and second piston mechanisms to raise an end of the vehicle to a first height, a second position operating the first and second piston mechanisms to lower the end of the vehicle to a second height and a third position maintaining the end of the vehicle at one of the first height and the second height. A first fluid line extends between the first piston mechanism and the valve to fluidly connect the first piston mechanism and the valve. Additionally, a second fluid line extends between the second piston mechanism and the valve to fluidly connect the second piston mechanism and the valve. The first fluid line and the second fluid line are fluidly connected to the valve independently of each other.

Vehicle and a height adjustment system for the vehicle

A vehicle includes a suspension corner connecting the vehicle's road wheel to the vehicle's body and characterized by a ride height at the suspension corner. An actuator at the suspension corner is configured to selectively extend and contract in response to a volume of received pressurized fluid to selectively increase and reduce the ride height. The actuator includes a locking device configured to selectively restrain the piston in a predetermined position and release the piston, and includes an actuation mechanism for activating the device to restrain the piston in the predetermined position. A controller is configured to determine if a change in the ride height is required and to assess if the piston is restrained by the locking device. If the piston is restrained by the locking device and the change in ride height is required, the controller releases the piston via the device and then changes the ride height.

Control of adjustable ride height suspension

A system and method that may inspect an upcoming road segment and use that information to control certain aspects of a vehicle suspension system. In an exemplary embodiment, several cameras are used to evaluate an upcoming road segment and to provide road information to a control module so that damping and/or other aspects of an active or semi-active suspension system can be controlled in a feed-forward manner. Because the vehicle suspension system assesses a segment of the road that is ahead of the vehicle, as opposed to one currently being encountered by the vehicle, the system may improve ride performance by anticipating and preparing for road conditions before they are actually encountered.

Vehicle suspension system and method of using the same

A vehicle and a suspension system for the vehicle are disclosed. The suspension system includes a first suspension corner assembly adapted to support a structure of the vehicle and a second suspension corner assembly adapted to support the structure. The first suspension corner assembly includes a first bell crank and the second suspension corner assembly includes a second bell crank. The suspension system also includes an actuator device attached to the first and second bell cranks to selectively change at least one of a first spring rate and a preload.

Vehicle and a suspension system for the vehicle

A suspension apparatus for a vehicle includes a bar operatively connectable to driver-side and passenger-side suspension corner assemblies to extend therebetween and rotatably mountable to the vehicle body between the suspension corner assemblies. The suspension apparatus also includes a body load reaction component that is operatively connectable to at least one of the body and the bar. The body load reaction component is engaged to provide reaction force on the body to manage vertical displacement of the body.

Vehicle suspension apparatus with bar and body load reaction component for ride height management

A vehicle suspension system enables active control of pre-load, spring rate, and ride height by using a fluid damper housing defining an interior chamber containing an incompressible fluid and a hollow rod supporting a piston extending into the interior chamber. The housing is movable relative to the hollow rod such that fluid volume in the interior chamber varies. A multi-chambered manifold is operatively connected to the hollow rod and has a first gas chamber in fluid communication with a second gas chamber. A first plunger, a second plunger, and a third plunger are supported by the manifold. A first actuator is operable to move the third plunger to vary a volume of the first gas chamber between the first and third plungers. A second actuator is operable to move the second plunger to vary a volume of the second gas chamber in communication with the first gas chamber.

Damper assembly for vehicle suspension system with fluid damper and multi-chamber gas spring and method of controlling pre-load, spring rate and ride height

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Dryden, MI, United States of America

Robert G Izak