PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12134292-B1
Application Number: US-202318204032-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Motion control systems

Abstract:
A motion control system includes a spring that supports a body structure with respect to a rotating assembly, the spring including an internal working volume, a structure that is connected between the spring and the rotating assembly, and a reservoir that is located in the structure. The reservoir is in fluid communication with the internal working volume of the spring to allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the spring and the reservoir.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle structure; 
 a wheel assembly; 
 a control arm that is connected to the wheel assembly and to the vehicle structure by pivot joints; 
 an air reservoir that includes a first port, wherein the air reservoir is disposed within the vehicle structure; and 
 an air spring that supports the vehicle structure with respect to the control arm and is configured to compress and expand, wherein the air spring includes a second port that is in fluid communication with an internal working volume of the air spring, 
 wherein the first port defines an opening and the second port extends into the opening and engages the first port to connect the first port with the second port and allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir in response to compression or expansion of the air spring. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first port and the second port each have a cylindrical configuration, with the cylindrical configuration of the first port sized to receive the cylindrical configuration of the second port. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a seal disposed between and in engagement with the first port and the second port to retain air flowing between the air spring and the air reservoir. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the seal is configured as an o-ring that surrounds the second port. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle structure is disposed above the control arm in an elevational direction, with the air spring extending in the elevational direction between, and engagement with, the vehicle structure and the control arm. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the air spring comprises a first housing, a second housing, and a flexible panel extending between and coupled to the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is disposed above the second housing in the elevational direction and the first housing comprises the second port. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising an active suspension actuator that is connected to the control arm and to the vehicle structure and configured to apply forces between the control arm and the vehicle structure. 
     
     
       8. A suspension system comprising:
 a control arm configured to be connected to a wheel assembly; 
 an air reservoir that includes a first port, wherein the air reservoir is disposed within the control arm; and 
 an air spring coupled to the control arm, configured to support a vehicle structure relative to the control arm, and configured to compress and expand, wherein the air spring includes a second port that is in fluid communication with an internal working volume of the air spring, 
 wherein the first port defines an opening and the second port extends into the opening and engages the first port to connect the first port with the second port and allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir in response to compression or expansion of the air spring. 
 
     
     
       9. The suspension system of  claim 8 , wherein the air spring extends in an elevational direction between, and engagement with, the vehicle structure and the control arm, with air spring disposed above the control arm in the elevational direction. 
     
     
       10. The suspension system of  claim 9 , wherein the air spring comprises a first housing, a second housing, and a flexible panel extending between and coupled to the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is disposed above the second housing in the elevational direction and the second housing comprises the second port. 
     
     
       11. The suspension system of  claim 8 , further comprising an active suspension actuator that is connected to the control arm and configured to apply forces between the control arm and the vehicle structure. 
     
     
       12. The suspension system of  claim 8 , wherein the first port and the second port each have cylindrical configurations, with the cylindrical configuration of the first port sized to receive the cylindrical configuration of the second port. 
     
     
       13. The suspension system of  claim 12 , further comprising a seal disposed between and in engagement with the first port and the second port to retain air flowing between the air spring and the air reservoir. 
     
     
       14. The suspension system of  claim 13 , wherein the seal is configured as an o-ring that surrounds the second port. 
     
     
       15. The suspension system of  claim 8 , wherein the air reservoir is defined by a hollow interior of the control arm. 
     
     
       16. The suspension system of  claim 8 , wherein the air reservoir is defined by a tank that is located inside a hollow interior of the control arm. 
     
     
       17. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle structure; 
 a wheel assembly; 
 a control arm that is connected to the wheel assembly and to the vehicle structure by pivot joints; 
 an air reservoir that includes a first port, wherein the air reservoir is disposed within the vehicle structure or the control arm; and 
 an air spring that supports the vehicle structure with respect to the control arm and is configured to compress and expand, wherein the air spring comprises:
 a first housing, 
 a second housing, 
 a flexible panel extending between and coupled to the first housing and the second housing, and 
 a second port in fluid communication with an internal working volume, with the second port connected to the first port to allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir in response to compression and expansion of the air spring, 
 
 wherein the first housing extends toward the second housing and defines a first portion of the internal working volume and the second housing extends toward the first housing and defines a second portion of the internal working volume, 
 wherein a perimeter wall of the first housing extends from a base of the first housing toward the second housing, with the perimeter wall of the first housing and the base of the first housing defining the first portion of the internal working volume, and 
 wherein a perimeter wall of the second housing extends from a base of the second housing toward the first housing, with the perimeter wall of the second housing and the base of the second housing defining the second portion of the internal working volume. 
 
     
     
       18. The vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the first housing extends into the second portion of the internal working volume defined by the second housing. 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising an active suspension actuator that is connected to the control arm and to the vehicle structure to apply forces between the control arm and the vehicle structure. 
     
     
       20. The vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising a seal disposed between and in engagement with the first port and the second port to retain air flowing between the air spring and the air reservoir.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/506,118, filed on Oct. 20, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/902,821 filed on Jun. 16, 2020, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/904,186, filed on Sep. 23, 2019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates generally to motion control systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Motion control systems support a sprung mass relative to an unsprung mass. The sprung mass is a first part of an object, which typically includes a body having a compartment. The unsprung mass is a second part of the object that typically includes components that support the body and are movable relative to the body. The function of the motion control system is to reduce transmission of vibrations from the unsprung mass to the sprung mass. Causes of vibrations include the horizontal and vertical curvature of a surface that the object moves along, roughness of the surface, imperfections in the surface, and debris on the surface. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosure is a vehicle that includes a vehicle structure, a wheel assembly, a control arm that is connected to the wheel assembly and to the vehicle structure by pivot joints, and an active suspension actuator that is connected to the control arm and to the vehicle structure to apply forces between the control arm and the vehicle structure. The vehicle also includes an air reservoir that includes a first port and an air spring that supports the vehicle structure with respect to the control arm and is able to compress and expand. The air spring includes an internal working volume, the air spring includes a second port that is in fluid communication with the internal working volume, and the second port is connected to the first port to allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir in response to compression and expansion of the air spring. 
     In some implementations, the air reservoir is located in the control arm. In some implementations, the air reservoir is located in the vehicle structure. 
     In some implementations, the second port is located at a bottom end portion of the air spring. In some implementations, the second port is located at a top end portion of the air spring. 
     In some implementations, the air spring includes a lower housing, the air spring includes an upper housing, the air spring includes a flexible panel that is connected to the lower housing and the upper housing, and the second port is formed through the lower housing. 
     In some implementations, the air spring includes a lower housing, the air spring includes an upper housing, the air spring includes a flexible panel that is connected to the lower housing and the upper housing, and the second port is formed through the upper housing. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a vehicle suspension system that supports a vehicle structure with respect to a wheel assembly. The vehicle suspension system includes a control arm that is connected to the wheel assembly and is connected to vehicle structure. The vehicle suspension also includes an air reservoir that is located inside the control arm. The vehicle suspension system also includes an air spring. The air spring supports the vehicle structure with respect to the control arm and is able to compress and expand. The air spring includes an internal working volume that is in fluid communication with the air reservoir to allow exchange of air between the internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir in response to compression and expansion of the air spring. 
     In some implementations, the air reservoir is in fluid communication with the air spring through a port that is located on a top surface of the control arm. 
     In some implementations, the air reservoir is defined by a hollow interior of the control arm. The hollow interior of the control arm may be substantially sealed with respect to an external environment. 
     In some implementations, the air reservoir is defined by a tank that is located inside a hollow interior of the control arm. 
     In some implementations, an upper end of the air spring is connected to the vehicle structure and a lower end of the air spring is connected to the control arm. In some implementations, a first port is formed in a top surface of the control arm, a second port is formed in the lower end of the air spring, and the first port is connected to the second port to allow transfer of air between the air spring and the air reservoir. 
     The vehicle suspension system may also include an active suspension actuator for applying forces between the vehicle structure and the wheel assembly. In some implementations, the active suspension actuator has an upper end that is connected to the vehicle structure and a lower end that is connected to the control arm. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a vehicle that includes a vehicle structure, a wheel assembly, a control arm that is connected to the wheel assembly and is connected to vehicle structure, an air reservoir that is located inside the vehicle structure and includes a first port that is formed in a surface of the vehicle structure, and an air spring. The air spring supports the vehicle structure with respect to the control arm and is able to compress and expand. The air spring includes a second port that is connected to the first port to allow fluid communication between an internal working volume of the air spring and the air reservoir to define a total working volume for the air spring that includes the internal working volume and the air reservoir. 
     In some implementations, the air reservoir is defined by a hollow interior of the vehicle structure that is substantially sealed with respect to an external environment. In some implementations, the air reservoir is defined by a tank that is located inside a hollow interior of the vehicle structure. 
     In some implementations, an upper end of the air spring is connected to the vehicle structure, a lower end of the air spring is connected to the control arm, and the second port is formed in the upper end of the air spring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an illustration that shows a vehicle suspension system that supports a vehicle structure with respect to a wheel assembly. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view illustration showing a lower control arm of the vehicle suspension system. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-section illustration taken on line A-A of  FIG.  2    showing the lower control arm of the vehicle suspension system. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-section illustration showing an air spring, the lower control arm, and the vehicle structure with the air spring in an expanded position. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-section illustration showing the air spring, the lower control arm, and the vehicle structure with the air spring in a compressed position. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-section illustration taken showing the lower a control arm according to an alternative implementation. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-section illustration showing an air spring, a lower control arm, and a vehicle structure according to an alternative implementation with the air spring in an expanded position. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-section illustration showing the air spring, the lower control arm, and the vehicle structure of  FIG.  7    with the air spring in a compressed position. 
         FIG.  9    is a block diagram of a vehicle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The description herein relates to suspension systems that include an air spring and a reservoir that holds air that can be used by the air spring to increase the working volume of the air spring. The reservoir is located inside a vehicle component that is positioned either at a first (e.g., lower) end of the air spring or at second (e.g., upper) end of the air spring. 
     The air spring and reservoir configurations that are described herein reduce the stiffness of the air spring by increasing the working volume of air that is available to the air spring. Because the air spring is located inside a vehicle component that is positioned at an end of the air spring and adjacent to the air spring, this increase in working volume is achieved without increasing the size of the air spring itself, and without incurring the air pressure losses associated with use of a remotely-positioned air tank. 
       FIG.  1    is an illustration that shows a vehicle suspension system  100  that supports a vehicle structure  102  with respect to a wheel assembly  104 . The vehicle suspension system  100  is configured to reduce transmission of vibrations to a sprung mass from an unsprung mass using passive suspension components and active suspension components. In this example, the sprung mass is the vehicle structure  102  and the unsprung mass is the wheel assembly  104 . The configuration of the vehicle suspension system  100  and the wheel assembly  104  is an example of a configuration that can be used to connect multiple wheel assemblies (e.g., four total wheel assemblies) to the vehicle structure  102  in order to support the vehicle structure  102  relative to a roadway surface or other surface. 
     The vehicle structure  102  includes components that are part of the sprung mass of the vehicle. The vehicle structure  102  may be a multi-part structure. The vehicle structure  102  may include a frame, a subframe, a unibody, a body, a monocoque, and/or other types of vehicle frame and body structures. The vehicle structure  102  may include or support components that define internal structural portions of the vehicle (e.g., frame rails, structural pillars, etc.), and external aesthetic portions of the vehicle (e.g., body panels). 
     The wheel assembly  104  includes a wheel  106 , a tire  108 , and a wheel hub  110 . The wheel  106 , the tire  108 , and the wheel hub  110  are all conventional components. For example, the wheel  106  may be a steel wheel of conventional design that supports the tire  108 , which may be a pneumatic tire. The wheel hub  110  is fixed against rotation by components of the vehicle suspension system  100 . The wheel  106  and the tire  108  are supported by the wheel hub  110  so that they may rotate. Propulsion, steering, and/or braking components may also be connected to and or integrated into the wheel  106  and/or the wheel hub  110 . 
     To support the vehicle structure  102  with respect to wheel assembly  104 , the vehicle suspension system  100  may include an upper control arm  112 , a lower control arm  114 , an air spring  116 , and an active suspension actuator  118 . 
     The upper control arm  112  and the lower control arm  114  connect the wheel hub  110  to the vehicle structure  102  such that the wheel hub  110  is movable with respect to the vehicle structure  102 , primarily in a generally vertical direction. As an example, the upper control arm  112  and the lower control arm  114  may each be connected to the vehicle structure  102  and to the wheel hub  110  by pivot joints  120  that allow rotation in one or more rotational degrees of freedom. The air spring  116  may be connected in parallel with the active suspension actuator  118  in order to carry most of the static load that is applied to the wheel assembly  104  by the vehicle structure  102 . 
     The active suspension actuator  118  is operable to apply forces to the vehicle structure  102  and to the wheel assembly  104  through the lower control arm  114  in the illustrated example. It should be understood that other configurations of the vehicle suspension system  100  could use different configurations in which the active suspension actuator is connected to the sprung mass and the unsprung mass differently. 
     The active suspension actuator  118  is configured to apply forces to the vehicle structure  102  and to the wheel assembly  104 . The active suspension actuator  118  may be connected to these components directly or indirectly using joints or other structures. In the illustrated example, the active suspension actuator  118  is connected to the vehicle structure  102  and to the lower control arm  114  by pivot joints  122 . In the illustrated example, the active suspension actuator  118  has an upper end that is connected to the vehicle structure  102  by one of the pivot joints  122  and a lower end that is connected to the lower control arm  114  by another one of the pivot joints  122 . 
     Operation of the active suspension actuator  118  can be controlled to control accelerations of the vehicle structure  102  relative to the wheel assembly  104 . For example, the active suspension actuator  118  can be controlled to extend and retract to apply forces between the vehicle structure  102  and the wheel assembly  104  in positive and negative directions. 
     The active suspension actuator  118  may be a linear actuator or another type of actuator. As one example, the active suspension actuator  118  may be a hydraulic piston-cylinder actuator. As another example, the active suspension actuator  118  may be a pneumatic piston-cylinder actuator. As another example, the active suspension actuator  118  may be a pneumatic air spring. As another example, the active suspension actuator  118  may be an electromagnetic linear actuator. As another example, the active suspension actuator  118  may be a ball screw linear actuators that is driven by an electric motor. Other types of actuators may be used as the active suspension actuator  118  to implement active suspension control. 
       FIG.  2    is a top view illustration showing the lower control arm  114  of the vehicle suspension system  100  and  FIG.  3    is a cross-section illustration taken on line A-A of  FIG.  2    showing the lower control arm  114  of the vehicle suspension system  100 . In addition to being connected to the wheel assembly  104  and the vehicle structure  102 , the lower control arm  114  also includes an air reservoir  328  that is located inside the lower control arm  114 . The air reservoir  328  provides an additional volume of working fluid (air) that is usable by the air spring  116  during compression and expansion of the air spring. In contrast to the air spring  116 , the air reservoir  328  may be a substantially rigid vessel that has a fixed volume and is not able to expand and contract. 
     In the illustrated example, the air reservoir  328  is defined by the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114 . The air reservoir  328  reduces the stiffness of the air spring  116  by increasing the total working volume of air that is available to the air spring  116 . Thus, the stiffness of the air spring  116  can be controlled (in part) by the volume of the hollow interior  330  that is provided for use as the air reservoir  328  for use by the air spring  116 . 
     The lower control arm  114  is pivotally connected to the wheel assembly  104  by the pivot joints  120 . The lower control arm  114  is also pivotally connected to the vehicle structure  102  by the pivot joints  120 . In the illustrated example, the pivot joints  120  are pin-type joints that each allow rotation in one degree of rotational freedom around a pin axis of the joint. Over a relatively small range of motion, connection of the wheel assembly  104  to the vehicle structure  102  by the lower control arm  114  allows the wheel assembly  104  to approximate vertical motion. 
     The lower control arm  114  includes a mount  232  at which the lower control arm  114  is connectable to the air spring  116 . The mount  232  is an area where the air spring  116  contacts the lower control arm  114  and is connected to the lower control arm  114 . A control arm port  234  is formed in the lower control arm  114  to allow exchange of air between the air spring  116  and the air reservoir  328  defined within the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114 . The control arm port  234  may be located near the mount  232  and therefore is located at a lower end portion of the air spring  116  such that the air reservoir  328  is adjacent to the lower end portion of the air spring  116 . In the illustrated example, the control arm port  234  is an opening that is located at or near the center of the mount  232  and is formed through the lower control arm  114  such that it extends from an exterior surface of the lower control arm  114  to the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114  in order to allow direct exchange of air between the interior of the air spring  116  and the air reservoir  328  defined by the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114 , as will be explained further herein. In other implementations, the air reservoir  328  defined by the hollow interior  330  of the air spring  116  may be in fluid communication with the interior of the air spring  116  by a short conduit, passage, or other fluid communication structure that connects the interior of the air spring  116  to the air reservoir  328  defined by the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114  in a manner that allows fluid communication. 
     The hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114  is bounded by wall portions  336 . In one implementation, the wall portions  336  are sealed with respect to each other to define the air reservoir  328  within the wall portions  336  of the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  114 . Thus, the hollow interior  330  is substantially sealed with respect to an external environment that the suspension system  100  is located in. As used herein, “substantially sealed” means that air may be contained within the air reservoir  328  under pressure within only minor losses during normal operation and other than intentional depressurization (e.g., through a valve that vents to atmosphere or through supply line to another component), only minor losses in air pressure occur. As an example, the hollow interior  330  may be substantially sealed to define the air reservoir  328  by sealing of the wall portions  336  with respect to each other such that the hollow interior  330  defines a substantially sealed volume within the lower control arm  114 . With the remainder of the hollow interior  330  being substantially sealed, air exchange between the air reservoir  328  and the air spring  116  occurs through the control arm port  234 , which extends through one of the wall portions of the lower control arm  114 . 
       FIG.  4    is a cross-section illustration showing the air spring  116 , the lower control arm  114 , and the vehicle structure  102  with the air spring  116  in an expanded position.  FIG.  5    is a cross-section illustration showing the air spring  116 , the lower control arm  114 , and the vehicle structure  102  with the air spring  116  in a compressed position. 
     The air spring  116  includes a lower housing  440 , an upper housing  442 , and a flexible panel  444 . The lower housing  440 , the upper housing  442 , and the flexible panel  444  cooperate to define an interior space  446  of the of the air spring  116  that contains a working volume of pressurized air. The air that is present within the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  may be referred to as an internal working volume of air, which is the portion of the total working volume that is contained inside the air spring  116 . The total working volume of air includes the internal working volume of air from the interior space  446  of the air spring in combination with the volume of air (an external working volume of air) that is contained in the air reservoir  328 . 
     The lower housing  440  defines a lower end portion of the air spring  116  and the upper housing  442  defines an upper end portion of the air spring  116 . The lower housing  440  of the air spring  116  is a generally cylindrical structure that has an open top end. The upper housing  442  of the air spring  116  has a columnar configuration that is sized such that it may extend into the interior of the lower housing  440  through the open top end of the lower housing  440 . 
     The flexible panel  444  is a generally annular member having an upside-down u-shaped configuration. An outer portion of the flexible panel  444  is connected to and sealed with respect to the lower housing  440 . An inner portion of the flexible panel  444  is connected to and sealed with respect to the upper housing  442 . Because of the upside-down u-shaped configuration of the flexible panel  444  and the flexible nature of the material (e.g., synthetic rubber) from which the flexible panel  444  is formed, the flexible panel  444  allows upward and downward translation of the upper housing  442  with respect to the lower housing  440  and allows for a limited range of rotation of the upper housing  442  with respect to the lower housing  440  (e.g., rotation as a result of the pivoting connection of the lower control arm  114  with respect to the vehicle structure  102 ). 
     An air spring port  448  is formed through the lower housing  440  for connection to the lower control arm  114 . For example, the air spring  116  may be a generally cylindrical structure and the air spring port  448  may extend through the lower housing  440  in a direction that is generally aligned with the expansion and contraction direction of the air spring  116  and the air spring port  448  may be located at or near a central axis of the generally cylindrical configuration of the air spring  116 . The air spring port  448  is connected to the control arm port  234  to allow fluid communication between the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  and the air reservoir  328  that is located in the lower control arm  114 . In the illustrated example, the air spring port  448  is a passageway through a tubular portion of the lower housing  440  that extends into the control arm port  234  and is sealed with respect to the control arm port  234  by a sealing element  449 . The sealing element  449  may be any suitable structure or combination of structures that are able to define a substantially airtight seal between the air spring port  448  and the control arm port  234 . As examples, the sealing element  449  may be an O-ring or a gasket. 
     During movement of the air spring  116  from the expanded position ( FIG.  4   ) to the compressed position ( FIG.  5   ), the lower housing  440  and the upper housing  442  move closer together, and some degree of relative rotation may occur depending on the overall configuration of the vehicle suspension system  100 . The volume of the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  is reduced as a result of the movement of the lower housing  440  with respect to the upper housing  442 . As a result of the reduction in volume of the interior space  446 , the pressure of the air in the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  and in the air reservoir  328  of the lower control arm  114  increases. Air may also be exchanged between the interior space  446  and the air reservoir  328  as a result of this movement, for example, by travel of a portion of the air from the interior space  446  into the air reservoir  328 . 
     During movement of the air spring  116  from the compressed position ( FIG.  5   ) to the expanded position ( FIG.  4   ), the lower housing  440  and the upper housing  442  move away from each other, and some degree of relative rotation may occur depending on the overall configuration of the vehicle suspension system  100 . The volume of the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  is increased as a result of the movement of the lower housing  440  with respect to the upper housing  442 . As a result of the increase in volume of the interior space  446 , the pressure of the air in the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  and in the air reservoir  328  of the lower control arm  114  decreases. Air may also be exchanged between the interior space  446  and the air reservoir  328  as a result of this movement, for example, by travel of a portion of the air from the air reservoir  328  into the interior space  446 . 
     Other than inclusion of the air spring port  448  to allow air to be exchanged between the interior space  446  of the air spring  116  and the air reservoir  328  that is inside the lower control arm  114 , the design of the air spring  116  is conventional and other known air spring designs may be used. 
       FIG.  6    is a cross-section illustration taken showing the lower a control arm  614  according to an alternative implementation. The lower control arm  614  can be used in the vehicle suspension system  100  in the manner described with respect to the lower control arm  114 . The lower control arm  614  is similar in structure and function to the lower control arm  114  except as otherwise described herein. As examples, the lower control arm  614  includes an air reservoir  628 , a hollow interior  630 , a mount  632 , a port  634 , and wall portions  636 , all of which are consistent with the descriptions of the air reservoir  328 , the hollow interior  330 , the mount  232 , the control arm port  234 , and the wall portions  336 , except as otherwise described herein. 
     The lower control arm  614  includes an air reservoir  628  that is located inside the lower control arm  114 . Instead of being defined by the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  614  (e.g., by sealing of the wall portions  336  such that the hollow interior  330  defines a substantially sealed volume within the lower control arm  614 ), the air reservoir  628  is defined by an air tank  638  that is located in the hollow interior  330  of the lower control arm  614  and is accessible through the control arm port  234  in the lower control arm  614  for fluid communication with and exchange of air with the air spring  116 , for example, by establishing a sealed connection between the working volume of the air spring  116  and the air reservoir  628  defined by the air tank  638  through the control arm port  234 . The air tank  638  may be any manner of vessel, container, or other structure in which an additional volume of pressurized air may be stored to provide a larger total working volume for the air spring  116 . 
       FIG.  7    is a cross-section illustration showing an air spring  716 , a lower control arm  714 , and a vehicle structure  702  according to an alternative implementation with the air spring  716  in an expanded position.  FIG.  8    is a cross-section illustration showing the air spring  716 , the lower control arm  714 , and the vehicle structure  702  with the air spring  716  in a compressed position. The air spring  716 , the lower control arm  714 , and the vehicle structure  702  are similar to the air spring  116 , the lower control arm  114 , and the vehicle structure  102 , and the previous description of these components is applicable except as otherwise described herein. The air spring  716 , the lower control arm  714 , and the vehicle structure  702  differ from the air spring  116 , the lower control arm  114 , and the vehicle structure  102  in that an air reservoir  728  is located in the vehicle structure  102  adjacent to an end portion (e.g., a top end portion) of the air spring  716  as opposed to the air reservoir being located in the lower control arm  114  as previously described. 
     The vehicle structure  702  includes a hollow interior  730  that is defined by wall portions  736  that are sealed with respect to each other to define a substantially sealed space in the vehicle structure  702  that serves as the air reservoir  728 . The hollow interior  730  is substantially sealed with respect to an external environment that the suspension system  100  is located in. A vehicle structure port  734  is formed through one of the wall portions  736  and is oriented toward the air spring  716  in order to allow fluid communication with the air spring  716  and exchange of air between the air reservoir  728  and the air spring  716 . As an alternative to defining the air reservoir  728  in the vehicle structure  702  using the wall portions  736  of the vehicle structure  702 , an air tank may be provided in the vehicle structure  702  and in communication with the vehicle structure port  734  in the manner described with respect to the air tank  638 . 
     The air spring  716  includes a lower housing  740 , an upper housing  742 , and a flexible panel  744 . The lower housing  740 , the upper housing  742 , and the flexible panel  744  cooperate to define an interior space  746  of the of the air spring  716  that contains a working volume of pressurized air. The lower housing  740  is a generally cylindrical structure that has an open top end. The upper housing  742  has a columnar configuration that is sized such that it may extend into the interior of the lower housing  740  through the open top end of the lower housing  740 . The flexible panel  744  is a generally annular member having an upside-down u-shaped configuration. An outer portion of the flexible panel  744  is connected to and sealed with respect to the lower housing  740 . An inner portion of the flexible panel  744  is connected to and sealed with respect to the upper housing  742 . Because of the upside-down u-shaped configuration of the flexible panel  744  and the flexible nature of the material (e.g., synthetic rubber) from which the flexible panel  744  is formed, the flexible panel  744  allows upward and downward translation of the upper housing  742  with respect to the lower housing  740  and allows for a limited range of rotation of the upper housing  742  with respect to the lower housing  740  (e.g., rotation as a result of the pivoting connection of the lower control arm  714  with respect to the vehicle structure  702 ). 
     An air spring port  748  is formed through the upper housing  742  for connection to the vehicle structure port  734  of the vehicle structure  702 . For example, the air spring  716  may be a generally cylindrical structure and the air spring port  748  may extend through the upper housing  742  in a direction that is generally aligned with the expansion and contraction direction of the air spring  716  and the air spring port  748  may be located at or near a central axis of the generally cylindrical configuration of the air spring  716 . The air spring port  748  is connected to the vehicle structure port  734  to allow fluid communication between the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  and the air reservoir  728  that is located in the vehicle structure  702 . In the illustrated example, the air spring port  748  is a passageway through a tubular portion of the upper housing  742  that extends into the vehicle structure port  734  and is sealed with respect to the vehicle structure port  734  by a sealing element  749 . The sealing element  749  may be any suitable structure or combination of structures that are able to define a substantially airtight seal between the air spring port  748  and the vehicle structure port  734 . As examples, the sealing element  749  may be an O-ring or a gasket. 
     During movement of the air spring  716  from the expanded position ( FIG.  7   ) to the compressed position ( FIG.  8   ), the lower housing  740  and the upper housing  742  move closer together, and some degree of relative rotation may occur depending on the overall configuration of the vehicle suspension system  100 . The volume of the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  is reduced as a result of the movement of the lower housing  740  with respect to the upper housing  742 . As a result of the reduction in volume of the interior space  746 , the pressure of the air in the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  and in the air reservoir  728  of the vehicle structure  702  increases. Air may also be exchanged between the interior space  746  and the air reservoir  728  as a result of this movement, for example, by travel of a portion of the air from the interior space  746  into the air reservoir  728 . 
     During movement of the air spring  716  from the compressed position ( FIG.  8   ) to the expanded position ( FIG.  7   ), the lower housing  740  and the upper housing  742  move away from each other, and some degree of relative rotation may occur depending on the overall configuration of the vehicle suspension system  100 . The volume of the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  is increased as a result of the movement of the lower housing  740  with respect to the upper housing  742 . As a result of the increase in volume of the interior space  746 , the pressure of the air in the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  and in the air reservoir  728  of the vehicle structure  702  decreases. Air may also be exchanged between the interior space  746  and the air reservoir  728  as a result of this movement, for example, by travel of a portion of the air from the air reservoir  728  into the interior space  746 . 
     Other than inclusion of the air spring port  748  to allow air to be exchanged between the interior space  746  of the air spring  716  and the air reservoir  728  that is inside the vehicle structure  702 , the design of the air spring  716  is conventional and other known air spring designs may be used. 
       FIG.  9    is a block diagram that shows a vehicle  950  that the vehicle suspension system  100  may be included in. In addition to the vehicle suspension system  100 , the vehicle  950  may include a controller  952 , sensors  954 , and actuators  956 . Other components may be included in the vehicle  950 . 
     The controller  952  may be a conventional computing device (e.g., having components such as a processor and a memory) that is provided with computer program instructions that allow the controller  952  to generate commands that regulate operation of the vehicle  950 . As an example, the controller  952  may generate commands to regulate operation of components of the vehicle suspension system  100 , such as the air spring  116  and the active suspension actuator  118 . As another example, the controller  952  may use information from the sensors  954  to control the actuators  956  in an automated or partly automated driving mode. 
     The commands generated by the controller  952  may be generated using sensor signals that are generated by the sensors  954  and are provided to the controller  952  as inputs. The sensors  954  may include, as examples, one or more accelerometers that measure motion of the vehicle  950  and/or various parts of the vehicle  950 , one or more cameras that monitor conditions around the vehicle  950 , and/or one or more three-dimensional sensors (e.g., LIDAR, structured light, etc.) that monitor conditions around the vehicle  950 . 
     The actuators  956  are conventional. As examples, the actuators  956  may include a propulsion system, a braking system, and a steering system. 
     The vehicle  950  may be configured as a conventional road-going vehicle. As examples, the vehicle  950  may be configured as a passenger car, a utility vehicle, a sport utility vehicle, a truck, a bus, or a trailer. 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology controlling operation of an active suspension system, which may include the gathering and use of data available from various sources to customize control of the active suspension system based on the preferences of the passengers who are in the vehicle. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. As one example, information describing a user of the vehicle may be collected and used to adjust the ride of the vehicle based on user preferences. As another example, the vehicle may include sensors that are used to control operation of the vehicle, and these sensors may obtain information (e.g., still pictures or video images) that can be used to identify persons that are present in the vehicle or near the vehicle. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to develop a user profile that describes user comfort levels for certain types of motion of the vehicle. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the identifying content to be displayed to users, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide personal data for use in suspension control. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time personal data is maintained or entirely prohibit the use and storage of personal data. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, customized suspension control can be performed using non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, other non-personal information available to the devices, or publicly available information.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20230531
Publication Date: 20241105
Grant Date: 20241105
Priority Date: 20190923
Inventors: CARTER, TROY A.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "B60G17/0155", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2204/143", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/154", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/152", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2204/148", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/30", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G7/006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G7/001", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2206/012", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2204/126", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/28", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/154", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/152", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G17/0155", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/30", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/27", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/27", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2204/148", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2204/143", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/154", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G2202/152", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G17/0155", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/30", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G7/006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60G11/27", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 78703746