Abstract:
A load distribution unit is utilized in a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies. A wheel ram is associated with each of the wheel assemblies, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein. The load distribution unit includes a plurality of fluid chambers, each fluid chamber being divided into at least two control chambers by at least one piston supported therein. Two pairs of the control chambers which vary in volume proportionally and in opposite senses therein with piston motion are system chambers, and at least two of the remaining control chambers are bump chambers. The pistons are interconnected by at least one connection device. The major chamber of each wheel ram is in fluid communication with a respective system chamber. The vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimum cross-axial articulation stiffness.

Description:
This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of prior PCT International Application No. PCT/AU97/00719 which has an International filing date of Oct. 28, 1997 which designated the United States of America. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is generally directed to vehicle suspension systems. and in particular to a load distribution unit for a vehicle suspension system. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     The applicant has previously developed a vehicle fluid suspension system including a load distribution unit which performs the function of redistributing fluid between two pairs of diagonally interconnected double-acting or four single-acting rams respectively provided at each wheel assembly of the vehicle during cross-axle articulation motions, whilst opposing roll motions and introducing a controlled magnitude of pitch resilience. Such a suspension system is described in the applicant&#39;s International Application No. PCT/AU95/00096, details of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an improved construction of said load distribution unit which can potentially reduce the packaging volume and weight of the original arrangement of the unit by more than 30% thereby increasing the mass production viability of the suspension system as a whole. 
     With this in mind, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a load distribution unit for a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies, a wheel ram associated with each said wheel assembly, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein, 
     wherein the load distribution unit includes two pairs of axially aligned fluid chambers, each fluid chamber being divided into two control chambers by a piston supported therein, in each pair of axially aligned fluid chambers two of the control chambers which vary in volume proportionally and in opposite senses therein with piston motion are system chambers, the remaining two chambers in each pair of axially aligned fluid chambers being bump chambers, 
     the piston of each said axially aligned pair of fluid chambers being interconnected by a connection means, the major chamber of each said wheel ram being in fluid communication with a respective said system chamber, such that as the vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimal cross-axle articulation stiffness, 
     and wherein a fluid communication is provided between pairs of the bump chambers such that the fluid pressure within the communicating bump chambers is transferable therebetween to thereby enable a pressure balance to be achieved between the system chambers. 
     The connection means interconnecting the pistons may be a rod member extending through the two control chambers in the middle of each pair of axially aligned fluid chambers. 
     A respective pair of the fluid chambers may be connected to the major chambers of the wheel rams on each side of the vehicle and the pistons located within each said respective pair of fluid chambers may be urged for movement in opposing axial directions to thereby enable the suspension system to resist roll motion by providing a roll stiffness while also providing a minimal cross-axle articulation stiffness. 
     Furthermore, the piston located within the pair of fluid chambers connected to the major chambers of the wheel rams at the front or rear of the vehicle may be urged for movement in opposing axial directions when the wheel assemblies are undergoing cross-axle articulation motion and may be urged for movement in the same axial direction when the vehicle is undergoing pitch motion to thereby confer minimal articulation stiffness and provide a pitch stiffness which is independent of the roll, four wheel bounce or articulation stiffnesses. 
     The bump chambers may be in fluid communication with accumulator means to thereby allow for a greater degree of resilience for the vehicle suspension system such that transient vertical motions of the wheel assemblies which can arise when the vehicle is travelling over a speed bump can be accommodated by the load distribution unit. 
     The fluid chambers may be of differing sizes to enable the pressures in the load distribution unit to be set as required during the design process. Each pair of fluid chambers may be located in parallel adjacent relation. Alternatively, each pair of chambers may be positioned in different positions in the vehicle or aligned along a common axis. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a load distribution unit for a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies, a wheel ram associated with each said wheel assembly, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein, 
     wherein the load distribution unit includes three fluid chambers aligned along a common axis to thereby provide opposing end chambers and a central chamber therebetween, 
     the end chambers being respectively divided by a piston supported therein into two control chambers, the central chamber being divided by two pistons into two control chambers and a central bump chamber, 
     two of the control chambers which vary in volume proportionally and in opposite senses with piston motion being separate bump chambers, the remaining four control chambers being system chambers, 
     respective connection means interconnecting each of the pistons in the central chamber to the piston in an adjacent said end chamber, the major chamber of each said wheel ram being in fluid communication with a respective one of the system chambers, such that the vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimal cross-axle articulation stiffness, 
     the two separate bump chambers of each end chamber being in fluid communication such that the fluid pressure within the communicating bump chambers is transferable therebetween to thereby enable a pressure balance to be achieved between the system chambers. 
     The connection means interconnecting the pistons may be a rod member extending through a said control chamber of the central chamber and a said control chamber of the end chamber adjacent thereto. 
     The two separate bump chambers may be in fluid communication with an accumulator means, and the central bump chamber may be in fluid communication with an accumulator means. 
     In devices such as rams and load distribution units described above, the problem of stationary friction or “stiction” where there is an initial resistance to movement of a stationary piston in a chamber can arise. This undesirable effect is especially prevalent in seals where there exists a large pressure difference across the seals which energises the seal firmly into the sealing surface giving high levels of friction. It is commonly found that there is only a certain reduction of the energising force possible (giving a set reduction in friction levels) whilst still maintaining a low fluid loss seal. This friction level can significantly retard the response time of the suspension system which can be detrimental to the ride comfort of the vehicle. The application seeks to overcome this problem by utilising fluid containers having at least a portion which is flexible to function as the chambers of the fluid ram. A similar problem can also arise in a load distribution unit with stiction between the piston seals and the bores, and the rod seals and the rods. 
     Hence, according to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a load distribution unit for a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies, a wheel ram associated with each said wheel assembly, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein, 
     wherein the load distribution unit includes a housing divided into a pair of chamber sets, each chamber set including two axially aligned end chambers and a central chamber located and axially aligned therebetween, 
     pistons respectively located within the central chamber and within each said end chamber, the pistons being interconnected to thereby provide for common movement of the interconnected pistons therein, the piston: within the central chamber dividing said chamber into two system chambers, the piston within each said end chamber dividing said end chamber to provide a bump chamber on one side thereof, 
     a flexible fluid container being located within each said system chamber and being respectively in fluid communication with the major chamber of a said wheel ram such that the vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimal cross-axle articulation stiffness, 
     flexible fluid container being located within each bump chamber, with fluid communication being provided between the fluid containers in each pair of bump chambers such that the fluid pressure within the communicating bump chambers is transferable therebetween to thereby enable a pressure balance to be achieved between the system chambers. 
     Alternatively the load distribution unit may be arranged as described hereinafter, this alternate form being preferable from the manufacturing and packaging standpoints. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a load distribution unit for a vehicle suspension system having at least one pair of laterally adjacent forward wheel assemblies, and at least one pair of laterally adjacent rear wheel assemblies, a wheel ram associated with each said wheel assembly, each wheel ram including a major chamber therein, 
     wherein the load distribution unit includes a housing divided into a pair of chamber sets, each chamber set including two axially aligned chambers, 
     pistons respectively located within each said chamber, the pistons being interconnected by a connection means to thereby provide for common movement of the interconnected pistons therein, each piston dividing its respective chamber into two control chambers, in each pair of axially aligned chambers, two of the control chambers which in volume are inversely proportional therein with piston motion are system chambers, the remaining two control chambers in each pair of axially aligned chambers being bump chambers, 
     a flexible fluid container being located within each said system chamber and being respectively in fluid communication with the major chamber of a said wheel ram such that the vehicle suspension system provides a roll stiffness and a pitch stiffness while providing minimal cross-axle articulation stiffness, 
     a flexible fluid container being located within each bump chamber, with fluid communication being provided between the fluid containers of each pair of bump chambers such that such that the fluid pressure within the communicating bump chambers is transferable therebetween to thereby enable a pressure balance to be achieved between the system chambers. 
     In the load distribution units as described above, the fluid containers located in the bump chambers and in fluid communication may also be in fluid communication with an accumulation means such as a hydropneumatic accumulator. 
     It is therefore generally possible to use the fluid containers in any of the load distribution units described above to replace the conventional hydropneumatic piston/chambers arrangement. 
     The load distribution unit may be used in a vehicle suspension system wherein the wheel ram is double acting having said major chamber and a minor chamber in which a piston rod of the wheel ram is located, the major chamber of each wheel ram being in direct fluid communication with the minor chamber of a diagonally opposite said wheel ram by a fluid communicating conduit, with each said system chamber of the load distribution unit being a fluid communication with a respective said fluid communicating conduit. Alternatively, the load distribution unit may be used in a vehicle suspension system wherein the wheel rams are single acting. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle suspension system including a load distribution unit as described above. 
     The vehicle suspension system may be controlled by the control method described in the Applicant&#39;s International Application No: PCT/AU96/00397, details of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate possible embodiments of a load distribution unit according to the present invention, although other arrangements are also envisaged. Consequently the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle suspension system incorporating a preferred embodiment of a load distribution unit according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the load distribution unit of FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 3 to  6  are schematic views of other alternative preferred embodiments of a load distribution unit according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 there are four double acting hydraulic rams ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ) shown interconnected between the vehicle body and the support means of the vehicle (for example, wheels, floats, skis). The layout corresponds to a plan view of the vehicle with the front being towards the top of the page, so the hydraulic ram  1  is associated with the front left support means of the vehicle and the hydraulic ram  4  is associated with the back left support means of the vehicle. Each ram has a hydropneumatic accumulator ( 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ) in fluid communication with the major chamber of the ram via a damper valve. The major chamber of each ram is in direct fluid communication with the minor chamber of the diagonally disposed ram by fluid communicating conduits ( 9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ). The four fluid communicating conduits are connected to a load distribution unit  13  by respective branch lines ( 14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ). 
     The same first embodiment of the load distribution unit  13  is shown in FIG. 2, enlarged for clarity, with the same reference numerals being used for common components. 
     The load distribution unit  13  comprises two pairs of fluid chambers  18 ,  21  and  19 ,  20 , each fluid chamber in a pair being aligned along a common axis, the axis of the two pairs being parallel. Each fluid chamber is divided into two chambers by pistons  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25  forming a system chamber  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29  and a bump chamber  30 ,  31 ,  32 ,  33  in each fluid chamber, the pistons of each adjacent aligned fluid chamber are connected by rods  34 ,  35 . The major chamber of the front left ram  1  is in fluid communication with the front left system chamber  26  of the load distribution unit via conduit  9  and branch line  14 . Similarly the system chambers  27 ,  28 ,  29  respectively are associated with the major chambers of the front right, back right and back left hydraulic rams  2 ,  3 ,  4  respectively. 
     The bump chambers  30 ,  31  in the front rams  18 ,  19  of the load distribution unit are interconnected by a passage  36  and are generally described as front bump chambers since as the front wheels of the vehicle ride over a bump, fluid is displaced from the major chambers of the front rams into the front system chambers of the load distribution unit. This pushes the pistons  22  and  23  rearwards expelling fluid from the front bump chambers along the conduit  38  into the front bump accumulator  40 . Since the rods  34 ,  35  join the rearward pistons  24 ,  25  to the forward pistons  22 ,  23 , as the front wheels are riding over a bump and the forward pistons  22 ,  23  are pushed rearwards, fluid is expelled from the back system chambers  28 ,  29 , extending the rear suspension rams. Fluid is also drawn into the back bump chambers  32 ,  33 , which are interconnected by a passage  37 , and connected to a back bump accumulator  41  via conduit  39 . To damp this motion, damper valves  42 ,  43  may be provided in the mouths of the bump accumulators. 
     It is important to note that the locations of the chambers described above is only one of a number of connection arrangements possible with the above style of load distribution unit. For example the system chambers could all be located in the forward fluid chambers  18  and  19  giving a mechanical advantage between the front and rear systems which can be used to control roll split. The bump chambers are then accommodated within the remaining fluid chambers  20  and  21 . Furthermore the fluid chambers which comprise the load distribution unit may be of differing diameters to increase the range of design options, along with the alternative chamber positions. 
     A second preferred embodiment of a load distribution unit according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  3 . The branch lines ( 14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ) to the system fluid conduits are shown in the same layout as in FIG.  1 . For example the branch line  14  connects the front left system chamber  26  of the load distribution unit to the major chamber of the front left hydraulic suspension ram. The system chambers and bump chambers are swapped over compared to the earlier embodiments so that the system chambers are now the smaller volume chambers through which the rod passes, and the bump chambers are the larger chambers. One half of the load distribution unit has been rotated through one-hundred and eighty degrees and placed on one end of the other half, along a common axis. This places the back bump chambers together and they can be joined by removing the wall to make one common back bump chamber  44  and connected through conduit  39  to a back bump accumulator  41 . 
     The two front bump chambers  30 ,  31  are located at the ends of the unit and interconnected by a passage  36 , communicated with the front bump accumulator  40  via conduit  38 . The function of the unit is similar to the first embodiment, the main difference being that the ratio of system to bump chamber areas can be reversed to give a wider range of sizing options to the designer. 
     The load distribution unit may also be used in a suspension system having single acting rams. In this arrangement, the major chamber of each ram can be in direct fluid communication with a system chamber of the load distribution unit. 
     FIG. 4 shows a straightforward application of fluid containers in the form of flexible bags to a third embodiment of a load distribution unit according to the present invention. The load distribution unit  50  comprises a housing  51  which is divided by dividing walls  58 ,  59 ,  60 ,  61  into six major chambers  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  55 ,  56 ,  57  aligned along two parallel axes, three major chambers on each axis. 
     The major chamber in the centre on the left hand side of the figure is divided into two minor chambers by the central dividing piston  66 , these minor chambers house individual system fluid bags  72  and  73  respectively. Similarly the major chamber in the centre on the right hand side of the figure is divided into two minor chambers by the central dividing piston  63 , these minor chambers house individual system fluid bags  70  and  71  respectively. The system fluid bags are connected to the chambers of the actuators at each wheel by conduits  82 ,  83 ,  84 ,  85  in a connection sequence as described in the applicant&#39;s earlier noted patents and patent application so will not be further detailed herein. For the purposes of describing the operation of the present invention it will be assumed that the four system fluid bags communicate with the major chambers of the rams in corresponding positions, for example the left hand side forward system fluid bag  73  communicates with the major chamber of the ram associated with the front left wheel of the vehicle. 
     The left hand side forward major chamber  57  is divided by piston  67  forming two minor chambers, the most forward one of which accommodates a back bump fluid bag  77 . Similarly the right hand side forward major chamber  52  is divided by piston  62  forming two minor chambers, the most forward one of which accommodates the other back bump fluid bag  74 . The conduit  81  joining the two back bump fluid bags and the back bump accumulator  79  permits fluid flow between the bags and from the bags into the back bump accumulator. 
     Similarly the rearward major chambers  54 ,  55  contain dividing pistons  64 ,  65  respectively and the front bump bags  75 ,  76  respectively. The front bump bags are joined to each other and to the front bump accumulator  78  by the conduit  80 . 
     All three pistons  65 ,  66 ,  67  in the major chambers  55 ,  56 ,  57  on the left hand side of the unit  50  are joined together by the piston rod  69 . Likewise the pistons  62 ,  63 ,  64  in the major chambers on the right hand side are joined together by piston rod  68 . 
     When the front wheels of the vehicle ride over a bump and the corresponding actuators become compressed, fluid is expelled from the wheel rams into the associated system fluid bags  70 ,  73  in the load distribution unit. This causes the piston rods  68 ,  69  to be thrust rearwards, compressing the front bump fluid bags  75 ,  76  and forcing fluid into the associated front bump accumulator  78 . 
     A toroidal fluid bag may alternatively be placed in each free minor chamber, replacing the larger bump bags  74 ,  75 ,  76 ,  77  illustrated. It should be understood that if this is done, all bump bags must be replaced in a similar manner to retain the functionality of the load distribution unit. Also the new toroidal fluid bags next to the dividing walls  58  and  61  are now front bump bags replacing the illustrated front bump bags  75 ,  76  at the other end of the unit. 
     Similarly, the new toroidal fluid bags next to the dividing walls  59  and  60  are now back bump bags replacing the illustrated back bump bags  74 ,  77  at the opposite end of the unit. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a fourth preferred embodiment of the load distribution unit  50  according to another aspect of the present invention. The essential functionality of the load distribution unit is not altered, yet the packaging length required is much reduced as only two aligned major chambers  86 ,  87  and  88 ,  89  are necessary on each side. The major chambers on the left hand side of the housing  51  are formed by the fixed dividing wall  91  which is shaped very like the central piston  66  in FIG.  4 . The forward major chamber  89  is divided into two minor chambers by the piston  95 . Each of these minor chambers houses a fluid bag  73 ,  76 . The front left system fluid bag  73  is connected to the front left wheel actuator as previously described for FIG. 4, and is now positioned between the dividing wall  91  and the front left load distribution unit piston  95 . The minor chamber on the other side of the piston  95  contains a front bump fluid bag  76 . The rearward left hand side major chamber  88  is divided by a back left load distribution unit piston  94  into two minor chambers housing the back left system fluid bag  72  and a back bump fluid bag  77 . The two left hand load distribution unit pistons  94 ,  95  are fixed together by bars  97  arranged around the periphery of the pistons. The back left system fluid bag  72  is housed in the minor chamber between the dividing wall  91  and the back left load distribution unit piston  94  such that as the pistons move in unison, the volume of fluid in the back left system fluid bag  72  varies substantially reciprocally with the volume of fluid in the front left system fluid bag  73 . 
     The construction illustrated in FIG. 5 for the right hand side of the load distribution unit is similar to that for the left hand side, the changes being restricted to the shaping of the dividing wall  90  forming major chambers  86 ,  87 , and the shaping of the pistons  92 ,  93  in said chambers. The positioning of the fluid bags corresponds to the left hand side, so for example the front right system fluid bag  70  is housed in the minor chambers formed between the front right load distribution unit piston  92  and the dividing wall  90 . On the other side of the piston  92  is a front bump fluid bag  75 , which is connected to the front bump fluid bag  76  on the left hand side and the front bump accumulator  78  by the conduit  80 . The back right major chamber  87  is divided by the back right load distribution unit piston  93  into two minor chambers which house the back right system fluid bag  71  and a back bump fluid bag  74 . The front and back right load distribution unit pistons  92 ,  93  are fixed together by bars  96  arranged around the periphery of the pistons. The back right system fluid bag  71  is housed in the minor chamber between the dividing wall  90  and the back right load distribution unit piston  93  such that as the pistons move in unison, the volume of fluid in the back right system fluid bag  71  varies substantially reciprocally with the volume of fluid in the front right system fluid bag  70 . The back bump fluid bags  74 ,  77  and the back bump accumulator  79  are connected by the conduit  81 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a load distribution unit  50  of similar form to that illustrated in FIG. 5, the differences being largely restricted to the positioning of the bump and system fluid bags. The load distribution unit pistons. are also now fixed together by piston rods  68 ,  69  as in FIG.  4 . This alternative arrangement allows the matching of pressures, areas and resultant forces to enable optimal sizing of the components during system design. The system bags  70 ,  71 ,  72 ,  73  now occupy the outermost minor chambers and the bump bags  74 ,  75 ,  76 ,  77  occupy the minor chambers on either side of the dividing walls  90 ,  91 . For example the front left major chamber  89  is divided by the front left load distribution unit piston  95  into two minor chambers, the outermost of which contains the front left system fluid bag  73 . The other minor chamber between the front left load distribution unit piston  95  and the dividing wall  91  houses a front bump fluid bag  76  which is connected to the other front bump fluid bag  75  and the front bump accumulator by the conduit  80  as described for the preceding embodiments of the load distribution unit according to the present invention. 
     It should be further noted that the major chambers may be of differing volumes, the piston rods  68 ,  69  may be extended through the ends of the casing and the end portions have two major chambers at one end of the housing  51 , and the front and back bump fluid bags may be housed in the two major chambers at the other end of the housing. Any or all of the above options can be used to assist in the matching of pressures, areas and resultant forces to enable optimal sizing of the components during system design. 
     Furthermore, the major chambers of the load distribution unit may be aligned along a single common axis as described in the applicant&#39;s prior patents and patent applications. This can be achieved by, for example, rotating the left hand side portion of the load distribution unit through 180° in plan view, then fixing it to either end of the right hand side portion. One of the bump fluid bags can then be discarded. 
     It is also envisaged that the load distribution unit be provided as two separate housings respectively controlling the left and right sides of the vehicle. These housings can then be positioned in separate locations within the vehicle. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.