Patent ID: 9004499
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: B60G

Abstract:
1. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a road wheel configured to maintain contact with a road surface; a vehicle suspension corner connecting the road wheel to the vehicle body and configured to maintain contact between the road wheel and the road surface; a bladder arranged at the suspension corner, characterized by a variable height, and configured to pump a fluid in response to forces generated at the road wheel and hold at least a volume of the fluid; an accumulator in fluid communication with the bladder and configured to selectively accumulate the fluid pumped by the bladder and release the fluid to the bladder; and a valve in fluid communication with the accumulator and configured to selectively retain the accumulated fluid in and release the accumulated fluid from the accumulator; wherein the height of the bladder varies in response to the amount of the fluid being held by the bladder, thereby setting a height of the vehicle body relative to the road surface at the suspension corner.