Patent ID: 6824146
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: B60G,F16F

Abstract:
An air suspension system of a vehicle, the system comprising:an air spring connected at an upper end thereof to a lower part of a vehicle frame; an upper member penetrating the upper end of the air spring and coupled to the vehicle frame; a lower member penetrating a lower end of said air spring and coupled to the lower end of said air spring and to a vehicle axle, wherein linear sliding movement of the upper and lower members gives rise to changes in an overall length thereof; and valve means in the upper member and lower member for supplying compressed air from an air tank into said air spring in response to the linear sliding movement of said upper and lower members or discharging air inside the air spring out into the atmosphere; wherein said lower member comprises a cylinder member formed with a cylinder hole having a sectional share along a lengthwise direction, and said upper member comprises a piston member having a piston part with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the cylinder hole; and wherein the valve means comprises: a first air passage formed in the cylinder member, one end of which is connected to the air tank for receiving compressed air and the other end of which is connected to said cylinder hole; a second air passage formed in the piston member, one end of which is so formed as to communicate with an interior of said air spring and the other end of which is so formed as to communicate with the first air passage when the cylinder member and said piston member are shortened to a first length; a third air passage formed in said cylinder member, one end of which is so formed as to communicate with the atmosphere and the other end of which is so formed as to communicate with said cylinder hole; a fourth air passage formed in said piston member, one end of which is so formed as to communicate with the interior of said air spring and the other end of which is so formed as to communicate with the third air passage when said cylinder member and said piston member are expanded to a second length; and a fifth air passage allowing an inner space adjacent an end of said cylinder hole to communicate with the atmosphere via said third air passage.