Patent ID: 6668222
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: B60G,F16F

Abstract:
A suspension control for a vehicle having a body, a wheel and suspension apparatus supporting the body on the wheel and limiting vertical downward movement of the wheel relative to the body when the vehicle body is lifted from the ground, the suspension apparatus further having a damper providing damping of vertical movement of the wheel relative to the body between compression and rebound limit positions, the damper having apparatus providing damping force responsive to an electronic control signal, the control comprising:means for receiving a relative position signal indicating the relative position of the wheel to the body; means for storing a trimset value of the relative position signal with the body and wheel in a predetermined relative state; means for deriving a damper position signal from the relative position signal and the trimset value; means for storing a reference limit value having a predetermined relationship to one of the compression and rebound limit positions with the body and wheel in the predetermined relative state; means for generating the electronic control signal in response to vehicle dynamic variables and modifying the electronic control signal to increase damping when the damper position signal is within a predetermined range of the one of the compression and rebound limit positions as determined by a comparison of the damper position signal and the stored reference limit value; and means for outputting the electronic control signal.