A configurable bushing and/or bushing system that can enable adjustment of an effective modulus of elasticity of different regions radially disposed about a point or inner sleeve. The bushing and/or bushing system can enable adjustment of the kinematic pivot point and/or allow for dynamic configuration and control.

A method, apparatus and vehicle for controlling a ride level for a vehicle having at least one first axle having a first air suspension and/or one second axle having a second air suspension, a parking brake and an operating brake, including: reading a ride level variation signal, indicating a ride level variation to be performed; providing a parking break release signal to an interface to a parking brake valve that, responding to the ride level variation signal, releases and engages the parking brake installation, the parking brake release signal being for actuating the parking brake valve for releasing the parking brake installation; and providing a first control signal to an interface to a first valve of the first air suspension and/or a second control signal to an interface to a second valve of the second air suspension while using the ride level variation signal for performing the ride level variation.

An energy-dissipative pneumatic cushioning system for cushioning heavy loads includes (i) one or more support members that extend beneath at least a portion of at least one pneumatic cushioning element and (ii) at least one connector assembly that communicatively couple the at least one pneumatic cushioning element to a gas supply unit and optionally at least one gas reservoir. The at least one gas reservoir is capable of accepting at least a portion of gas from the at least one pneumatic cushioning element under a force of a load. The at least one connector assembly is further operable to allow a return of at least a portion of the gas to the at least one pneumatic cushioning element upon reduction of at least a portion of the force of the load.

A control device controls a vehicle including a seat suspension which is provided between a chassis and a seat of the vehicle and restricts vibration and of which each of a spring constant and a damping coefficient is changeable and controllable. The control device detects, as vehicle information, a vehicle speed, an acceleration, a state of acceleration operation by a driver, a state of deceleration operation by the driver, and a state of steering by the driver. The control device determines, based on the vehicle information, whether the driver has driving preference of emphasizing the steering stability performance of the vehicle or driving preference of emphasizing the ride comfort performance of the vehicle, and, according to the determined driving preference, changes an acceleration of the seat by controlling the seat suspension.

Disclosed is an automatic vehicle suspension tuning system. The system has a control module to receive user input, an ECU with a processor and a memory, one or more road condition sensors, and one or more controllable suspension system components. The ECU controls the adjustments of the controllable suspension system component in response to user input to the control module as well as input from the road condition sensors during operation of the vehicle. A method of tuning a controllable suspension system component is also disclosed.

A pneumatic automotive height adjuster assembly provides at least one bag removably connected to a vehicle having a frame. The at least one bag is configured to adjust a height of the frame. An air supply line has a supply end and a discharge end. The discharge end is in fluid communication with each of the at least one bag. The air supply is configured to provide air to inflate the at least one bag. A switch is in fluid communication with the supply end of the air supply line. The switch has a first discharge, a second discharge, and a switch input. A leveling valve is in fluid communication with the first discharge. The air supply line is in fluid communication with the second discharge. An air supply is in fluid communication with the leveling valve and the switch input.

A vehicle-height adjusting device includes: a vehicle-height adjusting unit that adjusts a vehicle height through extension and contraction thereof, which is disposed between each wheel and a vehicle body of a vehicle; a control unit that controls actuation of the vehicle-height adjusting unit; an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle that is present within a predetermined range from the vehicle; a steering-angle detecting unit that detects an steering angle of the vehicle; and an identification unit that identifies a portion of the vehicle that overlaps the obstacle, based on a detection result by the obstacle detecting unit and a detection result by the steering-angle detecting unit, in which the control unit controls at least one of the vehicle-height adjusting unit, based on an identification result of the identification unit.

A suspension characteristic is changed depending on a travel state by a simple structure. An ECU uses a vehicle speed-spring constant setting part to calculate a target spring constant depending on a vehicle speed, and uses a spring constant-frequency setting part to calculate a set frequency corresponding to the target spring constant. An oscillation input calculation part generates a signal representing an oscillation input oscillating at the set frequency. A superimposition part sets a value acquired by superimposing the oscillation input on a target driving force to a new target driving force. As a result, the wheel exhibits a minute oscillation in a longitudinal direction, resulting in an input of the minute oscillation to a suspension bush. The suspension bush changes in a spring constant and a damping coefficient depending on the frequency of the input minute oscillation. As a result, the suspension characteristic can be changed.

A damper with a cylinder and a rod, a spring arranged around the damper and a linear actuator arranged to change in a controlled manner the axial position of a bottom end of the spring relative to the cylinder of the damper. The actuator comprises an inner cylindrical element arranged to be mounted around the cylinder of the damper, an outer cylindrical element, which is mounted so as to be axially slidable relative to the inner cylindrical element and is arranged to support the bottom end of the spring, and a working chamber arranged to be filled with a fluid under pressure to adjust the axial position of the outer cylindrical element relative to the inner cylindrical element. The working chamber is delimited, both radially and axially, only by the inner cylindrical element and by the outer cylindrical element. The outer cylindrical element is provided with a support flange arranged to support the bottom end of the spring.

A method of controlling a suspension system of a vehicle includes identifying an amplitude and a frequency of at least one harmonic event in a topology of a surface to be traversed by the vehicle, and, with a controller, altering at least one response characteristic of at least one adjustable component of the suspension system based on at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the harmonic event. Systems and methods relate to controlling vehicle suspension systems.