The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 29, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 05, 1998
Shoichi Shono, Nishikamo-gun, JP;
Atushi Sato, Susono, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A vehicle height adjust control apparatus and method prevents interference between a vehicle and a road surface due to a vehicle height reduction caused by an occupant or load added during a stop of the vehicle and minimizes unnecessary or ineffective operation of actuators while the vehicle is stopped with a brake pedal depressed. The apparatus has a vehicle sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, and a brake switch for detecting a brake pedal depressing operation. When the vehicle is stopped and the brake pedal is depressed, a microcomputer maintains a normal determination condition for starting a vehicle height adjustment to raise the vehicle body, but prevents a vehicle height reducing adjustment from lowering the vehicle body or uses a severe determination condition for starting a vehicle height reducing adjustment, thereby restricting the vehicle height adjustment only in the reducing direction. The microcomputer also limits the operating duration of the actuators and the magnitude of change in the vehicle height during performance of a vehicle height adjustment.