SPRING-CONSTANT VARIABLE STABILIZER DEVICE

Abstract: A spring-constant variable stabilizer device for a vehicle comprises an anti-roll bar stabilizer provided between left and right wheels of the vehicle and a control cylinder (3) arranged between the stabilizer and a lower arm and effective to change the spring-constant of the stabilizer. In the control cylinder (3), a port (15) of a hydraulic fluid passage (L3) in communication with a reservoir chamber (6) in a position assuming a neutral position (14) of a piston stroke is formed in a cylinder body (9) of the control cylinder (3). A piston (12) within the cylinder body (9) is always biased in opposite directions thereof by means of a pair of springs (16 a , 16 c , 16 b , 16 d ), and a locked state of the control cylinder (3) is promptly attained always in a complete neutral position.

Description: The invention relates to a spring-constant variable stabilizer device to be disposed between left and right wheels of a vehicle. It has been previously proposed to provide a stabilizer mechanism in a suspension system of a vehicle so designed that opposite ends of a stabilizer are secured to a lower arm through a link rod, and an intermediate portion thereof is rotatably supported on the vehicle body whereby when the left and right wheels of the vehicle are moved up and down in phase, a spring action caused by the stabilizer does not occur whilst when the upward and downward movement of the left and right wheels is out of phase, a constant spring force is caused with a middle portion of the stabilizer acting as a torsion bar. Upon upward and downward movement of the left and right wheels out of phase, the spring force of the stabilizer is made to act so that a fixed spring force may act with the middle portion of the stabilizer as a torsion bar and at the time of upward and downward movement of the left and right wheel out of phase, a phase difference thereof may be corrected, thus correcting a tendency to roll and improve the running stability of the vehicle. However, if the roll rigidity is reinforced by the stabilizer mechanism, the vibration of the vehicle on the spring increases as the total spring constant of the suspension system increases, and when the vehicle runs on a wavy road surface such that the left and right wheels of the vehicle make the upward and downward movements out of phase, the comfort of the ride deteriorates. In view of the foregoing, as one means for preventing deterioration of the comfort of the ride, there have been developed roll control systems for vehicles disclosed, for example, in Patent Specifications EP-A-0186202, US-A-2 802 674 and US-A-4 206 935. In the systems disclosed in these patent specifications, a control cylinder is arranged on the end of a stabilizer whereby when the control cylinder is in an expansible state, a torsional torque of the stabilizer is not transmitted to a lower arm, as a consequence of which when the vehicle runs on a wavy road surface, the vibration of the vehicle on the spring is increased to prevent deterioration of the ride. On the other hand, when the control cylinder is in a locked state to cease the expansion, the torsional torque of the stabilizer is transmitted to the lower arm effectively to prevent roll of the vehicle during running of the vehicle on a flat road. However, in the aforementioned roll control system, the locked state of the control cylinder is not always produced at a neutral position but sometimes the piston stops at a position other than the neutral position. As the result, when the control cylinder is locked, the upper end thereof may not always be maintained at a constant level to bring forth a level difference between the left and right sides of the body, resulting in inconveniences such that the attitude of the vehicle becomes unstable and the running stability may not be secured. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a spring-constant variable stabilizer device for a vehicle comprising a stabilizer member provided with a control cylinder comprising a piston slidable in a cylinder body so as to divide the interior of the cylinder body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the control cylinder being disposed between an end of the stabilizer member and a lower suspension arm supporting a wheel so that the torsional rigidity of the stabilizer member, disposed to generate a torsional torque according to upward and downward operation of the left and right wheels of the vehicle, is made variable, characterized in that the piston is urged in opposite directions by means of a pair of springs disposed in the respective chambers, operation check valves are disposed in hydraulic fluid passages which, respectively, communicate the upper and lower chambers with a reservoir chamber, the operation check valves are each formed to be opened simultaneously by one pilot operation, and a hydraulic fluid port of a fluid passage in communication with the reservoir chamber is formed in the cylinder body at a location assumed by the piston in a neutral position within the cylinder body. Such a spring-constant variable type stabilizer device can prevent an unstable attitude of a vehicle when the control cylinder is locked. The control cylinder may however be promptly and positively returned to its neutral position. The two operation check valves provided on the control cylinder can simultaneously be actuated by the pilot operation thereby to vary the spring constant of the stabilizer. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a spring-constant variable stabilizer device for a vehicle comprising a stabilizer member provided with a control cylinder comprising a piston slidable in a cylinder body so as to divide the interior of the cylinder body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the control cylinder being disposed between an end of the stabilizer member and a lower suspension arm supporting a wheel so that the torsional rigidity of the stabilizer member, disposed to generate a torsional torque according to upward and downward operation of the left and right wheels of the vehicle, is made variable, characterized in that the piston is urged in opposite directions by means of a pair of springs disposed in the respective chambers, operation check valves are disposed in hydraulic fluid passages, respectively, which communicate the upper and lower chambers with a reservoir chamber, the operation check valves are each formed to be opened simultaneously by one open and closing operation actuator, a hydraulic fluid port of a fluid passage in communication with the reservoir chamber is formed in the cylinder body at a location assumed by the piston in a neutral position within the cylinder body so that locking can be made only in a neutral position, and in addition to the control cylinder, a shock absorber the dampening force of which is variable by actuation of an actuator is disposed between a body side of a vehicle and a suspension member, the shock absorber and the actuator of the control cylinder being individually actuated by a command signal from a controller, and a selection signal caused by manual operation and detection signals from detection means such as a vehicle speed sensor and a steering-wheel angle sensor are input into the controller. The effective damping force of the shock absorber provided between the vehicle body and an axle can be adjusted to be high or low according to the running condition of the vehicle. Thus the upper and lower chambers are defined within the cylinder body constituting the control cylinder with the piston urged in both directions by means of the springs disposed within the cylinder body, the operation check valves can be simultaneously opened by a single pilot operation, and the port of the hydraulic fluid passage in communication with the reservoir chamber is formed in the cylinder body in a neutral position of a piston stroke region within the cylinder body. With the above-described arrangement, the following function is obtained: When the control cylinder is in an expansible operating state, the torsional torque in the stabilizer is transmitted toward the lower arm in a state where the spring is compressed within the cylinder to give a soft stabilizer, whereas when the control cylinder is in a hydraulically locked state, the torsional torque in the stabilizer is transmitted toward the lower arm whereby the rigidity with respect to the roll of the vehicle is increased. Furthermore, fluid flows into the reservoir chamber through the port formed in the cylinder body so as to correspond to the neutral position in the piston stroke region even if the piston within the cylinder body is in a position other than the neutral position when the control cylinder is hydraulically locked. Thus, the piston is returned to its complete neutral position, and upon the return of the piston to the complete neutral position, the port is closed to obtain the complete locked state of the control cylinder. Even if the hydraulic locking operation of the control cylinder is effected in a state other than the neutral position of the piston within the cylinder, it is urged from both directions by the springs and therefore the piston will promptly be returned to its neutral position interdependently of the communicable state of the control cylinder. The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a spring-constant variable stabilizer device according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of a control cylinder of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the control cylinder of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a schematic view of a spring-constant variable type stabilizer device according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 7 is a partly cutaway longitudinal sectional view of a shock absorber. Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figure 1, one of a pair of bent arms 1 a , 1 a of a stabilizer 1 is connected to a lower arm (not shown) as a suspension member by way of a link rod 2, and a control cylinder 3 is disposed on a lower-arm connected portion at the end of the other of the arms 1 a . One of the control cylinders 3 can be provided at each end so as to increase the stroke of the stabilizer, but a single control cylinder 3 arranged on at least one side will achieve the effect desired by the invention. The stabilizer1 is rotatably mounted on the body of the vehicle (not shown) in supports 4 and 4 engaging an intermediate portion 1 b of the stabilizer 1. The control cylinder 3 has an upper chamber A and a lower chamber B in communication with each other through operation check valves 5 a and 5 b , respectively, the upper and lower chambers A and B being brought into communication with a reservoir chamber 6. The interior of the control cylinder 3 can communicate with the reservoir chamber 6 through a separate oil passage. 7 a designates a right wheel of the vehicle and 7 b denotes a left wheel. The control cylinder 3 is shown in more detail in Figure 2 and comprises a piston 12, associated with a piston rod 11 having a mounting eye 10 for connecting it to the stabilizer 1, slidably disposed within a cylinder body 9 having a mounting eye 8 for connecting it to the lower arm. The interior of the cylinder body 9 is divided by the piston 12 into an upper chamber A and a lower chamber B. The inner wall of the cylinder body 9 in the vicinity of opposite ends thereof has ports 13 a and 13 b connected to hydraulic fluid passages L1 and L2. A further fluid port 15 is provided in the inner wall of the cylinder body 9 at a neutral position 14 in an effective stroke region of the piston 12. When the piston 12 is in either one of the upper chamber A or lower chamber B within the cylinder body 9, the port 15 connects the interior of the cylinder body 9 to a fluid passage L3 which is in communication with the reservoir chamber 6. The operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are disposed in the passages L1 and L2 but no valve is disposed in the passage L3. Within the cylinder body 9 are disposed a pair of springs 16 a and 16 b , which bias the piston 12 in opposite directions. When the piston 12 is in the central neutral position 14, the pair of springs 16 a and 16 b are balanced. Accordingly, when the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are open and the upper and lower chambers A and B are communicated with each other, the piston 12 causes either of the spring 16 a or 16 b to be contracted by a load applied to the cylinder body 9 or the piston rod 11, so that the control cylinder 3 may be expanded and contracted. The operation check valves 5 a and 5 b can be brought into the open state by mechanical pilot operation to allow a so-called dual flow, and upon release thereof, they serve thereafter as so-called check valves merely to allow flow in one direction. In the present embodiment, within the cylinder body 9, buffers 17 a and 17 b are respectively disposed on the upper end surface of the piston 12 and the inner bottom surface of the cylinder body 9 to limit significant movement of the piston 12. When the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are open, the upper and lower chambers A and B in the control cylinder 3 are communicated with each other to assume a so-called free state wherein the movement of the piston 12 is not restricted within the range of the effective stroke thereof. Therefore, the cylinder body 9 mounted on the wheel side is moved up and down according to the upward and downward operation of the left wheel 7 b of the running vehicle, and as the stabilizer 1 swings upon the upward and downward operation of the other, right wheel 7 a , the piston 12 mounted on the arm 1 a is moved up and down. Accordingly, in the open state of the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b , the stabilizer 1 is operatively connected with the right wheel 7 a to assume a so-called stabilizer soft condition in which the end of the arm 1 a swings. In the piston-free operating state, any shortage of fluid in the control cylinder 3 is made-up from the reservoir chamber 6, and conversely, and surplus of fluid in the control cylinder 3 is absorbed by the reservoir chamber 6. However, when the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are caused to act as check valves, the upper and lower chambers A and B within the control cylinder 3 are separated from each other, and therefore, the movement of fluid between the chambers A and B is cut off, as a consequence of which both movements of expansion and pressure sides of the piston 12 assume the locked state. This brings forth the state of a rigid coupling between the stabilizer 1 and the left and right wheels, and the so-called state of stabilizer action wherein the upward and downward movement of the right wheel 7 a and left wheel 7 b out of phase generates a torsional torque in the stabilizer 1. Where the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b function as check valves by release of the pilot operation, thereafter movement of the piston 12 within the cylinder body 9 is controlled by the port 15 provided at the central position of the cylinder body 9. That is, for example, when the piston 12 is located in the lower chamber B, working fluid from the upper chamber A will be passed to the reservoir chamber 6 through the port 15 upon withdrawal of the piston rod 11 from the cylinder body 9 caused by repulsion of the spring 16 b , and at the same time, working fluid in the lower chamber B will be made-up from the reservoir chamber 6 through the operation check valve 5 b . When in the course of movement the piston 12 reaches the neutral position 14, the outer periphery of the piston 12 will close the port 15 to bring the upper chamber A into a locked state to prevent further movement of the piston 12 and to cease the expansion of the control cylinder 3, thus assuming the locked state. In like manner when the piston 12 is present in the upper chamber A, working fluid from the reservoir chamber 6 is replenished through the operation check valve 5 a in the upper chamber A which is subjected to negative pressure by the movement of the piston 12 subjected to repulsion of the spring 16 a , and at the same time working fluid within the lower chamber B is absorbed into the reservoir chamber 6 through the port 15. When the piston reaches the neutral position 14 in the course of movement, the outer periphery of the piston 12 closes the port 15 to bring the lower chamber B into the locked state to prevent further movement of the piston 12 and to cease the expansion of the control cylinder 3, thus assuming the hydraulically locked state. When the control cylinder 3 is locked at the neutral position, the arm 1 a of the stabilizer 1 and the lower arm are connected in the so-called rigid state. Furthermore, even if the control cylinder should be expanded in a great stroke when the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are in the open state, the piston would block the ports 13 a or 13 b to bring forth the so-called fluid locked state whereby the ends of the cylinder body 9 are protected from damage by over extension and bottoming-out. Even if the piston strokes beyond the limit of the over extension and bottoming-out, damage is prevented by the buffers 17 a and 17 b . A specific embodiment is shown in Figures 3 to 5 and has the control cylinder and its circuit integrally formed within a suitable housing H and in compact form. Internally the housing H comprises the control cylinder 3 and the two operation check valves 5 a , 5 b , the reservoir chamber 6, the fluid passages L1, L2 to allow communication between the upper and lower chambers A and B within the control cylinder 3 and the reservoir chamber 6, and the fluid passage L3 to allow communication between the interior of the control cylinder 3 and the reservoir chamber 6. The housing H has a projecting eye 8 to form a mounting for the lower arm on the control cylinder 3. Within the cylinder body 9 formed in a bottomed cylindrical configuration in a part of the housing H is slidably received the piston 12 which divides the interior of the cylinder body 9 into the upper chamber A and the lower chamber B. The piston 12 is connected to the lower end of the piston rod 11 by a piston nut 12 a , and the piston rod 11 is sealed in the piston 12 by a sealing ring 12 b and has its upper end projecting externally of the upper end of the cylinder 9, the projecting end having a mounting eye 10 for the stabilizer 1. The upper end of the cylinder body 9 is closed by applying a cap member 18 thereto, and the piston rod 11 extends through the axis of the cap member 18. In the inner periphery of the cap member 18 are disposed a fluid seal 18 a and a bearing 18 b , and the inner peripheral surfaces of the seal 18 a and the bearing 18 b are in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod 11. An O-ring 18 c is disposed around the outer peripheral end of the cap member 18. The buffers 17 a and 17 b are disposed on the upper end of the piston 12 and on the inner bottom surface of the cylinder 9 respectively. The springs 16 a and 16 b within the cylinder body 9 locate the piston 12 to a neutral stroke position 14 within the cylinder body 9. It will be noted that the pair of springs 16 a and 16 b can be of a so-called dual construction, and for example, separate springs 16 c and 16 d are shown provided internally thereof. The passage L3 is located and bored so that when the piston 12 is at the neutral position 14 within the cylinder body 9, the port 15 is closed by the outer periphery of the piston 12. Disposed in the outer peripheral central portion of the piston 12 is a piston ring 12 c urged by a backup ring the piston ring 12 c closing openings of the passages L1 and L2 and the port 15. The operation check valves 5 a and 5 b are disposed in intermediate portions of the passages L1 and L2, respectively, the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b being identical with each other and each in the form of a poppet valve, as shown in Figure 4. More specifically, valve seats 19 a and 19 b are disposed within the housing H, and vertically movable poppets 20 a and 20 b are received in the valve seats 19 a and 19 b so that when the poppets 20 a and 20 b are closed, portions of the passages L1 and L2 upstream and downstream of the poppets 20 a and 20 b are cut off from one another whereas when the poppets 20 a and 20 b are open, the passage portions upstream and downstream of the poppets 20 a and 20 b are in communication. The poppets 20 a and 20 b are urged in the closing direction by springs 22 a and 22 b respectively one end of which is engaged with the side of threaded cap members 21 a and 21 b in order to fix the seats 19 a and 19 b within the housing H. The sleeve bodies 19 a and 19 b are formed in their outer peripheral sides with annular grooves, respectively, in communication with the passages L1 and L2, the annular grooves communicating with the inner peripheral sides of the sleeve bodies 19 a and 19 b through ports 19 a ′ and 19 b ′ formed in the sleeve bodies 19 a and 19b. The ends of push rods 30 a and 30 b are opposed to the poppets 20 a and 20 b . The housing H includes the reservoir chamber 6, which has a rubber diaphragm 28 which defines a hydraulic chamber 26 and an air chamber 27 within the housing H, the rubber diaphragm 28 having its outer edge fixed by a cap member 29 threaded into the housing so as to separate the air chamber 27 from the outside. The hydraulic chamber 26 communicates with the passages L1 and L2 through the operation check valves 5 a and 5 b , and is in communication with the passage L3. The air chamber 27, in the present embodiment, communicates with the outside through an opening 29 a bored in the cap member 29 set so as to maintain the air chamber 27 at atmospheric pressure. The push rods 30 a and 30 b opposed to the poppets 20 a and 20 b are slidably received in cap members 31 a and 31 b threaded into the housing H and are urged outwardly by means of springs 32 a and 32 b . Angle brackets 33 a and 33 b are secured to outer ends of the push rods 30 a and 30 b , respectively, the angle brackets 33 a and 33 b being integrally formed so that they may be moved simultaneously by means of a connecting rod 34. Connected to the connecting rod 34 is a bracket 35, and the end of an operating lever 37 is connected to a pin 36 inserted through the bracket 35. The operating lever 37 is pivoted by a pin 39 on a bracket 38 attached to the housing H, as shown in Figure 5, and connected to a connector 41 by a pin 40 inserted therethrough. A pulling member, such as a wire 42, is connected to the connector 41, so that the rear end of the operating lever 37 can be rotated by the action of tension applied to the wire 42. The operation check valves 5 a and 5 b have the function as check valves wherein the poppets 20 a and 20 b assume the open state by virtue of the push rods 30 a and 30 b which are moved forward by the action of the mechanical tension producing an artificial force F, and the push rods 30 a and 30 b are withdrawn upon release of the tension and removal of the force F whereby the poppets 20 a and 20 b are closed to form the passages L1 and L2 into unidirectional flow-passages. Figures 6 and 7 show an embodiment in which a shock absorber is provided in addition to the stabilizer device described above. A suspension control device is provided by a suspension construction designed as shown in Figure 6, which suspension construction comprises a shock absorber P disposed between the body side B, U for four wheels of the vehicle and the axle side A, a stabilizer I disposed between left and right wheels T of the vehicle, and a control cylinder 3 disposed between one end of the stabilizer I and a lower arm Q. The damping force of the shock absorber P can be varied by actuation of an actuator R, and the control cylinder 3 is designed so that hardness and softness of the roll rigidity can be adjusted by actuation of an actuator S. The shock absorber P is sufficient if the former may effect a predetermined damping action when it is expanded and contracted. The shock absorber can be as shown in Figure 7, for example, and comprise a piston portion 45, which is slidably received in a cylinder 42 and divides the interior of the cylinder 42 into a rod-side hydraulic chamber 43 and a piston-side hydraulic chamber 44. An outer tube 46 is provided outwardly of the cylinder 42 and a reservoir chamber 47 is provided between the outer tube 46 and the cylinder 42, the reservoir chamber 47 communicating with the piston-side hydraulic chamber 42 through a base valve portion 48 disposed on the inner bottom at the lower end of the cylinder 42. When the piston portion 45 is moved up and down within the cylinder 42, a predetermined extension-side damping force and a predetermined pressure-side damping force are produced by the piston portion 45 and the base valve portion 48, respectively. A piston rod 49 has the piston portion 45 located at the lower end thereof, has its upper end projecting from the upper end of the cylinder 42, and has a control rod 50 rotatably inserted through the axis thereof. A rotary valve 51 is provided on the lower end of the control rod 50 and is rotatably received in a passage 52 interiorly formed from the lower end of the piston rod 49 to a position near the lower end so that the rod-side hydraulic chamber 43 communicates with the piston-side hydraulic chamber 44. The upper end of the control rod 50 projects externally from the upper end of the piston rod 49, and the actuator R is connected to the upper end of the control rod 50. The rotary valve 51 controls, when it rotates, resistance to passage of hydraulic fluid through the passage 52. Accordingly, when the piston portion 45 is moved up and down within the cylinder 42, the actuator R causes the drawing resistance of fluid passing through the passage 52 to be varied to vary the magnitude of the extension-side damping force produced in the piston portion 45 or the pressure-side damping force produced in the base valve portion 48, whereby the damping effect at the time of expansion of the shock absorber P may be controlled freely according to the running condition of the vehicle or the wish of an operator. The operation and selection of the operation of the actuator R in the shock absorber P are accomplished by a command signal from a controller C. Signals input into the controller C may include a selection signal a by manual operation, a detection signal b from a vehicle-speed sensor as detection means and a detection signal c from a steering-wheel angle sensor as detection means, (see Figure 6). Accordingly, for example, when the selection signal a , which makes the produced damping force "hard", is input into the controller C by manual operation according to the wish of the vehicle driver, the produced damping force in the shock absorber P is selected to a high damping force to enhance the running properties when the vehicle runs on an unpaved road. When the selection signal a , which makes the produced damping force "soft", is input into the controller C, the produced damping force in the shock absorber 1 is formed into a low damping force to allow a comfortable ride when the vehicle runs on a flat road. When any selection signal a has been input manually into the controller C and, for example, the vehicle is suddenly turned to cause roll phenomenon, the detection signals b and c from the vehicle speed sensor and the steering wheel sensor are input into the controller C, the produced damping force of the shock absorber P is suitably controlled to be high or low, and the aforesaid roll phenomenon, that is, the attitude of the vehicle is controlled. Likewise in the Figure 1 embodiment, the control cylinder 3 of the stabilizer 1 is disposed betwen one end 1 a of the stabilizer 1 provided between the left and right wheels of the vehicle and a lower arm of the vehicle whereby upon the actuation of an actuator connected to the control cylinder 3, the correct expansion thereof is selected. The other end 1 a of the stabilizer 1 is connected to the respective lower arm of the vehicle through the link rod 2, and the intermediate portion of the stabilizer 1 is connected to the body of the vehicle by the supports 4. The operation and selection of the operation of the actuator S for the control cylinder 3 are accomplished by a command signal from the controller C in a manner similar to the actuation of the actuator R in the shock absorber P but can also be manually accomplished. The operation and effect of the control cylinder 3 are the same as those of the Figure 1 embodiment. The produced damping force of the shock absorber disposed between the axle side for four wheels of the vehicle and the body side can be adjusted to be high or low, and the roll rigidity of the stabilizer disposed between the left and right wheels of the vehicle can be selected to be hard or soft. Control can thus be effected according to the running condition of the vehicle to give greater comfort in the ride or higher operating stability of the vehicle. As described above, the upper and lower chambers within the control cylinder communicate with each other through the passage and communicate with the reservoir, and an operation check valve is disposed in each hydraulic fluid passage. Therefore, hardness or softness, that is to say the spring constant of the stabilizer can be made variable merely by opening and closing the operation check valve, and adaption of the vehicle according to the condition of the running road surface of the vehicle may be attained. Further, even one operation, that is, one pilot operation from a mechanical tension or an artificial force, two operation check valves can be opened at the same time so that no delay in operation occurs. When a locked state of the control cylinder is desired, the locked state of the control cylinder can be always brought forth quickly in the complete neutral position rapidly to stabilize the attitude of the vehicle.

Claims: A spring-constant variable stabiliser device for a vehicle comprising a stabilizer member (1, I) provided with a control cylinder (3) comprising a piston (12) slidable in a cylinder body (9) so as to divide the interior of the cylinder body into an upper chamber (A) and a lower chamber (B), the control cylinder (3) being disposed between an end of the stabiliser member and a lower suspension arm supporting a wheel (7a, 7b, T) so that the torsional rigidity of the stabilizer member, disposed to generate a torsional torque according to upward and downward operation of the left and right wheels (7a, 7b, T) of the vehicle, is made variable, characterised in that the piston (12) is urged in opposite directions by means of a pair of springs (16 a , 16 b ) disposed in the respective chambers, operation check valves (5 a , 5 b ) are disposed in hydraulic fluid passages (L₁, L₂) which, respectively, communicate the upper and lower chambers (A, B) with a reservoir chamber (6), the operation check valves (5 a , 5 b ) are each formed to be opened simultaneously by one pilot operation, and a hydraulic fluid port (15) of a fluid passage (L₃) in communication with the reservoir chamber (6) is formed in the cylinder body (9) at a location assumed by the piston in a neutral position (14) within the cylinder body (9). A spring-constant variable stabilizer device according to claim 1, wherein the pilot operation is carried out by utilization of an external force (F) such as tension. A spring-constant variable stabilizer device according to claim 1, wherein each operation check valve (5 a , 5 b ) has a poppet (20 a , 20 b ) opposed to a push rod (30 a , 30 b ), and at the time of mechanical pilot operation, the push rod (30 a , 30 b ) moves forward to withdraw the poppet (20 a , 20 b ). A spring-constant variable stabilizer device according to claim 1, including a shock absorber (P) which makes a produced damping force variable by actuation of an actuator (R) and is disposed between a body side of a vehicle and a suspension member (Q), the actuator (R) for the shock absorber (P) being individually actuated by a command signal from a controller (C), and a selection signal ( a ) caused by manual operation and detection signals ( b , c ) from detection means such as a vehicle speed sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor are input into the controller (C). A spring-constant variable stabiliser device for a vehicle comprising a stabilizer member (1, I) provided with a control cylinder (3) comprising a piston (12) slidable in a cylinder body (9) so as to divide the interior of the cylinder body into an upper chamber (A) and a lower chamber (B), the control cylinder (3) being disposed between an end of the stabiliser member and a lower suspension arm supporting a wheel (7a, 7b, T) so that the torsional rigidity of the stabilizer member, disposed to generate a torsional torque according to upward and downward operation of the left and right wheels (7a, 7b, T) of the vehicle, is made variable, characterised in that the piston (12) is urged in opposite directions by means of a pair of springs (16 a , 16 b ) disposed in the respective chambers, operation check valves (5 a , 5 b ) are disposed in hydraulic fluid passages (L₁, L₂), respectively, which communicate the upper and lower chambers (A, B) with a reservoir chamber (6), the operation check valves (5 a , 5 b ) are each formed to be opened simultaneously by one open and closing operation actuator (5), a hydraulic fluid port (15) of a fluid passage (L₃) in communication with the reservoir chamber (6) is formed in the cylinder body (9) at a location assumed by the piston in a neutral position (14) within the cylinder body (9) so that locking can be made only in a neutral position (14), and in addition to the control cylinder (3), a shock absorber (P) the dampening force of which is variable by actuation of an actuator (R) is disposed between a body side (B) of a vehicle and a suspension member (Q), the shock absorber (P) and the actuator (S) of the control cylinder (3) being individually actuated by a command signal from a controller (C), and a selection signal caused by manual operation and detection signals ( b , c ) from detection means such as a vehicle speed sensor and a steering-wheel angle sensor are input into the controller (C).

Inventors: ARAI,JUNICHI, FUJII,TAKASHI, KATO,HISAMI, SHIBATA,NOBUO, SUZUKI,TOSHIO
Applicants: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B60G21
IPC codes: B60G21