Patent ID: 8215620
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: B60G,B62K,F16F

Abstract:
1. A self-pumping spring and damper unit with automatic ride level control for chassis of a vehicle, with two articulation joints, one of the two articulation joints being arranged on a sprung vehicle part and at the other one of the two articulation joints being arranged on an unsprung vehicle part, the unit comprising: at least two working spaces configured to be connected through at least one throttle valve and containing a damping or springing medium which, during jounce and rebound of the vehicle, is exchanged between the working spaces through the at least one throttle valve, and at least one pump driven by a changing distance between the articulation joints, the distance varying as a result of the jounce and rebound of the vehicle, the pump generating a pressure rise in the damping medium to cause the spring and damper unit to maintain a substantially fixed level in the event of a variable vehicle load, the pump having two pump parts which are movable in relation to one another, one of the two pump parts being connected to one of the two articulation joints and the other one of the two pump parts being connected to the other one of the two articulation joints such that the distance between the articulation joints is transferred as a compression stroke to the distance between the two pump parts, wherein an elastic connection element is arranged between at least one of the two pump parts and the one of the two articulation joints associated with the pump part such that the elastic connection at least partially elastically compensates for a change in the distance between the two pump parts during the jounce and rebound of the vehicle, wherein the pump is configured as a piston pump with a pumping piston connected to either one of the two articulation joints and movable in a pumping cylinder connected to the other one of the two articulation joints, so that a rise in pressure takes place while the spring and damper unit is in a pressure stage, wherein the pumping piston and pumping cylinder form a compression space configured to be connected to outside air or to a pressure accumulator via a throttle nonreturn valve opening toward the compression space.