Patent ID: 7407189
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: B60S

Abstract:
1. A method of proportional leveling of a recreational vehicle having at least one tilt sensor and at least three jacks, at least two of which are laterally spaced apart and at least two of which are longitudinally spaced apart along the vehicle, and wherein the jacks have all been brought into contact with the ground, the method comprising the steps of: proportionally laterally leveling the vehicle by sequentially: (a) identifying a low side of the vehicle, and if no side is lower than the other then taking no further action if the vehicle has already longitudinally levelled, and otherwise, if no side is lower than the other, commencing to longitudinally level the vehicle, (b) calculating first time periods required to extend at least one jack of the at least three jacks, wherein the at least one jack is on the identified low side, in order to bring the vehicle to a first estimated level position laterally, (c) extending the at least one jack on the identified low side for the calculated first time periods to achieve the first estimated level position laterally, (d) pausing as necessary to let vehicle motion if any subside, (e) re-checking the lateral leveling of the vehicle and if not yet laterally level then re-executing the steps (b) to (d) to laterally level the vehicle using at least one, of the jacks of said at least one jack on the identified low side, and (f) if a laterally level position has been exceeded, and the vehicle has gone past laterally level, for at least one of the jacks of said at least one jack then: proportionally longitudinally leveling the vehicle by sequentially: (g) identifying a low end of the vehicle, and if no end of the vehicle is lower than the other end of the vehicle then taking no further action if the vehicle has already been laterally levelled, and, if no end of the vehicle is lower than the other end, otherwise commencing to laterally level the vehicle, (h) calculating third time periods required to extend at least one jack of the at least three jacks, wherein the at least one jack is on the identified low end, in order to bring the vehicle to a first estimated level position longitudinally, (i) extending the at least one jack on the identified low end for the calculated third periods to achieve the first estimated level position longitudinally, (j) pausing as necessary to let vehicle motion if any subside, (k) re-checking the longitudinal leveling of the vehicle and if not yet longitudinally level then re-executing the steps (h) to (j) to longitudinally level the vehicle using at least one of the jacks of said at least one jack on the identified low end, and (l) if the longitudinally level position has been exceeded and the vehicle has gone past longitudinally level, for at least one of the jacks of said at least one jack then: